Show IRISH EYES BY zer W U S E R V I 1 C E CHAPTER II 11 what joe exclaimed their mother looked up with her ready tut tutting butting noise its a terrible winter theres many worse off than ourselves mrs airs carscadden said vaguely moralizing moral izing were going to be bad enough off joe told his mothers mother darkly going on with his meal sheila they never fired you angelas grieved sweet little voice voice said sadly indeed they did then he said I 1 was too fresh mrs carscadden was pouring tea in her turn she looked at her daughter patiently be saucy to the boss she observed mildly oh well this is only wednesday and im there till saturday sheila said lazily theres hard times coming to this city that bedont we dont know the meaning of joe observed without looking up but get another job joe angela said anxiously oh sure I 1 will he answered glancing up up with an effort but it gripes me he added resentfully sent fully to have sheila here act as if it was 1 as all a joke well it is sheila assured him good she was relaxed and lazy her senses dulled by the food and warmth and leisure into a pleasant sort of torpor joe looked at her and her blue and cream and copper beauty blazed back at him like a star there was a faint stain of color in her cheeks now her eyes smoldered with smoky sapphire shadows the film of silky hair was once more across tier her fore head sure ill get a job all right joe grumbled mollified he was secretly proud of sheila and even comforted deep in his heart by the spirit she showed but he was tired angry jobless young and in lave he thought of cecilia As if she read his thoughts in deed she often seemed to do so Sh eilas next words were of cecilia we came home together cecilia and L I 1 none of ever know the haard times ive known mothers voice said dreamily im going down to see her 11 now going to tell her joe 11 ford joe said brooding 11 asked me would I 1 take a stewards job on a fruit boat A swell chance oh heavens what fun sheila exclaimed her eyes dancin dancing 9 forty a month he muttered but all your expenses joe 1 I turned it down im going to get forty a week or nothing ne he said stubbornly eight pound a month would be bi big 9 money at home mrs carscadden mused mrs carscadden me dearr said a gentle voice at the door A neighbor had unceremoniously opened it mrs buerke 11 she announced apologetically oh god help the poor soul and me abing me supper the other woman exclaimed instantly rising in 9 immediately she was gone and joe had disappeared too leaping downstairs down stairs on his long legs to see his cecilia sheila and angela finished their tea peacefully clearl cleared d the kitchen and then sat on lazily bazil chat oh wait until I 1 show you my new purse angela sheila went to get it she returned to the kitchen and put it into her sisters hands and ang angela la turned the dark smooth beauty of the leather back and forth admiringly guess what I 1 paid for it ten cents you 1 I did at the rummage sale at st leos I 1 went in there at noon ten cents it has initials on it inside that s why etwas it was cheap but what do I 1 care about that ill bet it cost a lot once angela opened the flap looked at the three initials G C K she read aloud and then a number on east eighty F eighth street sheila what do you suppose it feels like to be rich well to have everything heres what I 1 was thinking sheila said and hesitated again 1 I was thinking she pursued that that there must be something something in in some g girls eirls that makes them different from the others that lifts them out out of it angela asked intently well everything poverty hard work vork this 11 sheila answered with a gesture that included the kitchen and the poor apartment and the house that contained them lots of the women who are rich today were poor once they were office girls once she explained what I 1 want to know is what pot got them out of it what changed things prayer angela answered in instantly st oh pra pray prayers crI might have known say prayer sheila exclaimed disappointed tears stood in her laughing eyes but I 1 mean something else than prayer she explained there is nothing else but prayer angela stated solemnly you cant tell whose pictures are arc in the society sections on sundays got there by prayer oh no sheila of course not but what have they got after all how much does the lionor honor and glory of god oh for heavens sakel sake sheila interrupted and suddenly covering her face with tier her hands she was crying angela knew these tears the stormy brilliant older sister gave wiy way to them almost as readily as to laughter it if less often but they always wrung angelas heart nevertheless erth eless presently