THE HESPERIAN
while I gazed over the vailing, they ad
dressed me in as kind and confiding a tone
as though I were a recognized member of
the family.
And perhaps you will ask; "Were these
simple people content to spend their days
in such dirt and in such a hovel ? As
happy as any king in his palace. They had
left old Erin to better their condition and
surely their circumstances were brighter.
Ireland now from them was distant an
ocean and half a continent, yet the home of
their child hood was never for a moment
forgotten. Here, however, they could rise;
hero, bread was in abundance; and here, in
comparative richness they lamented the fate
of their country and their friends.
An old crony of Jimmy whose face had
the map of Ireland, yes, Cork, and Lime
rich and all, indelibly stamped upon it
often read whilo the old shoe-maker pounded
and sowed. After the paper came a dis
cussion at first in English but soon so pre
gnated with Irish that it would have been
unintelligible to all of you at least it was
to the dirty-faced urchin that sat mildly
gazing upon the two old men in whose hair
"glistoncd the snow of many winters;" to
the dirty-faced urchin that did not dare to
move lost he might soil his socks. So he
would resort to a scheme. Telling Jimmy
that ho was not doing the work well, the
flow of debate would bo stopped and when
again taken up, it' was, at loast for a time,
in English. "The Themo?" Ah, what is
over the story of the old ? Back did fancy
carry them the friend would describo the
beautiful cathedral that was not far away.
Now since I have thought upon this story,
perhaps the old man's yearning made it
appear greater than it roally was. Jimmy
would then toll of the glorious times that he
had with the other boys whilo at the priests'.
"Boys have not sncli good times now," he
would say. Let us hope his early days
wore happy enough of sorrow crossed his
path in later days.
Yet conversation did not by any means
constitute his life. He was much more
than a machine. No poor girl was turned
away with shoes unmended whon a few
stitches would satisfy her. Though ill ho
could afford the loss of time, no friend in
need ever found him wanting. Indeed,
incidents of his thought fulness might bo
multiplied; but one, that comes back to mo
now with redoubled force must 'suffice.
Once whilo our town was small, one of the
most promising of our young mon sank
beneath the waters of the Platto. The old
man had loved the boy and the parents, and
now in the moment of trial, he left his work,
entering into the search for the body.
Thus was his lovo shown in a manner
that will never bo forgotten, but that will
bo retained in memory "a green bough of
yesterday.
In the winter of 1889 90 the la grippe
visited our community as it did nearly all
the country. Tho medicines anti-febrin and
anti-pyrrine, which alone seemed to have a
good effect, gave out; indeed a dose was
worth more than its weight in gold. In this
crisis, his wife was taken ill and quickly pass
ed away. Tho old cobbler was never him
self again. I have spoken of his reference to
tho priest ho had always been in commun
on with tho Church of Rome. His educat
ion and it was by no means slight had
been derived from priests. Often had ho
stood before the alter in his boy-hood days
and now the remembrance of that happy
time returned. Ho asked that ho might a
gain perform that holy office. The
privilege was granted. At tho funeral, there
were no splendid peals of music such as lift
the soul out of itself, there was a wailing
from a wheezing organ and a small choir;
but never was a service more impressive
than tho one wherein tho bent form did its
humble part.
My friend did not remain long alone.
Soon there was another funeral procession
from the small Church of St. Patrick. The
suushino and tho shadow in tho little shop
was gone; the discussion was ended; the