The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-01-09

weakly.
"Again!" Mr.. Orthwein exclaimed
with Indignation, looking anxiously
but passionately at Mr.. Shea.
"But Tim wouldn't join them" Mrs.
Shea fastened to say.
"And you never will, TIM" Mr.
Orthwein pleaded.
mo, God help mel" he answered
solemnly; "but it is a temptation,
sir, when things go like this. 1t
makes a man angry and bitter to be
in my fix and know that, mile away,
people are living in luxury and don't
care what becomes of us poor devils!"
Il know, Tim; I know, but there's
heaven coming. What would most of
us do but for that?"
He rose then, gave Mrs. Shea lit
tie money, divided few apples be-
tween the children and left the room,
followed by Mr.. Burton. In silence
they CROPPED their way, single file,
through the hall and down the stairs,
but when they reached the street Mr..
Orthwein took Mr.. Burton's arm and
as they walked homeward talked in
cessantly-a apparently to himself rath-
err than to his companion as he never
paused to hear any comments Mr.
Burton might wish to make.
"To think that it has come to this
for the Sheas-and in six years!
They were young mere children
and so happy and hopeful! They
were neighbors in Ireland and lovers
after a childish fashion. And then
they came here, she first, and learned
stenography; he followed after a few
months and got place with us. She
lived at my boarding house; that's
who I CHANGED to know her. Such a
pretty girl, a sprightly imp with roses
in her cheeks and music in her laugh
ter and endless mischief in her bright
eyes. But who would guess it to see
her now?"
He looked up into Mr.. Burton's
face as he continued more slowly.
Il was the first person who knew
of their engagement. Tim proposed
to Mary at circus, they told me
with shrieks of laughter, and they
we're both so happy when she said
yes that when the show was over
they didn't discover the fact and kept
their seats until a man asked them
to go, and then they found that they
were the only people left in the tent.
Of course, | had guessed long before
how it would all end. Even grabbed
old bachelors like myself aren't quite
blind. And I was at their wedding.
How happy they were! Full of life
and hope. And now-God help them"
He and Mr.. Burton parted a min
ute later. George said nothing more
than a crisp Good night" and hur-
ried on his way, and Mr.. Orthwein
stood and looked after him as long
as he was in sight and noted that
he did not turn in at the club house.
Instead Mr. Burton walked the two
miles to his own home, his head
bowed, miserable to the depths of his
soul.
1t was early in the morning, not
yet o'clock and still dark, when he
stole into his garage with his arms
full of bulky packages. Without wax
ing the chauffeur he tumbled every
thing into one Of the automobiles,
then squeezed in as best he could. A
quarter of an hour later he stumbled
up three flights of stairs and knocked
at Mr.. Shea's door. When Mrs. Shea
opened it she did not recognize him.
Il was here last night with Mr..
Orthwein," he explained. "And-and
| came back to bring some things. .
| Then, to relieve his embarrassment
and hers, he laughed and added, Il
stole these odds and ends out of the
refrigerator at home. l don't know
what the cook will do with mel" So
saying, he deposited his bundles on
the table and tore off the papers, dis.
playing some oranges, half chicken,
about dozen eggs, a couple of pounds
of butter and two grape fruit.
Mrs. Shea's face beamed. She was
very hungry. ooh, how nice! she
cried rather TREMENDOUSLY, trying to
keep the tears back, and while she
divided an orange between the chill
dren and peeled second for her
husband, Mr.. Burton was summoning
up courage to say what was in his
mind. At last he began, looking at
Mr.. Shea rather than at his wife:
81 must tell you something that
for the first time in my life I am
ashamed to tell. It's my name. I'm
George Burton, president of the Bur-
ton Manufacturing Company but
didn't know had no idea-and I'm
awfully sorry! Truly, it never oc-
Cured to me that $40 month is
starvation wages these days, and -
and, Tim Shea, you worked for that
for seven years, so | owe you good
deal. You'll have to let me make up
a little bit. I've been desperately
miserable since was here last night
/ had not understood before. am
going to raise the $40 men to $50
It's the least / can do, and hence
forth they must be paid just the same
when they are ill.,
He talked fast and incoherently,
perhaps, but with intense earnestness
and his listeners understood. Mrs.
Shea ran to her husband, and forget.
ting that he ought not to be agitated
sobbed convulsiyely on his shoulder
He patted her head with a big, weak
hand
'I'll soon be well now, Mary" he
whispered, and when she was quieter