"At Shekel Island," said Mr. Dooley, "seein" me frind Mack an" me frind Tom Reed meetin" be th" sad sea waves.
"Ye see, Mack was down there with Mark Hanna. He was tired out with expandin", an" anxiety f"r fear me frind Alger "d raysign; an" says Hanna, he says, "Come down," he says, "with me," he says, "to Shekel Island," he says. "Tis th" home iv rayfinemint an" riches," he says, "where us millyionaires rest fr"m takin" care iv th" counthry," he says. "There in th" shade iv th" coupon threes," he says, "we watch th" sea waves, an" wondher," he says, "whin th" goold that"s in thim can be exthracted," he says. "They"se nawthin" to break th" silence," he says, "but th" roarin" iv th" ocean," he says; "an" that sounds nat"ral," he says, "because "tis almost like th" sound iv th" stock exchange," he says. "A man," he says, "that has th" ticker eye," he says, "or th" coupon thumb," he says, "is cured in no time," he says. "Come," he says, "fly with me," he says. "They"se nawthin" to keep ye here," he says. "Ivry wan iv th" cab"net, includin" th" Sicrety iv War, "ll stick to his place," he says, "like a man," he says.
"An" Mack wint with him. He was settin" on th" beach in a goold chair, surrounded be millyionaires, with th" prisident iv a bank fannin" him an" th" threeasurer iv a dimon" mine poorin" his dhrink; an", though he was feelin" well, they was something on his mind. "What ails ye?" ast Hanna. "I was thinkin"," says Mack, "how pleasant "twud be if me ol" frind Tom Reed was here," he says. "Twud be Paradise if he was here," he says, whin, lo an" behold, who shud come acrost th" dimon"-studded beach, wadin" through th" bank-notes that "d been dropped be th" good farmers iv Shekel Island, but Tom Reed.
"Well, sir, to see th" affection that those two great men showed at th" encounther "d dhraw tears fr"m th" eyes iv a hear-rt iv sthone. "Tom," says Mack, in faltherin" accints, "where have ye been? F"r days an" days I"ve skinned yon blue horizon f"r anny sign iv ye," he says. "An" ye come not," he says. "I didn"t think I cud miss ye so," he says. "Embrace me," he says, "if ye ar-re not ar-rmed," he says. "Mack," says me frind Tom Reed, with tears in his eyes, "this," he says, "is th" happiest moment iv me life," he says. "I cudden"t," he says, "I cudden"t stay in Wash"nton," he says, "with you so far away," he says, "where I cudden"t watch ye," he says. "Ye"re th" on"y man in th" wurruld I care f"r," he says, "but mesilf." he says. "An"," he says, "I"d fall weepin" on ye"er shoulder this minyit," he says; "but I don"t want to be disrayspectful be turnin" me back on Misther Hanna," he says.
""Well," says Mack, "sit down," he says. "Rockyfeller," he says, "tell Morgan f"r to fetch up a kag iv sherry wine," he says. "Tom," he says, "we"ve been frinds f"r years," he says. "We have," says Tom. "We"ve concealed it fr"m th" vulgar an" pryin" public," he says; "but in our hear-rts we"ve been frinds, barrin" th" naygur dillygates at th" convintion," he says. "Twas a mere incident," says Mack. "We"ve been frinds," he says; "an" I"ve always wanted," he says, "to do something f"r ye," he says. "Th" time has come," he says, "whin I can realize me wish," he says. "I offer ye," he says, "th" Prisidincy, to succeed me," he says. "No, no," he says, "I"ll not be rayfused," he says. "I"m tired iv it," he says. "Twas foorced on me be foolish frinds," he says; "but I"m not th" man f"r th" place," he says. "I haven"t dhrawn a comfortable breath, not to speak iv salary, since I wint in," he says.
"Th" speaker iv th" house burrid his face in his hands, an" sobs shook him partly f"r manny minyits. Thin he raised his head, an" says he, "Mack," he says, "I can"t take it," he says. "Tis most gin"rous iv ye," he says, "but me hear-rt fails me," he says. "What is it to be Prisident?" says he. "Th" White House," he says, "is a prison," he says, "to which a man is condimned," he says, "f"r fine wurruk at th" polls," he says. "Th" life iv a Prisident is slavery," he says. "If I was to take th" job," he says, "I"d be tortured day an" night," he says, "be th" fear iv a.s.sa.s.sination," he says. "Think," he says, "iv some arnychist shootin" thirteen-inch sh.e.l.ls at me," he says, "an" maybe," he says, "dentin" me," he says. "No," he says, "I have a good job where I am," he says. "All I"ve got to do," he says, "is to set up at th" desk," he says, "an" not recall th" names iv th" gintlemen on th" flure, an" me jooty"s done," he says. "I thank ye kindly, Willum; but I cannot accept ye"er gin"rous offer," he says. "Go back to th" cell," he says, "an" slave like a convict," he says. "I will not rob me frind," he says, "iv such an honor. But," he says, "tell me whin ye thought iv throwin" up th" job, an" lavin" me br-reak into this hateful prison," he says. "About th" year two thousan" an" eight, dear frind," says Mack. "No, no," says Tom Reed. "I cannot accept it," he says, pressin" Mack"s hand. "Tis too much," he says, "an" too long," he says.
