KERRIGAN'S CHRISTMAS SERMON.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1940, 24 December 1913, Page 9

KERRIGAN'S CHRISTMAS SERMON.

This racy Irish Christmas story ■ was written by' Mr. L.. Frank ■ Tookcs, and first appeared some years ago in on American magazine. Knocking gently on the slide of the companioinway, Kerrigan, at the sharp call ,of the .captain. doscended slowly into the cabin, with his cap in his hand. ' "Seeun''s tho b'.ya is goun' ashore, sir," ho began in his caressing Irish speech, "I thought I'd like to tak' the ; ruir mesilf, sir. . Me shoes is tliot bad, mo toes is blushun' from the shamo iiv their barefaced immodesthy." He held up a huge foot, disclosing n slioo near to dissolution. "So sir " "All right, all right," grunted the captain "How much, do you want " • ,"Only a thrille, sir," Kerrigan answered, "for me shoes?an' a shirt or two. an' some socks, seeun' 's these is kapun company wid mo shoes in exposun' mo fate. Tin dollars will do, sir, ef ye plaze, an' thank yo kindly." ■ It wda half-past sis and a December evening,,. "and only a few lights ivero flickering along tho waterfront of tho southern;city. Tho .'barque lay off in tho stream, tugging at her chain. She had reached' her anchorage too. late'that afternoon to haul.into her berth, and the eyes, of every; man aboard were circled with dusky rims from - their hard,' sleepless battle with a three d<>ys' galo outside. . , - ■ '

