The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-08-28
Copyright. 1908. by G. w. Dillins-
ham CompanS.

Copyright. 1908. by G. w. Dillint-
ham CompanG.
Continued from Last Week.
tree by the winds of winter, he would
dedicate it to her and wear it next his
heart with a portrait of woman he
fancied looked something like her that
he had cut from stray page of a
newspaper. When no one was nigh
he could nurmur his secret and his
hopes and doubts to Morals favorite.
Lady Belle, and it seemed to him that
the creatures big lustrous eyes regard
ed him uAderstandingly and sympa-
thetcally.
"Lydy Belle" he would tell her, INV
Nera's hactress, lovely hangel, like
the fairies In the pantomime at Droo.
~ Lyae an Sanger's, with pink tights
an wings and spangles. an the lime
light ppyiA' on 'em. She's too pretty
an good for me naow. Yus, she is.
But some ~ the Dukes goin' to be
sonethin', too, an all the pypers'll be
talkin' abaout William Perkins. the
gryte jockey. Then you'n see me dash
up in me motor to lay me nyme an
fortune at 'er little feet, an she'll be
me blushin' bride. An Lydy Belle, I'll
tIke ysu tse.''
In his rare hours of leisure he had,
at the cost Of much labor and brain
racking, written many letters to her
declaring his love, only to tear them
Up in his fear of sending them.
The Shrimp happened upon him in
the stable enc day while the Duke was
in the threes Of one Of these epistola-
tory efforts. The amorous stable boy
was seated on an upturned pail and
drafting his letter with the stump Of a
pencil On paper grocery bag some
what cruApled and dirty from having
been thrown with other refuse on the
garbage heap, whence he had rescued
1t as afferding handy medium for re-
cordiAg the phraseologic conceptions Of
his brain rs inspired by the promptings
Of his heart.
''Writil' po'try! Oh, motherv snig.
gered his termentor.
The Duke did not condescend to re-
spond.
stake my tip, Dock, an quit" went
On the Shrimp. cts sign you got
'em bad when you gifts de pome
nicrobe under yer lid. Dere amt q
bundle in de woild as is worth dom
de Shakespeare act for"
StiN the Duke vouchsafed no notice
of him.
'Youse thinks she's all to de jam
pots, doat y'sr? But take it from me,
she couldn't stand no acid test She'd
be marked down to 80 cents at de bar
gain scrin0age."
"Ts 'os wus you alludin', Mister
Mitchell" demanded the Duke haughti-
~.
The way Of putting the question
staggered the Shrimp. He struck a
psse anl bowed low.
,"To who was I alludin', Mr.. Per
kins, STRIP he mimicked. who'd be
alludin' to II not to yer fr'en' what
jiggles her crutch sticks an beetle
crushees at that dime museum in Moo
Ysrk?"
The Bake remained silent, and the
Shrimp went away whistling.
"Say, Dock" he said, retracing his
steps aAd stopping in front Of him,
''scuse ne fer bein' alive, but on de
level, Is it true she's run of wild a
ash can white wing?'
You're booboo, amt yer? Hi
dunno what you're talkin' abaout," re-
piled the Duke, whose heart sank
within him at the thought that behind
the Shrimp's raillery there might be
bad news concerning Nora.
mo, o. chap, I'm not dotty," contin-
ued the Shrimp. II keeps half Mel
son an double damon cinch on
me sense, SOS not to let it git away
from nae. But seen the old 'ooman
a-tearin' her hair just now an cryin'
like she'd been peelin' onions cause
widout any mail. I know sometimes
wrong wild me baby she was holler-
in. They never write any more
amt had a letter from her an Patsy
fer week, an there was q owl boot
in on de roof last night, an put me
stockin' On inside out dis mornin'.'
Fancy calm dat peep show stall a
baby! She's a infant fermuminum-
don't think"
"An' d'you know what l think ~
commented the Duke. II think you're
low daewn NUT to talk like that of
any gal, specially such nice. respect
able gal as Miss O'Brien.'
Jaw, g'wan." said the Shrimp de-
lighted at having achieved his object
of talking rise" out of the boy.
what d'you know about her? Let's
have decko at yer pome."
He snatched the paper from the
Dukes hand and started away with it.
This was the last straw. The Duke
bounded up from the pail and dealt his
tormenter blow on the jaw with such
force that it sent him to the ground.
Then, before the Shrimp had recovered
his senses sufficiently to realize just
what had happened, the Duke had Sc
cured the paper, thrust it in his pocket
and was standing over him, quivering
with rage and inviting him to get up
and be "spifflicated." The Shrimp was
not slow to respond. He was on his
feet in twinkling and rushing at his
adversary. The boys were fighting all
AuAr tina ~%ohla onA <ha n,,l>o xroO