The Irish standard. [volume], January 22, 1887, Image 6

About The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920

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THE COINER.
BY GERALD GRIFFIN,
Author of The Collegians." etc.
CHAPTER VI.- (Continued.)
"Gudhain ella?" asked the same voice.
Spellacy made no answer, but mo
tioned Kumba with his hand to remain
in the darkness, where he was, and
passed into the room. This, with its
inmates, was fully visible to the latter,
whose already excited brain was filled
with a thousand new visions of terror,
as bis eye wandered over the details of
a scene, with which were associated even
the horrors of his infant life, when the
name of the blond-stained gang, on the
threshold of whose bit- he now ytood,
was used to quell the peevish quorulous
ness of his childish heart—and made
him cling witn murmers of dependent
ansiefcv to the bonom of his fosterer.
A large fire, formed with a mixtuie of
culm, aud heavy turf, supplied the prin
cipal portion of the light by which the
.inmates- of the place were enabled to
carry on their secret toil. Naai tue
centre of the room, ihe farther end of
which was almost completely enveloped
in the evolutions of a black and sul
phurous smoke, was an engine at work,
tlie whitish and wavering light of the
furnace revealing, in fitful alternations
of brilliancy and gloom, the aged coun
tenance of the artiiicer, a white-haired
man, whose large glistening eyes, and
hoarv, straight locks presented a ghastly
contrast to las smutted and wasted fea
tures. The ejieofi of this figure ou Rum
ba's heart was such as might be occas
ioned by a sudden indication oi lile on
the features of a mummy. Around thi
person a number of figures were con
stantly flitting through the uncertain
light, some young, some advanced in
years—ihe countenances of all marked
with a degree of sternness which could
not but be considered as the result of a
habitual ferocity of temper, and which
was rendered doubly forcible and repug
nant in its effect by the murk and dusky
hue which the features had acquired
from the thickened atmosphere around
them. Kimba shrank back involuntar
ily whenever any of their eyes happened
to glance in his direction, although a
moment's consideration might have
satisfied Lira that lie was perfectly
sheltered from observation by the dark
ness in which be stood. The men were,
i'or the most part, mi coated, the sleeves
of their coarse and blackeued baodle
linen shirts being tucked np, after the
fashion of Dlaeks.uiit.hs, about their
shoulders—their hai-sh, brown chests
half exposed, and their hands employed
witli various tool-i, of the immediate
use of which the unseen spectator was
ignorant. Xotwit.bstai.ding the anxiety
even approaching ro terror, which
made the heart of the latter knock
fiercely against ins ribs as he gased
upou the scene, aud although he deemed
an introduction to this fearful circle
of 'desperadoes as little less than a
death-warraut,
draBS,
he could not resist the
emotions oi that violent aud unaccount
able curiosity which compels a man so
strongly to neglect all other considera
tions when weighed against the oppor
tunity of its gratification, and which
seems to increase precisely in propor
tion to the extent of the danger which
it involves. Hearing Spellacy engaged
in conversation with a number of per
sons at a little distance inside, and
anxious, he thought not wherefore, to
learn the purport of their conversation,
he began to meditate a nearer ap
proach. A heap of turf, gradually as
cending to the very roof, and extend
ing several feet into the room, appeared
to afford the best means he could de
sire of accomplishing this purpose. He
crept cautiously up, trembling in all
his limbs, as the action of his person
seemed to menace the unstable pile of
peat sods with a general downfall.
In a few seconds he lay lengthwise
Trunin a foot of the thatched roof,
while the knot of confabulators was
visible immediately beneath his eye.
His friend Spellacy, whom he now sur
veyed with a new and fearful interest
since he became invested, by his own
avowal, with all the terrible associations
connected with the name of Suil Dhuv,
the Coiner, was standing in the centre
of- the group, one of whom was in the
act of concluding a detail, which ap
peared to excite a feeling of displeasure
and perplexity in the mind of their
leader.
"And that?s the way of it, just," the
fellow continued, throwing up his hands
in a hopeless way, "all at a stand for
the wash to give 'em a color. I rise out
of it for a business entirely. I'll take a
spade, like Jerry O'Gilvy, and work a
av I don't want to be starved, all
ou*."
