The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1916-03-08

F.. Terence
Malo.nl'ey
A Story. For
St. Patrick's Day
By F. A. Mitchell

OOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOCOOOOO
You've all heard of Larry o'Toole
| OF the beautiful town of Drumgoole.
| He had but one eye
| To ogle We by
| oh, murther, but that was a jew'l!
| A fool .-.t
He made of the girls, this O'Toole.
Whoever was this Larry O'Toole of
Mr.. Thackeray's he was certainly the
counterpart of one Terence Maloney,
who was born in the eighteenth GEN.
fury and died in the nineteenth. Ter4
ence was about halfway through with
his mortal career when the eighteenth
century was coming to an end, and
with it the differences between Ireland
and England We're entering upon one
of their periodical explosions.
There was everything about Terence
| to cause him to be beloved. In the
first place he had fine crop of auburn
hair on his head that kinked itself into
dozens of little curls. Unlike Mr..
Thackeray's friend, he had two eyes,
trimming with good humor. His com
plexion was that mixture of white and
|
lection as in Erin. His lips We're cam
go cut. and succession of smiles was
continually cascading over them. His
figure was light and agile, his limbs
being seemingly moved by hidden
springs.
| Such q combination of attractions
might well be expected to make fool
of the girls. At any rate, not girl
ever came near him without giving
him at least a part of her heart. But
blame seemed to roll off TERENCE like
water off a ducks back. No girl Could
complain of his endeavoring to win
her, for he was in a constitutional
state of girl winning. The good humor
constantly bubbling in his eyes and the
smiles lowering about his lips were
considered perennial supply which all
might quaff. If any girl inveighe.l
against Terence for deceiving her there
were dozens to condemn her for desir-
ing to appropriate what belonged to
every girl in Ireland.
Naturally when the troubles of '9S
came on Terence was imbued heart
and soul with rebellion. 1t is just such
persons as he who enter upon enter
prises without counting the cost He
| was not a leader in the true sense of
the word; he was rather fomenter
Not that he went about pleading with
his fellow countrymen to rise, but that,
having taken up the cause of Ireland.
he was so popular that every Irish man
or woman who was in doubt as to his
or her political part on hearing that
Terence Maloney was apatriot resolved
at once to be a patriot too. If the real
leaders of the movement desired to
| win over a town where old and expe-
Ifenced heads were influencing the peo-
pie to caution they would send Terence
there. He would ride through the main
street, scattering smiles to- the right
and to the left, and the only oratorical
effort needed were the words, spoken in
IIerence's rich, sonorouS voice, .Afe ye'
wild sus?"7 Whereupon a succession of
| affirmative shouts would roll down the
street, keeping pace with the orator.
Hence it was that one Peter. Shaw,
an agent IF the English government.
sent to Ireland to send back informa-
ton as to the best measure of sup
pressing the rebellion, wrote to London
that there was one man, Terence Ma
loney, unknown to the government.
who was doing more harm to the Brit
ish cause than the real leaders. Shaw
advised the government to arrest Ma
Honey and get him across the channel,
but he cautioned them against any
public arrest, since Maloney was so
ponI1lar fhat SITeh oo1rSo would infi1-
ence. all his friends. Shaw received
instructions to use his own Judgment
in the matter. 49, -.
1t seemed advisable to the govern
ment agent to wait and watch for
Favorable opportunity to eliminate Mr..
NIalOney. Not till the rebellion was
coming to an end did he consider 1t
safe to make the arrest. And then in
stead of accusing Terence of treason
he trumped up a charge against him
of highway robbery. Realizing what
mer charge, he hoped to allay the feel
ing by proving that his man was a
common criminal. 80.
Shaw learned that on the evening be-
fore st. Patrick's day Terence was to
attend a ball in the town halls Of his
native village. The agent got together
a number Of persons. in his pay who
were to lay. trap for the young pa
triot. .. Terence was present scatter:
. ing his smiles as usual. When the
dancing was at it's height a messenger
delivered note to Terence stating
THAT a friend had been wounded in q
duel and desired to see him immedi-
aately.s:. it, s...< IL. %S"> -.
Terence left the hail., mounted a
horse and rode away. In passing a.
place darkened by overhanging trees
he was met by half dozen men who
asked him some questions, then, with
a cry of Robbery put spurs to their
horses and dashed away in every di-.
rection. Terence sat on his horse, won
dering what it all meant. But a solu-
tion was not long in coming to him.
He knew that Shaw was DESTROYS of
arresting him for treason but dared not
do it. 1t now occurred to him that he
had been called from the hall ON pur-
pose to be waylaid by these men. who
would doubtless the next day charge
him with has ing robbed them on the
highway.
The moment the explanation came to
aim Terence rode bset lSsto the ballroom
and it was not long before. what had
occurred was known to every one pres
ent.: Groups of his friends discussed
the matter and various schemes. were
proposed. whereby Mr.. Shaw might be
headed off. Some We're in favor of
Terence's taking flight: Others argued
that this would be Il confession OIL
guilt and opposed it. Nofdecision was
reached by Terence's men friends, bat
the women, ut the suggestion Of one Of
their number, determined to oppose hi
arrest. No more dancing was done.
and, gradually the jewellers dispersed.