sheila stopped crying as abruptly as she had begun arid and straightening up dried tier her eyes firmly sniffed gulped and smiled at her sister this girl she said touching the blue purse and speaking in in a voice thick from tears this girl probably spends three months in the country every year if s she e meets a man all she has to do is ask him to come to dinner chicken ice cream clean tablecloth she has em every day if I 1 meet a man I 1 like eke what break do I 1 get I 1 dont even know his name you mean peter ang angela ela asked timidly peter what sheila s said a 1 d blowing her nose defiantly at he her r sister with a reddened nose ar and id wet eyes 1 I met him my last night of vacation at a barbecue I 1 had to leave next morning there are seven million people in this city there are five hundred thousand women working A swell chance I 1 have of ever finding him again angelas expression was one of infinite distress but she spoke courageously god could do it I 1 well then why he the other girl demanded 1 I walk up a different street every day at noon I 1 look at every boy I 1 see in the subway ive never seen him maybe you do too much angela suggested unexpectedly maybe you ought to just trust and then hed open the door of the kitchen and put his head in 91 it happen that way how would it happen in some way we see oming coming sheila angela was very serious sheila stared at her spoke impulsively well will you bray pray about it angela if I 1 stop 1 I am praying about it angela said her cheeks red what now right bight now and im remembering said angela that without anyone coming in it could begin there was a pause its one minute to nine sheila said then yawning and smiling and stretching 11 and when hen the clock strikes im going to bed the kitchen door did not open there was no telephone to ring the radio was still yet before the clock struck the beginning of the miracle was upon them and the current of sheila life had changed forever long afterward she was to look back upon this quiet evening with angela look back upon the rebellious cop per had been laughing and crying in the chair i appos opposite I 1 ite angela and ask herself if she could call back that too po tent prayer from her innocent little sister whether she would do so or no the seconds ticked by angela was s handling the blue morocco purse there was a blue coat for twelve sheila said she yawned dawned again made a movement toward ris rising ing sheila angela said look in her fingers were green bills she spread them on the table two twenties and a ten where what sheila stammered stupefied they were in the purse right here in this little inside pocket folded tight they but they were heavenly day sheila said sitting down again your coat angela exclaimed with an exultant laugh oh and everything oh angela what luck angela fifty dollars for ten cents they were still rejoicing and marveling still spreading and inspecting spec ting and handling the money five minutes later when their came back mrs carscadden looked tired as indeed she well might she was pale her hair and gown bisor disordered der her face wet with sweat but her eyes shone with the mystic light of the priestess who has been officiating at the oldest of the earths mysteries well the bur got their boy she observed sitting down heavily and wiping her forehead now maybe make a little fuss over tb their leir gerras gerr ls light the kett kettle le there sheila ive been weak for a cup of tay lay this hour gone the girls spread their treasure look before her amazed eyes her tightened its well you have their street number there that you can take it back to them and not leave anny of the rummage sale g gearls earls forget to it she observed ved instantly st mamma its hers mrs cars addens brow clouded tal take e it back of course sheila she said listen mamma Ponde ponderously mrs Carse carscadden adden returned from the stove with the kettle poured the hot new boiler boiling ig water upon the cool tea leaves in the empty pot breath sheila she save your well have no si st ealin here thanks be to the glory 01 god she stirred her tea took a heartening sip and pushed the hair from her wet forehead with a great clumsy hand that was like a caricature of Sh eilas fine square young one it if t theres heres anny thing cud make widowhood light to ye be seem a gearl in that fix she muttered immediately she perceived that there was small sympathy in the air and reverted to the moments problem again that street number there angela angela reluctantly consulted the me purse read out the number Is that anny wheres near where you work sheila no maaen sheila answered respectfully but with bitterness in her tone