• "It beats me why you bovs want to go ashore tq-nigjit,": the captain.grumbled good-naturedly, vas.'hd. leaned-far back to . take' his -wallet from his' trousers pocket. "Haven' t ' slept much or any for'two nights, .have, you? •_ Haven't scarcely been dry for a iveok, either; and now you want to go caruosing about town all night!. Huhf': Kerrigan shook his , head in _ gentle sympathy, puttiPj* himself outsido tho captain's' depreciation. ' ;'.'Ut's.the'trat''ye'ro sayun', cap'n— God's' trut' ; but ut's- the young blood av ; .thimVsir, tliot's cryun' for the fale land, an' will not let thirn risfc. But'l'll kape 'an eye on tliiin, sir, an' hustle tliim aboard in the airly avenun'. I've no mind to stand battUn' me eyes on. the stratcs,'waitiin' for a lot av callow b'ys, while' mo bunk isa-callun' me. 'iWst .to.'iifo'to 'bring .thim back airly ••ail''sober,'!bV" " '.-'"'fle'took"the money!the captain gave .'.him, and - backing deferentially away, welly slowly up'to the deck and over tho i ■ side, of the .vessel into tho yawl, whero his three companions on shore-leavo sv&ited impatiently fdr'him, . Two pf tho crew who were to bring tho yawl back sat listldssly, on', the thwarts, yawning sleepily. ' . " " " As ho sank to h'is place:in the stern, he" toolc. his. pipe.,from'his pocket and pr6ce«d6d';to;.ttlliit^i. ,:- •' , "Now pull)' yo dirils, pull!' he said genially as the boat splashed away toward shore.' j'TJt'sm'o t-hbttlio ol' iiion's pUfcfc over yoj o kapo ye.ont 'ay 'harrm's way, an'.fetch yo'.off airly.- 'Tom,' says he, .'gat thim b'ys,aboard as.soon'as they do boi gettun' the kinks out av their legs, 'llt's'young'an|-tinder they are. an' 'I'm thrustiin' ; .to yer discretion. ■ 'T. is a sacred thurst, sir,' says 1.'Ut?s faather an.' niither an' all I'l be tto 'thim, Eir—tho dirthy sons av'say--cooks.'" ,' _ ' ; Frithjof,'the .big-shouldered silent ""Swede, looked over, his shoulder and' grinned, while the eyes of Nicolao, the Cape Verd islander, "sparkled as" ho murmured:'- "Missa 1, Kerrigan, . nussa-inaid for lit'- child'en;' bes' o r ref'ciice," . But Sim, the young New' Englaiider, scoffed '"Father ajid mother! And.what do wou know of .that, you, bog-trottin',! back-door-Mosas, found on the steps of a windy mornin' ?" "A Moses, is ut?" answered Kerrigan. "'T is tho thruo worrd; for ut's mb that will be l'adun' ye oufav the' Agypt yon." .The yawl bumped agarnst the,landing-stairo, and he began' _to c<iuglv—a pumped-up sort of spasm that would not have deceived a child. "An' the dust av ut!" ,he;groaned, as ho ■ climbed to tho wharf,' "Holy Mother! tha, Acypt' dust av ut, an.' not an oasus in-sight!" ■. 7 - - . The :: "oases-~weTo-found-later-in • satisfying swinging doors that -Opened;to thern,had.. swung: so^often be-•;-foie their joyous ; progress 'that as-the " clocks of the'eity were striking nine they canlo, in;;the prido of their strength, to the glittering front of one for .tho third ' time, only to-have the . doors slammed and locked in their faces."'- . , 'Tho four looked at on.©, oiiotner ill grieved, incredulous surprise. Then Kerxigcin's brown, good-natured countenance flattened itself against the glass of the-door, and ho tapped gently on the pane with his huge, tar-strained fingers. ■ "Whisht, mo sons," ho said to tho grinning- attendants inside; "tho joke's on yez.'T is over-airly for tho closun'. ! Ye're thot cross-eyed ye do be secun' ' the clock over yer shouldhers an r'adun' ut backwards. 'T is nino o'clock, an' ye think ut a quarther past twilvo. Turn . yer backs to ut, an' pretind ye're com- ' fin' whin, yo're goin'-j 't will be aisier - for ye." He shook the door with a touch of impatienco. "Open, I say! Are . An ' importahiMooking, -Around little man and jerked down - the shades, stopping Kerrigan's-speech -like a-blow: in-the face. Ho .looked at the .door'',blankly, and .then, at his com- ' panions.- •• : •• • ~ • "Yo're-not . wantud,-, lads, . ho saicl is -for-yer' betthers.. 'T is mostook. ye aro for naygurs an', little yellow'miii." . ... Now a. sailor's mind is trained...to the meeting' of sudden, emergencies with incredible: swiftness, and with, a unanimity that would havo been ' impossible in landsmen, the four seamen, without parleying,'met the obstacle in their path.. Two doors .belowj a row-of new build- ' ings was going-up, with lumber piled at the edge of the sidowalk. Hot with the insult, as th-ay thought it, tlioy hurried thither, seized a floor-beam, and swung back to tho closed door. The nest- moment it fell inward before their batter-ing-ram, with a jingling of glass aud splintering of wood. Out of tho uproar of tho room the littlo round man came, furious to confront tho four. • Kerrigan gave the sign to his shipmates.' and tho beaip dropped to the'floor witli.a crash that sent tile man into the air wih a leap that lie prohably had-not'equalled for years. . "Mo card," said Kerrigan, : smiling sweetly and pointing to tho beam; "putt ut in yer card-resaver. I'm tho descendant a'v kings in mo own right, hut not too proud to know ye." Choking will- rage,.- the .little man turned to his.waiters, crying:. "Call the police! Do you hear? Call tho police!" "Tho polace!" echocd Kerrigan. "'T ■ is nadeless an' too great an honour. I'm travclun' incognatho, as we say —which -is . our custhom among infariors —an' Ehunuun' tho pomps an' thrappun's av coorts.' Let tho polace be! they do bo. over-worrked an' too dom extraneous." Two whitc-aproned waiters slipped past'him, making for tho door ; but Frithjof blocked tho opening, with Sam and Nicolno.at his shoulders. AH tho Swede's'normal good-nature was gone. Flushed with anger at what he consider- ' ed an insult, his face had an ugly look. Nicolao • was smilirtg, but lie stood like a cat, ready to spring,' and the New Englander's eyes wero dancing with the joy of battle." Behind/ him tho watching crowd in the street momentarily increased, and it shouted ; with tho ecstacy of joyous'expectation.when two policemen, pushed through the door, shouldering the huge'Swedefroni- their path. Now Frithjof-was not a man to be

shouldered when in a rage, and discr tion was not his foible. Like the arr of a windmill his great paws swuug wi. and crashcd down upon tho heads of tl guardians of the peaje, smashing the helmets over their eyes.

