The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-03-02
BY JOSEPHINE suLLEN
CHAPTER l.

CHAPTER /.
well. Michael, here's a big paper
for you to I'LL up"
The kindly little priest seated him.
sclf At the table. put on his spec
tacles, and drew an official looking
document from his breast pocket
For many months Michael Rear
don had seen great terror draw.
Ing steathily nearer him. Day by
day, m his strength failed. leaving
him less able TO earn the tiny wage
that kept his own roof over h,o head.
the shadow OF the workhouse had
crept closer to his feet A month
before. the old man had fallen un.
conscious at his work. and he knew
now that he could never again touch
spade.
In his anguish he turned to his
neighbor. Julia Calvin.
go to the workhouse. me poor
MIKE" cried the woman who for
PEARS had done all she could for the
lonely old man. "It's meself thatll
keep ye out Of II. then. Ill ask
Father O'Brien to get one OF them
old-age pensions for ye. Don't fret
now. Nike"
And 30 the CHEEKY priest, not long
arrived In the desolate PARISH OF
Knocknegara, found hines" the cen.
trail figure In Reardon's cottage. with
the old man. seated beside turf
IRE. hanging expectantly on his
words. and Mrs. Calvin close at
hand to pay him due attention.
The priest slowly unfolded the pa
per-
When were you born. Michael?''
he asked. They must know your
exact a: ), you see"
Michaers patient face grew anx.
ious.
Il dunno the year. your reverence,
but was maybe 10 or IL when the
famine came
well. that makes you over seven
", anyway. Was Il In this parish
you were born7"
1T was, father"
: Then can get your baptismal
certificate easy enough. so that's oil
right Now then
He hurried through q list Of ques.
lions. the answer TO many being
supplied by Mrs. Calvin, out OF her
lifelong knowledge OF the old mans
circumstances.
That's right, Michael" The priest
beamed on him through his glasses
s~There's another question I must be
asking you. my son, just for forms
sake. so don't be offended abCr' a.
now. They want to know II you've
ever been In prison. There's joke
for you. Michael. avic. Ha, ha, hat
B.. the priests che y laugh ceas
ed suddenly. and he looked iLquir
ingIy from Reardon to Julia. On both
faces q shadowSbad fallen. a chill
seemed to have struck the little
room. The old man paied h gaz
Cd at the priest with troubled eyes
sure know it's not likely
Michael" Father O'Brien said al
most apologetically. But I must
have the answers to all these ques
tons. you see"
The old man drew a long breath
: "sure, then. father. I was In pris
on he said, simply.
The paper dropped from bis as
tonished hear rs han |. and Jr'
Gal-in. who had been agitatedly
twisting her apron. broke In implor
ingly
Don't be thinkin' harm OF him
father. for that same! Sure he never
did Il, no more than n baby, L. II
thieve he would, and he the honest
est man In the parish? An II he
never SAID Yes nor No when they
asked him was he guilty. hadn't he
his own reasons for that? La. "
tell his rivarence, Michael tthe I'D
man had made siIencing gesture)
"sure II think none the worse OF
ye. Twas this way, father, he
wnnt on. turning eagerly to him:
michael had an only son--the very
Hight OF his eye he was. an fine
boy. too. though maybe bit idle
Con never cared TO work In the
fields here. an all he wanted was to
20 to America.
80 Michael saved an scraped for
his passage money. but II took n
long time to get II together. an the
boy was made TO be OF. an'-well,
temptation came in his way. an he
took some money. father. The
theft was found out just when he
was going to start for Queenstown,
an Michael took all the blame on
himself an made them think he did
II. SO Con got on TO Queenstown
an his poor old father was put In
prison and bore the disgrace OF II
without word for the boys sake
But sure we all know how II was,
though we held our tongues to
please Michael Ye're not thinKing
the worse Of him for II. are ye.
fsther1"