""I lave ye," he says, "but I"ll call on ye," he says. "Take," he says, "this little silver-mounted bottle iv broomo-caffeen," he says, "an" think iv me," he says. "I will," says Mack. "Ar-ren"t ye tired iv ye"er long journey?" he says. "Wudden"t ye like to take a bath in th" shark pond before ye go?" he says. An" so they backed away fr"m each other, th" tears rollin" down their cheeks. Frindship, Hinnissy, is a sacred thing."
"It is," said Mr. Hennessy, "if they are; but I don"t b"lieve wan wurrud ye tol" me."
"Well," said Mr. Dooley, "if they ain"t both frinds, wan iv thim is. An", annyhow, I"m glad to know Tom Reed ain"t thryin" to break into jail."
SLAVIN CONTRA WAGNER.
"Ol" man Donahue bought Molly a pianny las" week," Mr. Dooley said in the course of his conversation with Mr. McKenna. "She"d been takin" lessons fr"m a Dutchman down th" sthreet, an" they say she can play as aisy with her hands crossed as she can with wan finger. She"s been whalin" away iver since, an" Donahue is dhrinkin" again.
"Ye see th" other night some iv th" la-ads wint over f"r to see whether they cud smash his table in a frindly game iv forty-fives. I don"t know what possessed Donahue. He niver asked his frinds into the parlor befure. They used to set in th" dining-room; an", whin Mrs. Donahue coughed at iliven o"clock, they"d toddle out th" side dure with their hats in their hands. But this here night, whether "twas that Donahue had taken on a dhrink or two too much or not, he asked thim all in th" front room, where Mrs. Donahue was settin" with Molly. "I"ve brought me frinds," he says, "f"r to hear Molly take a fall out iv th" music-box," he says. "Let me have ye"er hat, Mike," he says. "Ye"ll not feel it whin ye get out," he says.
"At anny other time Mrs. Donahue "d give him th" marble heart. But they wasn"t a man in th" party that had a pianny to his name, an" she knew they"d be throuble whin they wint home an" tould about it. "Tis a mel-odjious insthrument," says she. "I cud sit here be the hour an" listen to Bootoven and Choochooski," she says.
""What did thim write?" says Ca.s.sidy. "Chunes," says Donahue, "chunes: Molly," he says, "fetch "er th" wallop to make th" gintlemen feel good," he says. "What "ll it be, la-ads?" "D"ye know "Down be th" Tan-yard Side"?" says Slavin. "No," says Molly. "It goes like this," says Slavin. "A-ah, din yadden, yooden a-yadden, arrah yadden ay-a." "I dinnaw it," says th" girl. "Tis a low chune, annyhow," says Mrs. Donahue. "Misther Slavin ividintly thinks he"s at a polis picnic," she says. "I"ll have no come-all-ye"s in this house," she says. "Molly, give us a few ba-ars fr"m Wagner." "What Wagner"s that?" says Flannagan. "No wan ye know," says Donahue; "he"s a German musician." "Thim Germans is hot people f"r music," says Ca.s.sidy. "I knowed wan that cud play th" "Wacht am Rhine" on a pair iv cymbals," he says, "Whisht!" says Donahue. "Give th" girl a chanst."
"Slavin tol" me about it. He says he niver heerd th" like in his born days. He says she fetched th" pianny two or three wallops that made Ca.s.sidy jump out iv his chair, an" Ca.s.sidy has charge iv th" steam whistle at th" quarry at that. She wint at it as though she had a gredge at it. First "twas wan hand an" thin th" other, thin both hands, knuckles down; an" it looked, says Slavin, as if she was goin" to leap into th" middle iv it with both feet, whin Donahue jumps up. "Hol" on!" he says. "That"s not a rented pianny, ye daft girl," he says. "Why, pap-pah," says Molly, "what d"ye mean?" she says. "That"s Wagner," she says. "Tis th" music iv th" future," she says. "Yes," says Donahue, "but I don"t want me h.e.l.l on earth. I can wait f"r it," he says, "with th" kind permission iv Mrs. Donahue," he says. "Play us th" "Wicklow Mountaineer,"" he says, "an" threat th" masheen kindly," he says, "She"ll play no "Wicklow Mountaineer,"" says Mrs. Donahue. "If ye want to hear that kind iv chune, ye can go down to Finucane"s Hall," she says, "an" call in Crowley, th" blind piper," she says. "Molly," she says, "give us wan iv thim Choochooski things," she said. "They"re so ginteel."