"Whist! yon innocent!" said a fair
faoed youth "Who stood near, and saw
the black eyes'of their leader kindle on
th| speaker.
"Oeh 'iss—av I could wash over a
guinea be tellen a able or an ould story,
I needn't go past yon, I know."
"Where's Maney O'Neil's ingot?"
asked Spellacy.
"OI what's that Suil Dhuv is talken
of," exclai ned a strange voice from a far
corner. "Let Maney and his 'git alone,
do ye. What could ye make of it in a
wash, in comparison with what I make
of it the way ye know ye'rselves? 'Tis
Awney Farrel put that in ye'r heads,
but he had best change his tone, the
Dublin clea'-boy that he is, av he has a
mind to stay in my sarvice."
"Was Awney out to-day?5' asked the
old man near the engine.
"He was and I heard a party coming
to the door as I left the house, with
Awney by their side," said Spellacy.
"Well, that's some thin any way.
What road do they take? and how many
of us is to be on their track? An1 how
much 'o the money do they look to
have? Eh? That Awfiey is a smart lad.
With his scrap o' Latin and his off
hand. free ana aisy way, he'd desave
the airth."
•Til arrange all those particulars,
when I return to the inn," said Spellacy.
"Do then—and somethen for uz at
last—as you get uz to do uvury thing
for you. What gain had we by blowing
out the brains of the ould dark Segur,
only pleasing you, bekays his relation
in Germany kicked
The sound of a heavy blow ana a
deep groan cut short this speech, to
which Kumba was lending a terrified at
tention
"Now, ruffian!" exclaimed Spellacy.
"have you gained nothing? I have- the
use of my old hand yet, eh? Take him
to the far end o' the room, one o' ye!"
The stunned and speechless wretch
was iustantly conveyed from the circle,
and a deep silence followed. E'nruba
listened with renewed anxiety, although
the quickness and boldness of this asser
tion of his authority by Spellacy con
veyed an immediate sense of security to
himself, which was only qualified by
his awakened doubts as to the real char
acter and intentions of the man.
"There's no occasion for ye to be
looking at one another that way," said
Spellacy, determinedly. "As I served
him, so I'll serve every one of ye that
dares to question the command you
yourselves gave me, while there's a drop
o' blood in this arm,"—and he extended
one, the rigid muscles of which worked
like small cables, as he slowly clenched
his fist while he. spoke. "Ye'll mind
my orders—aud 'twill be better for ye.
Isn't that calf done bleating yet?"
"He axes your pardon for forgetteu
himself." said the fair-faced lad in a soft
and conciliating tone. The won tided man
dissented, with a noise similar to that
short thick bark which a mastiff gives in
its sleep.
"I never make words with Suil Dhuv,''
said the old white-haired man near the
engine, rising from his place, his limbs
all shaking with the palsied impotence
of age—and a horrible hyena convul
sion, too frightful for laughter, ming
ling its hoarse and sudden peals with a
fit of heavy coughing and whezzing,
which seemed a.s though it would shatter
him momentarily to pieces—never
qua ml wit him for clinchen a bizniz
well—'tis—O—h ugh—hugh—tins chest
O' mine!—'tis the safest and the surest
cours3 by half. That was our word—
hugh—hugh—among the Eappareew of
ould times—in my young—O this bacli
o' mine—hugh—hugh!—young days—
when they used to be laughen at strong
John Macpharson for never passen a
good squeeze—and he coom. to the gal
lows be that same, too. I seen—hugh—
hugh!—I seen him myself playen up
Macpharson's tune, and he goen to the
tree. Ah, ha, John, thought I wit me
self (but I said notheti)—av you tuk
the advice (r Redmond's lads, you'd be
sporten on the highway still, instead o:
bein' playen at your own funeral—hugh
hugh!—O Misthur Darlen Suil Dhuv!
gi' me somethen for this cough o' mine!
