Show I. I Mike Dike ike Rossi y 3 i A Hero Iero ero By the Rev Thomas B. B Gregory Copyright 1918 1915 by the Press Publishing Co The New York Evening World I Mike Rossi What a funny tunny name name- suggesting a a cross between the peat I bogs of ot old Ireland and the laden grape-laden plains of ot Sunny Lombardy Mike belongs to the honorable if It not illustrious company of ot organ grinders and into the business that has a vital interest for tor us all that all that of ot making malting a living he living he he throws the spirit of ot the hero I that he is Mike used to be a worker In the lime industry and one day after atter an explosion explosion explosion sion that shook the quarry like an earthquake he found himself minus both of his eyes But Dut e eyes es or no eyes Mike Ilke had to live Hunger came around at about the same I old time the cold winds made him j I shiver the rent had to be paid on the j shanty in which he lived along with his wife and children children he he went through with the burlesque of ot living and he had to be bo up and doing It was up to him to act and to act quickly so he got hold of ot a jold old hand organ and began grinding out outI his living I And such grinding One does not notI I need to look at Mike more than once to become aware of ot the fact that he I means business The music It is death to those who have to hear it it but it is life lite toI to I I Mike l and Mikes Mike's wife and weans and andI I he the seems to fully realize the fact tact I For not one second of ot the ten min min- minI I utes or so that I watched Mike the theother theother lother other day was his old organ silent As Asa AsI a tune would draw near its close there I would come a downward dash of ot Mikes Mike's big calloused hand and another tune would begin I The multitudinous noises about him now retiring like an outgoing wave and andI now rising again had no appreciable I effect before the tho rapt musician He lie Ie I heard only the uncle lIne of ot the pennies in the tin cup and the calloused hand kept on grinding out the harmony I It is just lust magnificent to watch Mike and to note the unconquerable earnestness earnestness earnestness earnest earnest- ness of ot the blind organ grinders grinder's soul Burns' Burns Scots Wha Hae Wi VI Vallace Wallace Wal Val Wallace I lace TIled Bled Wellington's Up Guards and at t Them Nelsons Nelson's England Expects Ex- Ex Every Man Ian to Do HIs Ills Duty Caesars Caesar's Men Men There's Theres There's An Enemy I the Frenchmans Frenchman's oath at Verdun They Shall Not Pass are all aU plainly written writ writ- I ten ten upon Mikes Mike's soot sooty I face Mike is making his living and into the lob he is throwing a spirit as fine fineas as that which Napoleon put Into his Italian campaign or Peter the Great I with the building up of ot the great White Empire I The heroes are not all in cocked hats and gold-decked gold livery To do a felI fellows fellow's fel- fel I Ilow's lows low's part in life though it be but to turn the cr crank of ot a squeaky old hand handorgan I lorgan organ and to do it well an and 1 cheerfully cheerful cheerful- i ly ly is to be the grandest of heroes I Mike doesn't appear to have any kick kickI I coming or the I least ast Idea that he Is not II appreciated lIe He had nothing laid up I I against the world He lie is here not to cuss or whine but to make a living To keep the crank of ot that old organ turning a-turning is Mikes Mike's main business his only business and for the strength to toI I keep up the grind he is sincerely thankful I Good luck to you Mike and ma may the i good Lord help every one of us to I II I I catch your spirit and throw it into I our work I i |