Kerrigan, turning, "saw it all. and tho faces of tho oflicers before they went into eclipse. "Naygurs!" lie roared, with a beautiful simulation of horror. "They're nayr gurs! The ehanie av ut!" Then he rushed, joyfully into an entangling alliance with his friends.

It was an unequal struggle, and tho officers .were already down when somo excited creature turned out the lights. In tho sudden darkness Kerrigan kept his head. . '

"'T is the fanally," ho whispered hoarsely, to his shipmates. "Kape togtiher, but run!" . As they dashed out into tho street tho crowd broko and scattered. It was a light-hearted assembly, and its interest . was the interest- of pleasure, not correction. Laughingly, it cheered tho fugitives on, and saw them passing unobstructed into 1 outer darkness at the edge of the city market, and was turning away when Kerrigan fell. He had heen lumbering on behind liis comrades, and had almost gained a refuge'under the dark corridors of the market, when his ■ foot slipped. For an instant ;he layjstunned;'then, before he could rise, two ■ policemen pounced upon him from out tho shadow of tho, dark wall, and the crpwd's ■ interest . had revived and was.sending them hot-foot to view his downfall. ■ Kerrigan was still blinking from the shock when ho was led bacK over the road he.had come, the two policcmen pertinaciously demanding an explanation of his haste. > . . "I was lookun' for yez," said Kerrigan. "Yo found us," answered one of them, laconically. Kerrigan "looked up sharply. "Yo'ro an Irishman,". ho declared. "Ye're ho liar," replied the other— "for- wanee." • "I tak' shamo for.yo consortun wid naygurs," said Kerrigan, sadly. "I came to tell ye so." ... "I'm consortun''wid worse this minsaid: his captor.- ' "Ye know yer mates," Kerrigan replied, genially,' looking at his other guard. - "I've small likun' for Doochmin mesilf. Do they call the foorcs tho mixed pickles?" , Ho received no answer, and, the pleasure of tho social instinct "one, through half-closed eye' lie looked about him discontentedly: 1 They wore rapidly approaching the'wrecked saloon, a tail of idlers at their heels. On their left,, projected only by planks laid over barrels," yawned the dark abyss'of the cellai;, under tho unfinished row of buildings. Kerrigan glanced down, saw nothing* but--black void,'and felt anew the thrill of' life. ' ' "What's, ut?" he asked, jerking his head toward'the unfinished row, and wa« answered that his cap>rs neither know nor cared. . • '"T.is shameless ignorance,v declared Kerrigan; "we'll investigate," and wheohng suddenly, freeing himself, he leaped into the black' pit', carrying.; tho. barrier with him. i: 'Thero -was a- crash below-of falling ! barrels and timber, and then an awe r ; inspiring silence; later two sad guardians'of the peace crawled out of tho abyss,, extinguished their lanterns,' and went preyless back to their beat. . ■'-, At tho same time, iff a' narrow street on the other side of' the market, his leaderless companions, making their way down to the waterfront-, ' came upon Kerrigan, sitting sadly on' tlie kerb, j communing with the past. They hailed' | him t?ith joy, but he only .'shook his i head sadly at eight of them. "Hero 's me wages unipint," he mourned, "an' ivery rasort av pleasure closed to -its- by tho folly av min! 'T is shameful!" 'Tnenhe began to sing dolorously:- • ■ " 'The harp that-wanco through Tara's .'halls The sowl of music shed, ■Now hangs-as-mute on-Tara'-s-,walls : y Aslif thot sowl -were fled.' ■*. "Oh, itlio harps av:the ould. counthry,"; he murmured; "aii' tho eyes :av-: sloe, an'' the -mists 011 the hills av a maruun 1 ! Ut all comes back to, me so swate, so swate 1 An', liiyer a dhrop to dhfown me sorhow!" From' his lov.-ly scat ho waved his hands to his comrades in farewell. "L'vo mo wid, me dead, b'ys! L'avo mo!"

