"I don't know much about marrid life, except what ye tell me an' what I
r-read in th' pa-apers. But it must be sad. All over this land onhappily
mated couples ar-re sufferin' almost as much as if they had a sliver in
their thumb or a slight headache. Th' sorrows iv these people ar-re
beyond belief. I say, Hinnissy, it is th' jooty iv th' law to marcifully
release thim.
"Ye take th' case iv me frind fr'm Mud Center that I was readin' about
th' other day. There was a martyr f'r ye. Poor fellow! Me eyes filled
with tears thinkin' about him. Whin a young man he marrid. He was a
fireman in thim days, an' th' objict iv his etarnal affection was th'
daughter iv th' most popylar saloon keeper in town. A gr-reat socyal
gulf opened between thim. He had fine prospects iv ivinchooly bein'
promoted to two-fifty a day, but she was heiress to a cellar full iv
Monongahela rye an' a pool table, an' her parents objicted, because iv
th' diffrence in their positions. But love such as his is not to be
denied. Th' bold suitor won. Together they eloped an' were marrid.
"F'r a short time all wint well. They lived together happily f'r twinty
years an' raised wan iv th' popylous fam'lies iv people who expect to be
supported in their old days. Th' impechuse lover, spurred on be th'
desire to make good with his queen, slugged, cheated, an' wurruked his
way to th' head iv th' railroad. He was no longer Greasy Bill, th' Oil
Can, but Hinnery Aitch Bliggens, th' Prince iv Industhree. All th'
diff'rent kinds iv money he iver heerd iv rolled into him, large money
an' small, other people's money, money he'd labored f'r an' money he'd
wished f'r. Whin he set in his office countin' it he often left a call
f'r six o'clock f'r fear he might be dhreamin' an' not get to th'
roundhouse on time.
"But, bein' an American citizen, he soon felt as sure iv himsilf as
though he'd got it all in th' Probate Coort, an' th' arly Spring saw him
on a private car speedin' to New York, th' home iv Mirth. He was
received with open ar-rms be ivry wan in that gr-reat city that knew the
combynation iv a safe. He was taken f'r yacht rides be his fellow Kings
iv Fi-nance. He was th' principal guest iv honor at a modest but
tasteful dinner, where there was a large artificyal lake iv champagne
into which th' comp'ny cud dive. In th' on'y part iv New York ye iver
read about--ar-re there no churches or homes in New York, but on'y
hotels, night resthrants, an' poolrooms?--in th' on'y part iv New York
ye read about he cud be seen anny night sittin' where th' lights cud
fall on his bald but youthful head.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account