The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-10-13

y
not pleasing presence as he STOOD
there under the Pickering light of the
street lamp.
But there was something like grim
smile on MONEYS battered features
as he drew out his bunch Of jangling
keys. selected his latchkey and climb
ed the steps to the little stoop
Before he could insert the latchkey
In the lock. however, the front door
few open.
"Oh. Eddie!w cried Mary Mooney
both her arms about her big son ut
seemed as If We was never comm"
Gently Eddie disengaged himself.
Come into the parIey," he said som
berIy, leading the way into the very
ornate little front room and touching
a match to the gas jet
Eddie" she cried with sudden anx.
iety, catching sight of his battered fea
lures in the light with which the room
was flooded as one after another he
lighted all the jets in the little chande
Iier, we've been hurted"'
Eddie said nothing, Slowly he turn
ed about that she might get the full
effect of his sadly damaged face.
She came trembling step nearer to
him Her thin hands were claSped
tightly together A light, plying. com
passionate anger famed III her eyes.
"Ye've-ye've." came her falterinp
tones. "been licked"
And what If have?' he said short
~, almost sullenly
His mother stood looking fxedly al
his big frame. and In her eyes. much
to his surprise. was neither the anger
nor the disgust nor the disappointment
he had expected.
Then, with little choking cry. she
flew 70 him. She forced him gently
down into big, gaudy rocker of vel
low brOcaded plush. She bent over
him, gathering his head in both heI
arms. pressing it close to her, mother
ing him as If he were some tired and
hurt and diSilusoned little child
"Oh. Eddie! Oh. Eddie" she said
over and over. "Oh, I'm so sorry fol
ye. We poor. poor b'y-so sorry. dearie
so sorry! But for me own sake. Eddie
I'm glad. gIad-oh, so glad"
"Huh!' Mooney managed finally &c
gurgle, all but speechless with aston
iShment
Mind how sorry am for We, dearie
won't YEP" she went on hurriedly. "FOl
am sorry for the cruel, bitter disap
pointment that this'll be to yer But
yell soon get over that, and if We was
licked this bad in yer very first fight
We won't be kapin' on wit the game
will yer? And that's what makes ule
so glad
II never wanted yer to be a fighter
like yer fa-ather was. but be was sci
on ut, He was forever talkin' about
tie fine build of yer and the speed OF
yer and the clever way yer could han.
die yerself even when yer was nothin
but tiny kid. He was always dream
in about the great name yer'd be max
in for yerself Nm the ring when yer
grew up, name that was to put his
own clane in the shade, accordn' tt
his way of thinkin'
And when his time come he called
me to him jest before he dies and
Mary says he, make me wan prom
tSe, says he Promise me yell never
stand in Eddie's way. and if be wants
to 70 into the ring when he grows Up
promise me yell he to him what we've
always been to me in that way that
ven stand behind him and cheer him
Oh and encourage him. like we've al
ways done for me-
so ! promised, and. though Mt neat
broke me heart when We first began to
do yer hoXin' at the clubs and yer name
got talked around as Cal MONEYS clev
er son ana conner in the game. | re,
membered the promise I'd made yer
fa-ather. and stood by ut and KEEP a
smtlin face to yer to cheer yer on even
though the heart av me was like lead
within me But now We won't want tc
| be tightin' amy more-not after this
will yer, EddieY
Eddie Mooney suddenly jumped to
his feet. He caught his mother by the
shoulders aud gently held her off at
arms length
He pretended to be looking at her
very sternly and accusingly, bu even
on his bruised and battered face there
was no mistaking the look OF Infinite
relief that rested there.
Nuns, he said, with mock sever
" do yer mean to tell me you'd like
me Just as well-ne, the son Of Cal
| Mooney, that was the greatest fighter
of his weight that ever lived if /
worked in foundry or took the job
that Spilane, the contractor offered me
awhile backa job at the bottom, dig
gin in ditchY