Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-26
PAT o,LEAnr,s BRAVERY.

1t was on one OF the New York
slum streets that a gang" OF boys
were teasing small Irish hoy.
Coward. coward" chanted the boys,
taking up the refrain after. the lead
or OF the gang. Tole Davis. had
yer call 1t, Mr.. Cowardy." said Tole,
scornfully. II dare yer to do it,.
and no doubled UP his Erimy hands.
Pat clenched his. too, but unclenched
them again rs no remembered his
mothers words, son, refrain from
dear" and the thought OF his mother.
who was so gentle and refined and
had come from one of the best fami-
lies in New York, kept him from
lighting. "Oh, no." said Duncer, Toles
best pal, the little feller is gettln,
cold feet, little coward he Is" At
this all tho boys laughed and Tole
couldn't do no more nor kill yer.
could II" But Pat replied, "SIy
mother is real American who mar
ried an Oirishman. and my mother
said rot to-"
'.Ho, ho. mammals pet" sneered
Tole. THE little Irishman said my
mother and she married am
oirishman.' ya. ha., who ever heard OF
an Irishman."
Ioor Pat, who really wanted to
make friends with the boys, was so
embarrassed and ashamed that no
spien his little sister in the road and
used this for An excuse for slipping
away from his tormentors.
The next day the gang was play
ing soldiers. Now, II there was any
thing Pat like to do it was to play
soldiers. so he won't to Tole, who
was the ''Captun." please let me
play" he began meckly. "I love to.
lama lS,
but Just any one YOU want mo to-
BIT Tolc only turned away and said
utterly: Nav we don't want no
freshman In our soldier troop. do we
kids?" Al which the boys answered
Nav" i'oor Pat turned sadly away,
but thinking of something he came
hack and said to Tole. II havs a
little wooden pistol could use" But
he was interrupted by Tole. who re-
marked: "Now. you heard us: we
don't want yer" And Tole turned
TO the other boys saying, Come on.
start up The Star-Spangled Ban
ncr.'" So the boys. singing gayiSF
and waving battered Old f1ag.-
marched away and left Pat standins>.
dolefully alone. ~?
The boys spent two hours in plaN-[
ing until 1t was too dark TO see. Paef
listening TO the boyish talk. heard
Mary, Pats little sister. say: ''TnIG. J
dear. ma said to come to supper anu.
hurry, for we have some doughnutsr
Mrs. OLeary gave u.s. \
wait" was the answer. II dare !.
any one to go in the dark alley aiurre .
tonight" But no one answ cred.
"Cowards yer are" he said. WHY.
even Mary would go with me. Como.
on. Mary. we'll show EN-" -
"All right" was the answer. 1T
amt no coward"
"Dun't Won do it TOlS. old Teller.
there is some mean men in the al.
ley and Mary Will get caught Dun
GER cried after them: hut 1t did no
good. the two went on alone.
Pat was amazed. lie rushed into
the house as fas. as possible, calling
Mother. mother, l must rescue
Mary and Tolc. Please hand me my
littlo gun"
But where?" questioned Mrs.
OLeary.
an the alley. Oh. mother. let me.
can do it. | know 1 can, so lctmc
as you would IL It was sister" SO
Mrs. o'Leary consented and Pat
heart beating fast.
AS he ncarcd the place where sa-
loon used TO be, he heard a Grun
voice of n drunken man: Gimme the
kid and no more fuss. for she'll make
a good gal on de stage" And then
re IOlc = VOICE. .oll, uOl
take her. my darling little sister"
But he never heard tho mans an
swcr, for thinking II was time to do
his rescuing and so making his voice
as grun rs possible. he said loudly:
Now you clear out and mighty
quick, er I'll let bullet through yer
skull" And the man cleared. He ran.
in fact. never stopping to, consider
that it might be an Syear-oid boy
as frightened as himself, with a
wooden pistol.
Now" said Pat. Now I've rescued
Mary. don't yer think yer could be
friends with me?'
Friends" gasped Toie. with me
an old"
Eyes, I would" was the answer.
with an old kid HIKE me as mean as
IA" Yes" was the answer
again. "Woli. yer all right" was the
boyish answer. And forgive me.
won't yer?" Yep. I sure Will" cains
from Pat, Shake" and two boyiSh
hands met in the darkness.