The tlireo looked at 0110 another in doubt, then Frifchjof growled: "Ay tank you big dom fcol!" Stooping'suddenly, he' seized Kerrigan by the shoulders :»nd . lifted him to his feet, adding: "Coomon, now!" "All right, Swaden," said the sad Kerrigan, "I go,'.but nie heart's bruk." It was not. so completely shattered as to leave' him wholly oblivious of tho shell, when, as tliey turned | into a lighter • street; two girls • came laughingly along the path. He twisted, his moustaohe and gazed at them 6adly. "Eyes' av sloe, eyes' av sloe,' 'he murmured—"ut all comes back to me so swate— : so swate!"

Ho shook his head mournfully at the retort discourteous that ho received, but Sam and 'Nicolao giggled. .' Ho gazed at them reprovingly,.".

" 'T is 'a harrd. worrld," he declared, ."whin me: —-". He stopped short, for they had come to the lighted front of a. theatre-liko building, and ■ from within there floated the,sound of singing, and •then the' applause at its close.' "Hell!" crief Nicolao, excitedly. "Behol' de thoayter! Coma 'long een!" Without a moment's hesitation ho entered the vestibule, followed by tho others, and, opening an inner door, pass r ed into a darkened rooni.

Out of tho gloom b,y the entrance an usher stepped softly, ami touching Xicolao on the arm, led, the way up the nislo, followed by tho sailonneu. Into a side seat at the very front of the hall he swept them with an elaborate bow, and tiptoed away as an unseen orchestra played tho opening strains and a full choir of voices broke softly into the hymn.: "While shepherds watched their flocks by night, - All seated on the ground, The angel of tho Lord came down,

And glory shone around."

_• As the words of tho last lino swelled into.a-rich cresccndo of sor.nd, veiled lights began to glimmer above tho stage, and with a creaking of a tackle and fall there slowly descended into view a whito-clad .figure with shining wings, holding a green palmctto-Icaf aloft, Tho living picturo stepped lightly to tho stage from the little platform on which she had stood, and, with a profound bow, lowered the palmetto-leaf as thb lights of tlie hall blazed out, and tho --audienco broke into wildly excited applause. "Holy -Hither 1" cried Kerrigan, under his breath, "'t is a naygur!" He glanced swiftly at the audience, now for tlio first timo revealed: every shining faco of delight in tho hall except their own was that of a negro. In a sort of wonder, lie turned to his companions. _ Nicolao was wildly applauding, Frithjof was staring stolidly at tlio stage, and Sam's face was down iirhis hands, Ilia body-shaking with a violent coughing fit. He looked up at lenglh with .a grave face, and caught Kerrigan's eye. "What is lit?" asked the Irishman. His sbiomato norlded towards n pinetree at tho. back of the stags, decked with candles and gifts.

. "Christmas eve and a Christmas tree," ho replied. "It's a darky church."

"I was beginnun' to have me suspicions tliot ut was a Dootcli ball," said Kerrigan, : with biting sarcasm. He looked about hiui. "I tak' ut," ho went' 011, as the result of his observation, "tliot wo hold the sates of honour.

"Yes," answered his male "Then ut's a dacent lot of haytheii they are," ho declared emphatically, "barrun' tho shlight invidjusiicss av a eoffec-colourod angel. So let tho prosadun's prosade." 110 began to applaud with all the vigour of his mighty hands.