Nothen—nothen—we
used all to say to
Shawn, like a taste o' blood for salen a
matter up. I'm 68 years now in the
world, an' I never seen a dead man
mount a witness table yit. Ah! never
trust one of 'em, Suil, darlen, an' you'll
laugh at the law all your days—an' the
comfort in it to, when you're used to it
and—" here a fit of coughing seized
the speaker, so violent and suffocating
that Kumba, whose whole attention had
been fascinated and concentrated by
this display of perfect depravity, imag
ined that the ruffian had consummated
his impieties in the patient ear.
of Heaven
and was about to be summoned to an
instant and awful judgment.
"This culm smoke that's killeu me
intirely," the fellow continued, taking
his seat at the bottom of the very heap
of turf on which Kumba lay, and caus
ing it to.shake under him. "No! Suil
Dhuv—folly my ways. As long as ever
I live, I'll kill. Kill first, and rob after
is my word—and I'll stick to it—aye—
always—O my poor back, intirely!"
"Poor deceived wretch," thought
Kumba, an emotion of great pity ming
ling itself with all his horror. "Does
this hoary villian, with the red guilt of
ji life blood upon his soul—the arm of
angry God made bare above his
head,—this miserable creature, the
strings of whose life appear to be all let
down—with a frame whose least motion
is almost sufficient to shake its struc
ture to pieces—who sits there shaking
and laughing, and ready to fall bone
after bone, already mouldering, into the
grave—does this idiot demou plan fu
ture scenes of murder for himself? Poor
decieved, unhappy wretch! This is
horrible." And in an emotion of deep
feeling, such as people of an enthusiastic
temper and susceptible mind are liable
to experience at witnessing any extra
ordinary novelty, either in the moral or
physical world, he clasped his hands
together, and felt his eyes fill, and' his
whole frame tremble with a wholesome
and softening agitation.
Immediately, aud by one of those
startling bounds which Reason makes,
when accidently freed from the restraint
that was imposed upon her by passion
and convenience, she springs into her
own free dominion, and mounts
"with prosperous wihir full summed."
to her real station in the soul—ascend
ing, not by the slow steps of inference
and deduction, but piercing with one
glauce the mists which worldly interest
have gathered the naked brightness of
truth—dashing aside at a single effort
the cobweb snares of her false sister
sophistry, and trampling and hurling
downward iu her flight the loose and
crumbling obstacles, among which she
has been so long imprisoned by selfish
motive and human respect—in an instant
and by a transition as rapid—a per
fect and illuminating change was worked
iu the soul of Kumba. While he gazed
on the old man, the fearful aud terrify
ing suggestion darted through his brain
that his was the close of a career com
mencing like his own. His heart froze
within, his bosom—and then burned-
and grew cold again, while a sudden
damp stood on his brow and limbs, and
his eyes became riveted and fixed in
spite of himself on
+.he
hoarv and palsied
murderer—whom he began now to look
on as a future self of himself—the dou
ble-goer of his iige!—a spectre conjured
back from the days to come, for the pur
pose of startling him, like another Haz
ael, with a reflection of hie future soul.
He clasped his hands once more fear
fully—and lost, in the intensity of his
agitation, a part of the conversation
which ensued. The first sound from
beneath that again fixed his attention,
was the mention of his own name, pro
nounced in a heated and passionate tone
by Spellacy. The old man was reply
ing, when Rumba's attention was
aroused—
"O don't iniud that, Suil Dhuv, 'tis
like the dhrams o' whiskey. Let him
get the taste of it wanst, an' see av he
won't long for it again. Twas the same
way wit meself jest. The first blood
I uver tuk was that of a 'it-tie mouseen,
that bit me finger in a mail-tub. Ah ha,
fait my lad, eiz I, an' I not four year
ould the same time, I'll ha' my reviuge
o' you anyway aa' I caught him be the
tail an' I hung him over the bioze of a
slip of bog-dale—aud. he screechen an'
I laughen an' grir.den my teeth as it
might be this wav—till he died, burnt
in the blaze—an' my father laughen an'
houlden me mother, that was for runnen
an? tairen the 'ittle orator from betuue
me fingirs." Here a renewed convul
sion of coughhig a.nd laughter seized
the wretch—"Then I used to slit the
throats o' the chickens to save the maids
the trouble—this way wit the scissor—
and afther. I'd get one o? the pigs to
give "nm a knock o' the hatchet whin
the butcher would come to the house at
Aisther or Christmas—an' sometimes,
may be I'd haugh the stout cov fur him
when she wouldn't stand steady—I wish
I could stand steady, now I kuow—O
mil'la murther! and 'tis I that ought to
say that! How the butcher an' all of
'em laughed the fusht time when I tuk
the sharp edge, instid of the broad back
o1 the hat-chit—ha! ha! 'Twas that first
made 'em put the name o' Red Rody
upon me—though it's White Rody wit
me now. any way," he concluded, rais
ing his long silver hair with a smile
which had so much of meloncholy in it,
as to astouish Kumba with the convic
tion that the hard and ungentle nature
even of such a being as this, was not
incapable of retaining amid the petri
faction of all its benovelent susceptibili
ties—a selfish softness and tenderness of
feeling in its own regard.
