Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-20
A Gallagher Act
nf ID. &. ROBERTS.

Miss Lydia Gallagher lived In the top
floor front ut Mrs. Sparks's. There
were two things that she was secretly
very proud OF III her unaSSuming way
-hrst, that She was one OF the Gala
ghers OF County Antrim, and second,
mat. although alone and unprotected in
strang land, So was still able to
uphold the traditions of her family ana
live scnteely, as befittcd q daughter of
the kings of Ireland
The money that she earned from Civ
ing bridge lessons. together with the
hundred pounds year left by Uncle
Dan, who died in India, sut!iced for n
iadylike, though modest. existence. To
the wreath of violets and tho black and
white striped silk dress had seen many
seasons OF wear. but they were still
eminenuy respectable and she asked
nothing else
In fact, now that the war was on,
she felt certain glory in her old
clothes. and would not have changed
them for new if she could All her
spare money went into wool that she
knittcd as she rode on the street car
between. lessons At meals. in fact.
every minute sho could steal, into socks
and sweaters for my five nephcws at
the front Dan at Gallipoli; little Nicola
in Palestine and Angus. Sheamus and
David in Flanders. Their pictures stood
in cleaning row like a bodyguaro
on her tiny dresser.
Yet, though her nervous little fingers
were busy from early morning till late
at night, Miss Lydia was not satisfied
with her share in the war There were
dozens Of legends in her family Of the
heroism of the Gallagher women in
times Of stress, and Miss Lydia felt
that they had set standard to which
she. a full blooded Gallagher. must live
up. She burned with an ardent pa
triotism and lonEed for an opportunity
TO prove herself.
For several years Miss LYDIA had had
4 companion in her top floor front.
1t. or he, was bird OF unknown line
age. apparently something between a
crow and 4 catbird. with rough. black
feathers and a rasping call. She had
found him one morning after heavy
windstorm the night before a the foot
Of the elm tree in the garden, He was
young bird. who had fallen from his
nest and been stunned. She took him
in and christened him Cory, after an
ancient kindly ancestor of hers and
kept him in great gilt cage hanging
in the window,
A. he grew older the vagaries OF
his lineage made themselves felt. He
TIL night Nervous Miss Saunders. who
lived next door, had TO change her room
on account Of him. The French made
muttered to herself necessarily in gut
teral Norman French. and Fraulein
Muller, the German teacher at Miss
at the sounds, but said nothing.
One Friday afternoon in August. Miss
Lydia went away to visit pupil of
hers down at the shore, momentous
she returned on Sunday evening, Cor
rvs cage door was open and he was
gone. Nobody apparently knew any
thing about him. but all agreed that
the only way he could have gotten out
was for somebody to have deliberately
opened the cage door and let him ny.
All professed a sorrow which none felt.
Some even went SO far as to hint that
the dark muttering OF mademoiselle or
nervous Miss Saunders might know more
about the matter than they chose 10
only narrowed her blue eyes and said
However. Cory was gone. and that
was the end OF it, but for a long time
afterwards Miss Lydia, who had loved
her maynard pet, felt very lonely with
out him in the little ton floor front,
in spite OF the bodysuard on her
dresser.
one night early in May. Miss Lydia
was sitting in the rocker in her top
ioor front knitting as usual The day
suddenly, without warning. thun-
derstorm broke forth. so violent that
the house rocked 10 its foundations. The
thunder rolled, the lightning flashed
through tho elm trees. Miss Lydia
paused In her work. The violence of
the rain beating against the window
pane was 80 terrific that little streams
Of water were actually forcing them
selves through the cracks and trick
ling down to the floor. She rose hastily
and threw open the window 10 draw
close the blinds.
With scream she jumped back
Something out OF tho night struck her
fun In the breast. then fell. n futter
ing heap. at her feet. She clutched
the table and looked ut it. 1t was
only pigeon. cold and frightened, and
he lay huddled on the floor. blinking
his brilliant eyes at her. but giving no
other signR of life
Poor little SOUL" said Miss Lydia
with quick pity, as she picked him up
and fondled him. You saw the light
and came in. didn't you?" She GER
tainly had a way with animals. for in
short time the pigeon recovered from
his fright, cooked his bright eve at
her and stepped confidently from her
lap to the table, where he preened
himself. AS he stood there Miss Lydia
noticed ring clamped around one Of
his legs.
'Ah, so you belong to some one then
my beauty" she said, and. taking him
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