Kerrigan grew more and more enthusiastic as tho exercises went on, and his loudly spoken comments', if frank, were for tho most part satisfactorily laudatory. Not till near lie close did. a momentary cloud appear. . ~ They were lighting the tree, and a file 'of small children had lined up in front of it to repeat Bible verses. They stood, a twisting line, looking over their shoulders at the gathering glory behind them, impatient for their gifts, and repeating parrot-like tho rapid words that were to set them free; Near the middle of the lino one stumbled over a long quotation', but came smoothly to a close with the words, "but the 'scriptions must bo 'filled." Tho speaker's small finger went swiftly to her mouth, and sho dropped demure eyes. Tito next child was cannier. ."Now wo see th'oo er.glas3 dark'y, he lisped, and looked triumphantly' at, his next neighbour, who said in a voi-co: "An' Ab'am said, I wull sw'ar.' . All audible stir ran through the audience, and a wrinkled little man near the stage roso quickly .to his feet and held up a warning hand.. _ ■ "Mistah Sup'inten'ent,", ho cried excitedly. "Ah'rise foh ter appoint an ordeh." . • Tho superintendent bowed affably, after-a momentary hesitation.

• " 'Scuso me," said 'the' interrupter, "but Ah 'm 'bleeged.fch ter ask wliar yo' go'll fin' dera wuds. Dey doii' soun' iak da wuds of ouah Lolid and Mahsteh —or lak da, Bible." . . Tho superintendent turned to the young woman who had marshalled the children upon the' stage. , . "Miss I'ickney," ho said, "are. dem wuds f'om do Holy Book? Dey. .soun' familious, but Ah cavn't say right olfhan- 'whar dey come f'om. Aro dey?"

. "Yesseh,""fche snapped;, "dey 's co'ect.. Ab'ahm said.'em, , lak 110 said he said 'em.",- She glanced scornfully at the doubter. Ho was not to be crushed so easily, however. ~ .< . - "Den all Ah' kiii say," ho went 011 excitedly, "is dat den dat,- chile ain' said enough. He ain' 'splain da 'casidn. An'- dat ain't all ;,an hcah's da p'int," —ho held up a polemic finger, and.faced the, audience.—"Ab'am 110 done lib.miner da ol 1 ' dispinsatioiis, aii' ( some of ol' mail Adam was eon 'im yit."

Ho paused so long 111 his triumph that tho next child in. line, thinking the incident c-'osed,, began to repeat: . "Consider tho lilies " 1 Unheeding, the voice of the man went on:

"So A'am say ho w'u'd sw'ar. But spmo things done gone 'wrong ivith him, or ho had some or Job's troubles ; biit he ain' dono right, an', lit'.chillen,' dem ain' no - advices foh y'o'—no, nia Lolid!" . .

He Was in full swing now ; his voice rising, his arms swinging wildly,about his, head. Kerrigan; looking from, him to' the - stage, - saw tho sorrowful, un : easy lines of little children turning.back toward tho tree, now fully lighted, and guessed their dismay at tho interruption. He turned to tho exhorter,onco .more,' and leaped into tho fray. "Let tlio little naygiir g'wan!" ho called roughly.. '; of angry ( eyes flashed upon him,. Hut he heeded it not. '

' "G'wan, littlo tiger-lily!" ho roared. "G'wan wid yer worrdsl" And with the instinct of .implicit obedience to the voice of a white man, the child ran glibly through her quotation, and the lino filed from the stage. Marching off, with his eyes upon the tree, a heedless boy,ran into the frail upright- supporting an elaborate arch of .paper roses, which, falling, on the candles, ignited; and then dropped in'a serpent-of lire among the children aiid llani'ed up toward , the roof alopg tho uprights still standing. Instantly ■ tho house was in a wild panic,' sleeping toward the door and windows.; but Kerrigan saw' only the child that .he had bidden speak; The last'of tho-line, the blazing wreaths inwrapped her and 1 fired her flimsy Whito. •'dress. - He, leaped to'.liis 'feet, but was 'borne backward 'by' the'maddened rush of 'screaming creature's making toward 'the-windows behind'him. ••

It was only for an instant. Catching at<the back of a'seat.and bracing.,him■self, he lowered his head, and with a roar liko that of an angry bull plowed his way through tho frenzied. mob arid fell sprawling across the stage. Tho next moment ho sprang through the blazing streamers, caught up the child, and holding her i'aco aaginst his breast,, smothered the flames or beat them out with his hands.