"With that Donahue rose up. "Come on," says he. "This is no place f"r us," he says. Slavin, with th" politeness iv a man who"s gettin" even, turns at th" dure. I"m sorry I can"t remain," he says. "I think th" wurruld an" all iv Choochooski," he says. "Me brother used to play his chunes," he says,-"me brother Mike, that run th" grip ca-ar," he says. "But there"s wan thing missin" fr"m Molly"s playing", he says. "And what may that be?" says Mrs. Donahue. "An ax," says Slavin, backin" out.
"So Donahue has took to dhrink."
GRAND OPERA.
"Jawn," said Mr. Dooley, ""tis a gr-reat thing to be a polisman. Me frind Doheny, what used to be at Deerin" Sthreet, have got on th" crossin" an" they"ve planted him down be th" Audjitooroom. He was up here las" week, an" says he, "Run in, an" look at th" op"ra," says he. "Run in, an" take a flash iv it," he says. "Tis gr-reat," he says. So I takes Duggan, an" we goes down together.
"Well, Doheny does be gr-reat paper with thim. He was standin" be th" dure, with white gloves over his hands; an", whin we come, he give th" office to th" la-ad on th" gate, an" says th" la-ad, "Sure thing," he says. "Sure thing," an" in we goes. They was a lot iv Gazoorios there, some iv thim settin" in seats an" some iv thim in bur-rd cages up above, an" more standin". Thim standin" was th" la-ads that Doheny rushed in. Ye niver see such a lot iv thim,-Ca.s.sidy, O"Regan, Hogan, Mulcahey, Shay, Mullaney, Mullvihill, an" th" eight O"Neills,-all sint through be Doheny without cridintials. Sure, it looked like a meetin" iv th" Wolf Tones. It did that.
"Th" op"ra was on whin we wint in, an" they was whalin" away in Eyetallian. Duggan listened; an" says he, "What"s the man sayin"?" he says. "I dinnaw," I says. "He"s talkin" Chinese, an"," says I, "they"re goin" to sind him to th" laundhry," says I. "Look," I says. "They"re puttin" him in th" clothes-basket," I says. "If they do," says he, "he"ll niver come back," he says, "or else he"ll have another name," he says. "Let"s buy a scoor ca-ard," says he. So he bought wan, an" was r-readin" it an" lookin" over th" top iv it at th" women in th" boxes, an" wondhrin" why some wan didn"t tell thim their dhresses was slippin" down, whin over comes Ca.s.sidy, and says he, "What"s th" news in th" Sixth?" "Nawthin," says Duggan. "Will O"Brien win?" says Ca.s.sidy. "They can"t beat him," says Duggan. "I dinnaw," says Ca.s.sidy. "Come over here, an" I"ll tell ye," says Duggan. Dinny Shay an" Hogan an" Mullaney jined us, an" we wint an" set on the steps.
""Can Winter beat Swift?" says Shay. "I"d like to know," says Hogan. "I don"t know who to vote f"r," he says; "an" Mike is in th" wather office," he says. "Tis a cinch Hinky "ll win out in th" First," says Mullaney. "He have a sthrong man again him," says Hogan. "Gleason have wan or two lodgin"-houses." "Three," says Shay; "but Hinkey knows all th" lodgers," he says. "Twas a mane thing th" main guy done with Callaghan," says Hogan. "What"s that?" says Shay. "Thrun him off th" bridge," says Hogan, "because he come fr"m Kerry," he says. "I don"t believe wan wurrud iv it," says Mullaney. "They"re more Kerry men on bridges thin anny other counties," he says. "What has bet Hopkins," he says, "is his frindship fr"m th" Mayo men," he says. "Th" Mayo men is great f"r carryin" prim"ries, afther they"re over," he says. "But did anny wan iver hear iv thim doin" anny good whin th" votes was bein" cast?" "I knowed wan that did," says Ca.s.sidy, as black as ye"er boot. "His name was Ca.s.sidy," he says; "an" he done some good," he says, "be privintin" a man be th" name iv Mullaney," he says, "fr"m bein" a dilligate." "Ye had th" polis with ye," says Mullaney. "Ye was supported be th" fire departmint," says Ca.s.sidy.
