The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-03-30

AtNii law SNuuh6Cu ct OhhNp Hhh HiD
voice became stern and peremptofy, as
he cried
Hold on there, Ike. don't allow
any man to talk like that in my pres,
ence."
But tho fellow, conscious NJ The
grinning approval Of his own parIiGu
lar clique, went still farther, winding
up his ribald talk with n Femafk con.
corning the Blessed Virgin,
Instantly Dams brawny arm was
raised and with tho single eKGlama.
ton of. You dirty buekguHrd" be
dealt the offender u reaounding slap on
the cheek. that could be heard above
the roar of the machinery,
lke's eyes bla2cd with fury, though,
being Sinking coward at heart, he
dared not retallate, Instantly there
was an uproar among the men, A
certain number were In sympathy with
the sentiments the ruillan had eX.
pressed. Some others could scarcely
make out, at first, what the tumult
was about, and stil another few
stood abashed and uncertain These
latter were Catholics, small and
weak minority. For even those among
them who practised their religion had
hitherto said little about It In that
atmosphere which they knew to be
hostile, and they were not known to
belong to the despised religion.
There was confusion OF sounds
through which could be distinguished
the lowest epithets applied to the
"Papist," varied by expressions un.
complimentary to the Pope.
Dan, standing at bay, his eyes CLEAN.
ing out from his blackened face and
his powerful fist clenched defantly,
cried out:
Come on, then. every mothers son
of you! I'm ready for ye"
Though many sprang towards him
threatening with cries of knock out
the bloody Romanist," there was a
certain proportion of the more decent
men who felt thrill of admiration
for that sturdy upholder of the faith
that was in him.
Of course, in the majority of cases
it was simply admiration of his cour-
age, his strength and, as it were, the
hero look of him; yet there were few
who could go deeper and catch some
glimpse of the vital principle that had
been the handspring of his action, the
reverence and the loyalty that had up
lifted the poor toiler to high
spiritual plane.
The Catholics, too, felt some stir
rings of shame and an awakening of
that faith which had burned SO
brightly in their forefathers. Admira-
ton for Dan was mingled with indig-
nation and disgust for his opponent
Many of them were glad to remember
afterwards that they had rallied to his
side before the next act in that in.
spiriting little drama.
In the uproar and the buzz of talk
that had followed upon McGrath's &C
ton the men had not noticed that the
| superintendent with two of the direct
ors and large shareholders in the iron
works had stepped unnoticed into the
ROOM They had, too, been standing
outside in the corridor for a few mo
ments, and so had been witnesses OF
all that had occurred.
"Wha is that man." inquired the
oldest of the visitors, leading capita
list of the State, and director not only
in that company but in several
| others.
The superintendent, to whom the in
quiry had been addressed, promptly
answered:
AN Irishman named McGrath."
by George." exclaimed the younger
of the two visitors, he would make
| an ideal Hercules or a statue of some
avenging god"
Can you put q stop to this
tumult?" asked the man who had
spoken first to the superintendent.
The latter, who was not little NOR
tilted that such an occurrence should
have disturbed at such an inopportune
| moment that perfect order which he
| boosted of being able to keep in the
| foundry, sharply rang bell.
The effect was magical. There was
| an almost instantaneous silence. The
| men who had been scrambling over
| one another, shouting and gesticulat
ing, turned their eyes from the still
militant Dan to the three men who
were standing in the center of the
room.
What does this all mean?" cried
the angry voice of the superintendent
Immediately Ike Whitley and three
or four of his friends broke into q
more or less incoherent explanation
of what had taken place. Dan uttered
no word in defense nor in accusation
The superintendent, catching at the
explanation offered and taking no &C
count of the provocation that McGrath
had received, was only anxious tc
show the visitors how rigorous was
the discipline he maintained. He an
nounced in a voice that was heard
through all the room that McGratf
was dismissed, that he would be paid
what was due him at the Office and
might take his hat and go.
In that instant, while confused muir
murs arose among the various groups
Dan realized all that such an an
nOuncement meant to him. He had
been married but few years before