The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-20

Boy
Story Of St. Patrick's Day
By r MACKIE


Larry Will never be coming home"
sighed Dennis Flanagan as he looked
out into the March twilight. Its five
years since lie went away to seek his
fortune. Molly. and do you never won
der what he's found?'
Molly Delaney looked at her uncle
through unshed tears.
II am always wondering that. Uncle
Dennis" she answered.
Light the lamp. Molly. and read his
latest letter. requested Dennis.
When the lamp was lighted It dis
closed Il comfortable sitting room.
clean and coy and warm. 1t showed
Dennis in his big rocking chair. his
helpless rheumatic feet propped on a
stool. Lovely Molly Delaney, with her
misty black hair and her Irish blue
eyes. sat down at the table and OPEN
ed the worn envelope that contained
Larry ~Flanagan's letter and read:
Dear Father-Although it's five years
since l left you with high hopes in my
heart that my returning would be soon.
fear that | must wait a little longer be-
fore seeing your dear face again and feel
ing the hearty clasp of your hand Gold
is an aIluring jade. She has led me a
pretty chase in this bleak. cold country.
and now she is only just in sight. Please
God, when next | write it will be to tell
you that I have struck it rich. that I am
coming home to buy a grand house for
you and Molly. and We will all be happy
together. Remember that l promised Mol
ly that when | came home I'd bring her a
bunch of emerald shamrocks, the real
jewels, and now they are just within my
reach. A boy from Hazenville is due here
tomorrow. and with his coming l expect
to hear direct news from you both. With
love from your dutiful son. LARRY.
Molly lifted her eyes and looked
across the table at Dennis Flanagan.
Uncle Dennis. I'm afraid that Larry
will never come home" she whispered.
The old nan lifted a tremulous hand
Hush, child: I've a feeling that
Larry will come back to us. had
q dream last night. l thought there
came q knocking at the door and |
opened 1t to see our Larry. Instead
Of wearing fine clothes and a silk hat.
poor Larry was In rags. And instead
Of pinning q bunch of emerald sham
rocks on your bosom. where they'd be
out Of place on that 6imsy cotton
gown. my dear. poor Larry car
ried a little pot Of the living green
plant from old Ireland. And then I
woke up" r.
Molly was sobbing softly.
II don't care how poor he In. Uncle
Dennis. II he will only come home to
u.s."
mo more do 1. childie." whimpered
| Dennis.
Don't SORROW. Uncle Dennis" CON-
forted the girl. slipping to her knees
beside him. Larry will soon come
home. II this last quest for gold
should prove useless. l can gee him
turning about and coming back to US.
Between the lines Of his letter I could
read that he was hungering for the
ones he had left behind"
God bless you. daughter" smiled
Dennis nor c%heerfully.
The Alaska twilight had fallen swift
~ like q dull gray blanket tossed over
the frozen world: then q gh0stly moon
appeared over the eastern mountains
and revealed bleak expanses of glisten-
ing snow and the dark masses Of pine
trees.
Under the shoulder Of the hill crouch
ed a little cabin. and before the blaz-
ing 6re on its hearth two young mep
were sitting. The hoy from Hazen-
ville' had arrived. and Larry Flanagan
vas listening to his story Of home and
the home folks.
And my old father helpless with the
rheumatism" repeated Larry incredu-
lousy. why. Mike Dolan. the old
scout never wrote 4 word of it to me!
But. thank heaven. the railroad stocks
will keep him comfortable. but
Mike Dolan looked at the big framed
man. whose brown hair was grazing on
the temples and whose handsome face
had taken on new lines Of d~oggedness
during the past Eve years. Was 1t pos
sibie that Larry did not know that the
little western railroad had blown up
and that old Dennis Flanagan's stock
vat worthless?
AdETy. uc lutCETUpIcU SOOcfly,
didn't you know that the railroad
busted and your father lost every
penny"
"You lie!" cried Larry savasely. for
he was struck to the heart by the news.
Mike Dolan smiled pityingly.
Its all true. Larry. and what's
more true is that your little cousin
Molly is a wonderful girl. When the
bad news came the lass opened q mil.
linery shop, and with her clever fingers
she certainly has made money hand
over fst. She's taken good care Of your
father. and
"Whisht. man." cried Larry in IN
agonized tone, Il cannot bear to hear
any more! Look ut me. Mike Doiaa!
Laugh at me! l came away to make.
my fortune. said when I returned Il
would bring Molly Il bunch Of sham
rock made from emeralds. with dia.
m0nd dewdr0ps on 'em. and look at
this!" He swept his arm In a gesture