its way up on the east side but you cud get up there tomorrow dear sheila was silent for a full minute during which she looked down at her own fingers twisting the purse listen mamma I 1 bought this she burst out presently now no w way y to talk sheila her mother murmured unruffled led but mamma I 1 bought it if a girl is such a fool that she gives away a purse with money in it she give away the money as well as the purse she ma she angela echoed eagerly the devil timp tin ye mrs carscadden said inflexibly ib ly but gently as to a persistent child no way to talk its a perfectly sensible way to talk sheila muttered under her breath no dear its money not yours mamma how many people do you suppose would take it back this kind of sophistry got nowhere with mrs carscadden she had never read a book of philosophy or theology but she was sure of her ground here that has nothing to do with it lovey mamma listen probably rich people this came from Tiff anys ashes forgotten it a hundred times silence sheila opened shut snapped reopened the bag before adding if joe says its all right can I 1 keep it listen mamma ill not waste it honest I 1 wont there was a coat at the rummage today that would save money id wear it two years id wear it three years the mother did not speak she looked up from her tea looked down again no wonder were poor sheila said angrily if we can throw money away like eke this mother angela said earnestly her hands clasped imploringly her flower like face pale with emotion god intend sheila to have it no dear hed never anyone should have stolen goods 11 stolen sheila said hotly and was vas still joe came in they consulted joe and of course joe said the fifty had to go back sheila sat on the arm of his chair and wept but she knew there was no gainsay ing joes decision they were all said by joe even neely and margret married and gone still came back sometimes to ask advice vice of wise gentle clever joe because sheila jo joe e reasoned suppose it had been a diamond ring well it joe no I 1 know it but su suppose appose it had been a diamond ring i in n that same little pocket what then id think lucky her that had a diamond to lose sheila persisted stubbornly but she was beaten and she knew it it makes me cry thinking of my blue coat she said let me buy your coat for you 11 you joe she kissed the rough hard young face Y ou that have lost your job and want to marry cecilia she mourned rubbing her cheek against his belies Ce lies been crying too he said in his good humored patient way its your turn ma 11 there was weeks I 1 fed t the he 1 lot ot of ye on syrup and oatmeal M mrs rs carscadden observed observe d analar unalar unalarmed in ed 1 I guess the bad times wont come to that why no because we have each other ot her angela exclaimed in her soft ecstatic voice on the morning after the eventful f ul day of the lost jobs and the discovered money they all breakfasted together and once again sheila returned to the attack listen ma su supposing I 1 go to beigh eighth th street alace say saturday afta afternoon anoon be mv last morning at the office and ill be free after one and ing that some butler or pom com body wont lot let me in to see this G C K whoever she is and suppose nasty to me then am I 1 to hand it to somebody body pocket it themselves id b rn no sin on your soul if they h ey did mrs carscadden Carse adden answered readily sheila sud 1 1 ill tell you what denly exclaimed ill get myself u up p well you her eyes were dan dancing cing ill fix em IU ill bet I 1 get my blue coat she said sheila how angela demanded eagerly but sheila would woul d only I 1 I 1 laugh and made no answer that evening immediately after dinner when joe and angela and mrs carscadden were h lingering the remains of the meal 0 ver over sheila suddenly appeared in the door or appeared who must be sheila but who was not instantly identified even b by y her mother brother and sister I 1 I 1 she had strained her hair back from her abw always ays rather pale face which was devoid of powder or lir lip edid and looked young and pathetic she wore an old black dress of angelas that was scanty and tight on her more generous figure me mamma and papa is dead and I 1 worris for a lady that bates me she said in the soft pathetic accents of county mayo 1 I found the little purse and I 1 sure I 1 fought at irist I 1 cud pay me doctors bills wit it but thin I 1 that be no blessin iver on that the appreciative laughter ot of joe 1 and angela interrupted the pitiful story even mrs carscadden I 1 laughed but immediately her face sobered into a sort of scandal iced pride in this prodigy who was wa S her child her rebellious daughter to be continued I 1 |