""Let"s change th" subject," says Duggan, "What show has Dorsey got in th" Twinty-ninth? "None at all," says wan iv th" O"Neills who "d come over. "He have th" Civic Featheration again him." "Who cares f"r th" Civic Featheration?" says Mulcahey. "They don"t vote," he says. "What "ll kill Dorsey," he says, "is his bein" an Apee-a." "He"s no Apee-a," says Mike O"Neill. "I wint to th" Brothers" school with him," he says. "Whiniver a man comes up that can"t be downed anny way, he"s called an Apee-a," he says. "He"s no more an Apee-a thin ye are," he says. "D"ye mean to call me that?" says Mulcahey. "Come out, an" have a dhrink," I says; an" we wint down.
"Well, Jawn, we had wan iv th" liveliest political argumints ye iver see without so much as a blow bein" sthruck. Evenly matched, d"ye mind, with a chair f"r ivry man. An" th" bar-tinder was a frind iv mine. I knowed him whin he was with Schwartzmeister. A good la-ad,-a good lad."
"But what about th" opera?" asked Mr. McKenna.
"Th" op"ra wus gr-reat," said Mr. Dooley; "but I think Mulcahey was right. Dorsey can"t win."
THE CHURCH FAIR.
"Wanst I knew a man," said Mr. Dooley, laying down his newspaper, "be th" name iv Burke, that come fr"m somewhere around Derry, though he was no Presbyteryan. He was iv th" right sort. Well, he was feelin" how-come-ye-so, an" he dhrifted over to where we was holdin" a fair. They was a band outside, an" he thought it was a grand openin". So he come in with a cigar in th" side iv his mouth an" his hat hangin" onto his ear. It was th" last night iv th" fair, an" ivrything was wide open; f"r th" priest had gone home, an" we wanted f"r to break th" record. This Burke was f"r lavin" whin he see where he was; but we run him again th" shootin" gallery, where ye got twinty-five cints, a quarther iv a dollar, f"r ivry time ye rang th" bell. Th" ol" gun we had was crooked as a ram"s horn, but it must "ve fitted into Burke"s squint; f"r he made that there bell ring as if he was a conducthor iv a grip-car roundin" a curve. He had th" shootin" gallery on its last legs whin we run him again th" wheel iv fortune. He broke it. Thin we thried him on th" grab-bag. They was four goold watches an" anny quant.i.ty iv brickbats an" chunks iv coal in th" bag. He had four dives, an" got a watch each time. He took a chanst on ivrything; an" he won a foldin"-bed, a doll that cud talk like an old gate, a pianny, a lamp-shade, a Life iv St. Aloysius, a pair iv shoes, a baseball bat, an ice-cream freezer, an" th" pomes iv Mike Scanlan.
"Th" comity was disthracted. Here was a man that "d break th" fair, an" do it with th" best iv humor; f"r he come fr"m another parish. So we held a private session. "What "ll we do?" says Dorgan, th" chairman. They was a man be th" name iv Flaherty, a good man thin an" a betther now; f"r he"s dead, may he rest in peace! An" Flaherty says: "We"ve got to take th" bull be th" horns," he says. "If ye lave him to me," he says, "I"ll fix him," he says.
"So he injooced this man Burke to come down back iv th" shootin" gallery, an" says he to Burke, "Ye"re lucky to-night." "Not so very," says Burke. "Twud be a shame to lave ye get away with all ye won," says Flaherty. "Twill be a great inconvanience," says Burke. "I"ll have to hire two or three dhrays," he says; "an" "tis late." "Well," says Flaherty, "I"m appinted be th" parish to cut th" ca-ards with ye," he says, "whether ye"re to give back what ye won or take what"s left." "Tis fair," says Burke; "an", whoiver wins, "tis f"r a good cause." An" he puts th" watches an" th" money on th" table.
""High man," says Flaherty. "High man," says Burke. Flaherty cut th" king iv spades. Burke, th" robber, cut th" ace iv hearts. He was reachin" out f"r th" money, whin Flaherty put his hands over it. "Wud ye take it?" says he. "I wud," says Burke. "Wud ye rob th" church?" says Flaherty. "I wud," says Burke. "Thin," says Flaherty, scoopin" it in, "ye"re a heretic; an" they"se nawthin" comin" to ye."