Auother blazing streamer fell across his own shoulders before he : bad extinguished tho burning dress of .tile child, tiring his coat and scorching his oheek; but not until tho child was safe did ho lling it off'impatiently, pull down the'remaining uprights, and stamp out tile llames. 'i'hen, blackened with soot, and: scorched, still holding the sobbing eliild against his breast, he turned and roared:

"Come back! Como back,'yez! Ain't yez goun' to give the childer their prisint's?" , Thoy crept into their seats presently, cxcited and hysterical; and not till then did'Kerrigan ieavo tho stage with the cliild,- sobbing' with fright,, but littles hurt. Going down to his shipmates, he stood tho child before tliem:

■"'T is Christmas ave, an' a little child in throuble," he said; "hand out yef ducuts!" -

Smiling, they did as they were bidden, w'hile the audience crowded about them, -watching. Kerrigan took their bills with a dissatisfied frown..

"Iv'ry ciiit-j ye thavun' sailormiu! Is u't av yersilves ye'd be thinkun' whin a little child 's in throuble? Empty vef pockuts, as I've done inesilf," ho ordered.

When he was certain that not. a cent was left to* the four, he tied the collection in his neckerchief and put it in the hand of tho bewildered child.

" 'T is for a new dhress, an' a dolly, an' pink ice-crame,- an' whativer," he told her; "an' a merry Christmas to ye!" Then he turned to the wildly applauding audienco with a deprecatory wa.vo of tho hand. .

"G'wan wid ye!" ho said good-na-turedly, and with tlio first touch of diffidence mortal had ever seen his face. ."Don't, yd know the childer is a-waitun 1 for their prisints?" The tree was. stripped, tlio last song sung., a prayer . of thanksgiving' and gratitudo to Kerrigan l spoken by the pastor,- and tho audience was making ready to depart, when tho superintendent stepped upon tho platform, lilted his band, and said: "Befoli wo depalit, wo desiah to signify our appreciations of the splendid eon-age of our visitant amongiis to-night, an' tlio gen-rosity (lis gemman and da balumps of. 'em liavo individualised." He bowed, and a male quartet marched solemnly upon the stage,'sang "Hocked in the Cradle of_tho Deep," and then, as ail encore, bowing to Kerrigan, with spirit sang "Tho Wearing of tho'Gjeen." Kerrigan had nodded through tho stripping of.tho tree, but ho was thoroughly awake now. His head and foot kept'time to the song, and as the last strain ceased ho sprang to liis feet. . . "I niver mado a! spacho m me life. IVys—nn' the I'avo av yes—barriui' st.me incidenthial. remarks I might have