"Paugh! What has all this to do wit
the robben o' Lilly Byrne and her
Hush-sh-sh!" Spellacy hastily inter
rupted the speaker.
"For what? Eh? Who's there? Are
we betrayed? Ay—do! strike me agin
an' agin after that, if you have a mind,
but I'll do ray duty—Have you any
body lissnen to us?"
The name of his mistress, pronounced
iu such ruffian fashion, occasioned such
an agitation of rage and horror in Kum
ba's soul, that it was with difficulty he
restrained himself from rushing into the
midst of the group aud hazarding every
thing for an instant elucidation of the
designs which were under debate Chance
did for him what prudence, .however,
forbade
his attempting. The old man,
Rody, quickly rising from his seat at
the base of the turfen heap, disturbed
materially the already frail structure
that sustained the listener. A few sods
fell—in the effort to prevent peril, Kum
ba shook the whole fabric and came
came tumbling headlong, amid the clat
ter of the falling, fuel and the savage
yells of the outrageous gang, who
started back from the circle with ex­
clamations of rage and terror.
"Therom a-shkien! Mauriga spy!"
shouted one, in a rapture of vengeance.
•Rosth erdhai fier dhen thinna." cried
another, springing on the youth with a
yell of ferocious anger,
"Fauscai—hugh—hugh—fauscai moch
a nihin leshai press!" wheezed out Red
Rody—all clamoring together in their
venacular idiom, in their sudden excite
ment of the moment.
"Connidh-a-lauv! Esaun-dha sucur
a bberom lath!" Spellacy suddenly
shouted out, in accents that made the
floor shake beneath them, while he
placed himself in an attitude of deter
mined resistance between the gang and
his prostrate friend, over whom Red
Rody had uplifted a short bar of iron,
with a degree of strength which nothing
less stimulating than the prospect of an
immediate gratification of his ruling
passion could have struck into his pal
sied arm.
There was a pause—while the eyes of
all were directed on their leader.
''Fools, dolts'" heat length exclaimed
his round black eyes sparkling with a
ligiit which might readily have ac
counted to a stranger for the cognomen
which bad been conferred upon him—
"a brass pin would make me lave him
to ye, to let ye see what, ye'd get by ye'r
mane suspicion of one that's a better
friend than ye'rselves to ye! An' you
you graat baste, that nothen '11 ever
tache" addressing the wounded man—
"it's the dint o' the bare compassion
that prevents me maken a mash o' your
head upon the floor. Get up, Mr.
Kumba, an' tell 'em who you are."
Kumba arose and gazed around him.
The men slowly relaxed their attitudes
of rigid passion, and old Rody, lower
ing bis weapon, tottered with many dis
contented mutterings toward his an
cient place near the stamping press.
"We meant no harm," said the
wounded man "but there's little admir
ation we shouldn't know a frind that
coom that way, so droll, tumbling down
ova hape o' turf into the middle of us,
all at wanst, out."
"May be," said Jerry, with a very
soft sneer, "that's the way of intherduc
shins among the giutlemin, that we
knows nothen about?"
It was some moments before the
young man fully recollected himself.
