The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-12-27
My Friend Pat
A Story OF Colorado and
the Emerald Isle
b WILLARD BRAKEMAN


bundle tied up in n red bandanna
handkerchief and short pipe I'm his
mouth, at which he was pulling lus-
tily.
Good mornin' to you" he said cheer
fly.
Good morning, Pat" | replied
How did you know my name was
Patr' he asked.
"By your broguc."
"Is 1t very broad?'
"No: but broad enough to give you
away as resident of the Emerald
ISLE"
Northern Irish, is it?"
81 suppose so. What are you doing
out In this country2'
ooh, came to dig for fortune"
And having made 1t you're going
back home to enjoy it?"
what made you think I've made my
fortune?"
"oh. by your eminently respectable
appearance"
well. now. that's luckyp
"Why SOP"
Because I'm sadly In need of loan,
and since I've made a fortune it'll be
safe for you TO favor me-"
laughed Mt the Irish wit, and the
way the young man had caught me in
a trap. was feeling somewhat set
up, for l believed l had struck n for
tune myself, Besides we gold seekers
in those days were prone to help one
another.
"How much do you wantw
Enough TO take me 20 Ireland-a
matter OF 500"
IL can't do that much for you, but ;
might spare $50 to get you to New
York. Couldn't you make up the rest
in some other way?"
Half a loaf is better than none"
We went on TO Denver together, and
l was greatly amused by his humor
and an original way he had OF viewing
things. sold my mine for enough to
make me Independent for life and got
a few hundred dollars for first pay
ment By this time l had become so
friendly with my travelling compan-
ion that l advanced him the whole
sum needed to TAKE him to Ireland. ]
believed he had made the failure near
ly all gold hunters make, and since l
had been one of the few fortunate ones
l was ready to give him a tiny bit from
my bonanza.
"Where'll send it?' he asked
"You needn't send II Mt all As soon
as get that deal closed out I'm going
to Europe. and I'll see you there"
"Well, you'll find me on the estate OF
the Carl of Ballygarach. At any rate,
inquire there for me-"
"a tenant of hisp"
mo"
whats your place thereF
He hesitated, and It seemed to mo
he was trying to invent reply, so |
gave him n shake of the hand and
said goodby. felt sure was making
loan that would never be repaid,
but I'd had 10 invent stories myself
about my hole In the ground in order
to obtain means to keep on digging,
and wouldn't have thanked any one
to question me too closely. AS | turn
ed away from him | saw n peculiar
look In his eye.
why do you look at me In that way,
Pat2" | asked. had always called
him Pat, though his name was John
Curran.
II can't make out why you're lending
me this money. Unless you give me
your address, that ! may return 1t, or
your promise to see me In Ireland re-
fuse to take It."
"All right; you have my promise to
see you in Ireland"
Don't you go back on me by not com
ing" he added. and we parted.
The sale of my hole in the ground
was conditional, and some months
elasped before the purchasers had sat
isfied themselves that the property was
what | claimed for II. Then, after all,
l was obliged TO take good deal Of
the stock IN the company that wns
formed In pnrt payment. but this didn't
trouble me, for had great confidence
in the value of the mine. Indeed, my
stock eventually became many times
more valuable than the cash payment
II was year after the sale before l
found myself Independent to do what
liked. and set off on tour around
the world. My course was eastward
and took In England as my first land
ing place. had always desire TO
visit Ireland and after seeing England
to my hearts content. crossed the
Irtoh ahnnnnI nt I En0patfaH fanIi,,O 70
obliged to hunt up my debtor ! didn't
need the money had loaned him. and
| didn't believe he would be I'm condi-
ton TO pay II. TO tell the truth. hnd
no idea would find him on the estate
Of the Earl Of Ballygarach or that |
would find him Mt ali. This opinion
was not based ON the belief that he was
dishonest. for he had an expression
that invited confidence, but ON the fact
that necessity knows no law, and his
necessities had probably forced him TO
invent all he had told me.
After visiting the principal cities In
southern Ireland worked my way
northward and one day brought up ut
a little Gown near the estate OF the Earl
OF Ballygarach. / rode out to the place
IN an Irish two wheeled cart and, stop
ping at the manor house, asked the
butler IL he could tell me of man on
the estate Of the name OF John Curran,
who about year before had returned
TO Ireland from America. The servant
gave me a blank stare, then led me
into reception room, invited me TO be
seated and went away.
Presently he returned and said that
the earl was not at home and he was
lhe only one who could give me the In
formation. Milady desired that !
should make myself at home-in the IL
brary If | liked-till his lordship's re-
turn. Since was not averse to nosing
among books | assented.
An hour passed in this way, when
the butler entered and said that lunch
ann tynuld enon ha randy and aAkad If