inthrojiiced into a coort- av ju.sius the inarnun' alter. I'}' raison av lookun'upon the wine whin ut was road, waich is a i'agiiro av spat-he, iiio dhrink l>unil' whisky", whicii some av ye may know is a horse av aniiher colour, and not bad for the liilt'i, though betther lit alone, owun' to tho earolissiliss av min in the use av high explosives; but I wall' to tell yo, in wan worn), that I talc' ut kindly—yer singun' a song in 1110 honour, an' yer rceiption, an' holy ruction ye gavo us, whereby I worrked olf me sadness av heart by raison av beun' in an inhospithablo counthry. Now 1 wan' to say, we hope we 're not inthruduu'. We tiio't- ut was a show whin we perambulathed in amongst ye, which ut was av a kind, an' as amusuu' as a baskut av kittens an' lively as a counthry fair in me ancesthral kingdom, though not- what we ixpicted. "Now we've heard yer songs an' yer spaches, an' 'sano yer angel clescind, which was marvelous, an' we ve listhened to yer advice, which, ut was as good as anny I've iver had to contind wid —an', by i-lco same token, as harrd to follow. For thot's tho quare thing about, advice: the hetther ut is, the lasto likely wo are to hade ut-, an' thim as nades ut laste hades ut m-ost, an viey versy, which is Frinch for tho road's 110 longer wan way than t'itber way about. "Like wise, ut's the liaturo av tho good to bo too good an' -tho bar! t<i bo worse nor they nade be, the which I learned by lookun' in mo own heart an' makuh' philosophical faces at- mesilf in me conthrition. So wan tiling I've learned —niver to putt more sthrain upon mo stren'th thaa ut will bear wid dacency. 1 "Lasthly an' finally, as the pr'achc-rs say, I like yer singun' betther nor yer ccurage, which ye have n't anny; but in discretion ye're great. • An' that's uts' good points, too. for ut. lades away from tlirouble, an' throuble's a bad neighbour, liut ye sing marvelous, an' I say. Sing all ye can, for ut makes the road short an' tho worrk aisy; an' ye niver can absthraet a hin from uts roost whin a song's on yer lips, which is wan sna!ro the less for the legs av thini tliot walk in darkness, .if the'truf 's been toald av ye. An' thot's allegory. "An' ye; littlo childer, alwiys honour yer faathers ;\n' yer withers, for tliot the Good Book tills ye; likewise, ut's common sinse; an* lasthly, tin to wau ye .'ll be lathered if ye don't, an' thot hurts."

Ho' ended abruptly, and turned away from the laughing, good-natured throng, already oh its slow march to the door.' An alarm had been turned in at the firsK call of fire, but the firemen hat) come arid gono without entering, and tho police had coma. no. farther- than the ddor., It was a glimpse of their helmets at tho rear of tho hall that hsd brought Kerrigan to a sudden close, Now he turned to tlie superintendent. "Doct-lior," \m wispered, "have yp> a back durop There was a little fri'udly ruction on the strate a littlo while pfaviaus, in which mo fri'n's here partioipat'hed, an' me fri'n's. tho polace are yon. IJt 's a liarrd lot they have, an' I 'd spar' thim throublo willuii'. If Wo shlippcd out unbeknownst " Ho winked, and the superintendent bowipd. Back of- them extended a littlo side addition, and into this the man led them, opening a window. "It 's'llo door," he began, but Kerrigan caught him up. "Ut's all wan," ho said, as ho thrust a long leg through tho opening; "dure or -windy, ut 's a hole for daliv'rance,' I was never wan t-o scorn the shmall neck av a' bottlo whin .the bung was not contaguous. f ■ A moment later tho four were swiftly following the directions of their adviser over a 'fence'-and across an open lot to a quiet street. ' 'They'travelled, fast for a space, and then, l oisy iii niiiid.. 'Went'oll more 6low-. ly toward tha water-front by roundabout ways. ' The New-Eng3ander, as'was-.b,6fittin.g one .with an inherited conscience,. was the first to syoa-k. " 'T was. good advice," , he said. ' "Tho which?" asked Kerrigan.

Then another inherited tendency m tho Yankee, awoke—a sense of the humour of things. ;

"Any of it'," lie answered, grinning. "That whisky was good for. a man, but better let alone; ti-at it wasn't worth while being too good, or jttsfc as well not to bo bnd. Oh; you had a crumb of comfort for every one, Kerrigan."

"An' why .not—on Christmas ave, .ye carpun' Yankee?" demanded Kerrigan. "Is ufc. a time for missions an' pin-' ances •- "Or for th<? fast,?" asked Nicholas, nudging the Ncw-Englander. For once-Kerrigan, was silent, remembering his thirsty but-penniless state. Then suddenly ho smiled, recalling his triumphant oratory. . "Thomas Kerrigan." he said to himself, "if I 'd a' can gilt yo niriv. nt-'s a man I'd 'a' made nr ve—barron' th» thirst, which is a dethriwent.-'' Then in, silence lie went on through the cchoing streets. under the quirt stars, with his equally silent shipmates.