"Burke looked at him, an" he looked at th" comity; an" he says, "Gintlemen, if iver ye come over in th" Sixth Ward, dhrop in an" see me," he says. "I"ll thry an" make it plisint f"r ye," he says. An" he wint away.
"Th" story got out, an" th" good man heerd iv it. He was mighty mad about it; an" th" nex" sermon he preached was on th" evils iv gamblin", but he asked Flaherty f"r to take up th" colliction."
THE WANDERERS.
"Poor la-ads, poor la-ads," said Mr. Dooley, putting aside his newspaper and rubbing his gla.s.ses. ""Tis a hard lot theirs, thim that go down into th" sea in ships, as Shakespeare says. Ye niver see a storm on th" ocean? Iv coorse ye didn"t. How cud ye, ye that was born away fr"m home? But I have, Jawn. May th" saints save me fr"m another! I come over in th" bowels iv a big crazy balloon iv a propeller, like wan iv thim ye see hooked up to Dempsey"s dock, loaded with lumber an" slabs an" Swedes. We watched th" little ol" island fadin" away behind us, with th" sun sthrikin" th" white house-tops iv Queenstown an" lightin" up th" chimbleys iv Martin Hogan"s liquor store. Not wan iv us but had left near all we loved behind, an" sare a chance that we"d iver spoon th" stirabout out iv th" pot above th" ol" peat fire again. Yes, by dad, there was wan,-a lad fr"m th" County Roscommon. Divvle th" tear he shed. But, whin we had parted fr"m land, he turns to me, an" says, "Well, we"re on our way," he says. "We are that," says I. "No chanst f"r thim to turn around an" go back," he says. "Divvle th" fut," says I. "Thin," he says, raisin" his voice, "to "ell with th" Prince iv Wales," he says. "To "ell with him," he says.
"An" that was th" last we see of sky or sun f"r six days. That night come up th" divvle"s own storm. Th" waves tore an" walloped th" ol" boat, an" th" wind howled, an" ye cud hear th" machinery snortin" beyant. Murther, but I was sick. Wan time th" ship "d be settin" on its tail, another it "d be standin" on its head, thin rollin" over cow-like on th" side; an" ivry time it lurched me stummick lurched with it, an" I was tore an" rint an" racked till, if death come, it "d found me willin". An" th" Roscommon man,-glory be, but he was disthressed. He set on th" flure, with his hands on his belt an" his face as white as stone, an" rocked to an" fro. "Ahoo," he says, "ahoo, but me insides has torn loose," he says, "an" are tumblin" around," he says. "Say a pather an" avy," says I, I was that mad f"r th" big bosthoon f"r his blatherin". "Say a pather an" avy," I says; f"r ye"re near to death"s dure, avick." "Am I?" says he, raising up. "Thin," he says, "to "ell with the whole rile fam"ly," he says. Oh, he was a rebel!
"Through th" storm there was a babby cryin". "Twas a little wan, no more thin a year ol"; an" "twas owned be a Tipp"rary man who come fr"m near Clonmel, a poor, weak, scarey-lookin" little divvle that lost his wife, an" see th" bailiff walk off with th" cow, an" thin see him come back again with th" process servers. An" so he was comin" over with th" babby, an" bein" mother an" father to it. He"d rock it be th" hour on his knees, an" talk nonsense to it, an" sing it songs, "Aha, "twas there I met a maiden," an" "Th" Wicklow Mountaineer," an" "Th" Rambler fr"m Clare," an" "O"Donnel Aboo," croonin" thim in th" little babby"s ears, an" payin" no attintion to th" poorin" thunder above his head, day an" night, day an" night, poor soul. An" th" babby cryin" out his heart, an" him settin" there with his eyes as red as his hair, an" makin" no kick, poor soul.
"But wan day th" ship settled down steady, an" ragin" stummicks with it; an" th" Roscommon man shakes himself, an" says, "To "ell with th" Prince iv Wales an" th" Dook iv Edinboroo," an" goes out. An" near all th" steerage followed; f"r th" storm had done its worst, an" gone on to throuble those that come afther, an" may th" divvle go with it. "Twill be rest f"r that little Tipp"rary man; f"r th" waves was r-runnin" low an" peaceful, an" th" babby have sthopped cryin".
"He had been settin" on a stool, but he come over to me. "Th" storm," says I, "is over. "Twas wild while it lasted," says I. "Ye may say so," says he. "Well, please Gawd," says I, "that it left none worse off thin us." "It blew ill f"r some an" aise f"r others," says he. "Th" babby is gone."
"An" so it was, Jawn, f"r all his rockin" an" singin". An" in th" avnin" they burried it over th" side into th" sea. An" th" little man see thim do it."