When he did so, all the consequences
and difficulties of his situation came
rushing swiftly upon his mind as he
had already, in one rapid glance at the
approaching possibilities, determined
upon his course, the peril which they
involved made his heart beat and trem
ble within him. He felt himself, never
theless, amid ail the gathering anxiety
that began to creep within his bosom,
more at libertjr to debate and decide
them, while he was yet iu comparative
safety—for there are doubtless many
natures, while yet unformed and unde
cided, in which the elements of vigor and
and energy are loosely scattered, and
which require the impulse of extremity
itself to call them into confident action
as vane,that flaps from point to point of
the compass while it is visited by feeble
currents of air, will firmly fix and settle
when the black tempest is poured about
it.
While Kumba thus remained, gazing
upon the circle—and charged (to use a
chemical metaphor) with an intense and
uncompromising purpose—Iris frame
covered with the dew of anxiety, and
trembling for itself, while the mind
maintained that fearful and clear-sighted
serenity which governed the tottering
steps of the martyrs of the early faith,
or fchat feeling which, to use a more
familiar, though less noble illustration,
throws a degree of grace and dignity
into the movements of the hopeless
wretch who journeys to his fate at the
summons of the injured spirit of justice
--while he remained buoyed up, amid a
tumult of agitating reflections, by this
sudden firmness cf resolution, the men
with whom he was preparing his heart
to endure a keen encounter of moral or
physical strength, as the case might be
(the latter evidently hopeless), recom
menced their deliberation oi' the myster
ions design of which Kumba had already
received so terrifying a glimpse.
"'Tis a'most time for us to be starten,
I'm thinken," said Jerry, withdrawing a
heavy cloth, and exposing a small pane,
through which the dark red. level light
of a sullen evening sun darted across
the room, forming a singular contrast to
the whitish, ghastly lustre of the fur
nace, as it-struck in succession on the
outlines of stern and smutted features,
and fragments of scattered tools, tinging
the white and eddying volumes oi vapor
with deep crimson, and losing itself in
the dense gloom long before it could
have struck the further wall of the
apartment.
CTo be continued.)
NEWS IN BRIEF.
Wm. Morin and wife, of Albert Lea,
left for California recently for the
winter.
Mrs. Gen. Logan recently received
from Wm. Penn Nixon, manager of the
Chicago Inter-Ocean, the sum of $6,500,
collected in Chicago. The amount of
the Chicago fund now delivered to Airs.
Logan is $13,000.
Senator McPberson in the debate on
the interstate commerce bill recedtly
scored the point that the bill in its pre
sent form would rtiin America's export
trade by raising the through freight
rates.
OCEAN PASSAGE.
TICKETS
ARE SELLING AT
$ I O
Great
Britain
•TO
New York
If you intend to bring any
one over in the Spring now is
the time to buy.
A. E.iGHNSON&Go.
Genera! Northwestern Agents,
Corner
Third
and Sibley Streets,
ST. PAUL. MINN.
TTT X7"""V"TT,"P?
WINE AUD LIQUOR DEPOT
4.29 Washington Av. S., Oor. 5tli Av,
Flnsks and jups filled at wholesale prices.
Positively the best goods in the city for the
money. Pn.milv trade solicited.
The Nicollet An. Photographer.
THE FINEST FINISHED
CABINET PHOTOS!
Per $2,00 Dozen.
419
NICOLLET
AV., Minneapolis.
Block of tenement houses on Twelfth
avenue north, corner of .Ninth street,
only $14,000, $5,000 down, balance to
suit, with interest at 7 per cent.
Houst, and lot on Western avenue,
near Hennepin, only $15,000, one-third
cash, balance at per cent, for 10 years.
House and lot on Eighth street north,
$3,500, one-half cash, balance to suit,
with 7 per cent, interest.
Vacant lot on Second avenue south,
50 feet front, only $2,000 $500 cash,
balance thr years.
Two lots on Akliich avenue, corner
Thirty-second street, $2,000 one-third
cash, balance to suit.
Four lots on Aldrich avenue, near
Forty-first street, S500 each, one-fourth
down.
Five lots on Lyndale avenue, near
Forty-first street, east front, splendid
view of Lakes and city, only $750 each
one-third down, balance to suit.'
Stone building in Center block. 26J
feet front, back to alley, for only $32,
000 only $12,500 to be cast!, balance 6
per cent.
41x132 feet, corner Third street and
First avenue north, with brick build
ing, two-story and basement, only $33,
000 $13,000 cash, balance to suit.
42x82 feet on Third street, for $425 a
front foot.
About three acres land on the East
Side, near Como avenue, joining rail
road, good for manufacturing pi rposes,
$22,000.
A piece of ground fronting Central
Park, good for a block of tenement
houses, for $20,000.
Two lota on Fourth avenue south,
only $3,000, one-third cash.
Two lots on Lindley avenue, only
$2,400.
120 feet on First avenue south lor
$8,000. This is a snap. Only $2,500
down.
50 feet on Clin'on avenue only $5,000.
5 acres land inside of Forty-fifth bt.
and between Twelfth and Fourteenth
avenues $1,200 an acre worth $1,500
per acre.
Nine lots in Oakwood addition only
$250 each, one-third cash.
House and lot on Grand avenue only
$3,000, worth $3,600.
House and lot on Twenty-second ave
nue south, to exchange for wild lands.
House and lot on Eighth street south
to trade for land in Hennepin county.
House and half lot on Fourth street
south to trade for land near the city.
Several desirable bargains
in South Minneapolis,
Houses for rent or will sell
on monthly payments.
This is but a small part of
the bargains left for sale with
A. J.
312 Hennepin Avenue.
Manufactures Jewelry,
Repairs Watches.
and Loans Money
On Watches, Diamonds an A
Jewelry,
NO. 8 WASHINGTON AVE. NORTH.
Minneapolis & Si. Louis Railway
ALBERT LEA ROUTE.
Leave
St. Paul.
Chicago & St. Louis Ex.
Des Moines Express
Chicago Fast Ex
St. Louis Fast Express
Albert Lea Acc
Des Moines Passenger...
Watertov.n and Dawson
Excelsior and Morton....
Leave
Minne
polis.
*7:25 a
*7:25 a in
d6:30
*6:30 pm
*3:15 in
*6:30
*8:35
*5:35
*8:10 a
*8:30 am
d7:15
*7:15
*3:50
*7:15 in
*8:55 a
*5:50 in.
*E.x. Sunday. +Ex. Saturday, d. Daily. ?Ex
Monday.
Ticket
offices—Minneapolis,
No
3
Washington
Av. (under Nicollet house) and at depot corner
Third street and Fourth avenue north: St.
Paul, No. 199 East Third street, corner Sibleyr
and at depot, Broadway, foot oi' Fourth street.
Trains equipped with through Day Pullman,
Sleeping and Palace Dining Curs.
P. J. DINOHOE
Contractor
aider.
AND
Plans and Specifications Furnished for
ail Class of Buildings.
Shop on Nicollet Island,
IjgrAlterations and Repairs Promptly
Execute •.
GrARRITY'S
New Note
LAWRENCE GAKRITY, PROP.,
206 WASHINGTON AV. S.,
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
A sixty-room hotel, centrally located, newly
built live-proof, newly furnished, and supplied
wirh all modern improvements.
RATES, $2 PER DAY.
Special rales made to permanent guests. An
elngant bar in connection with the bouse.
si-i_A_"vrKra-
10 GENTS
AT
TK
SHOP
8AR8ER
Ho, 301 Mcollet Ave-
J.
T.
Gorton, Prop.
Sleason & Byorum,
Undertakers and Embalmers,
3PA Oedar Ave., also 223 Plymcam Ave.
1WA complete stock of everything in our
line always ou band. Open day una night
Ceclar avenue call, 645-2. Plymouth avouen
call :«9-2.
P. DWYER & BROS"
PLUMBERS,
And Dealers in Gas Fixtures,
96 East Third St.,
ST. PAUL
G.P. GOULD, N. P. LILJENGKEK.
Pres.. Sec. and Treas. -P. aud Gen'l Mgr.
LiLJENCREN
FURNITURE
AND
LUMBER GO.
MANUFACTURE TO ORDER
Art Furniture
OF AI/L DESCRIPTIONS.
Japanese Furniture in new designs,
Upholstering, Bank, Office and Eesi
dence Furnishing a Specialty dealers
all kinds of
HARD WOOD LUMBER
Also Kiln Dried Lumber.
STORE AND OFFICE:
1216 AND 1218 FIRST AVE. S.,
Telephone call 133-4. MTNNEAPO
'US.