Speaker 1: Story twelve of Dubliner's. This is a LibriVox recording. All
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Speaker 1: James Joyce, Story twelve Ivy Day in the committee room,
Speaker 1: Old Jack raked the cinders together with a piece of
Speaker 1: cardboard and spread them judiciously over the whitening dome of coals.
Speaker 1: When the dome was thinly covered, his face lapsed into darkness.
Speaker 1: But as he set himself to fan the fire again,
Speaker 1: his crouching shadow ascended the opposite wall, and his face
Speaker 1: slowly re emerged into light. It was an old man's face,
Speaker 1: very bony and hairy. The moist blue eyes blinked at
Speaker 1: the fire, and the moist mouth fell open at times,
Speaker 1: munching once or twice mechanically. When it closed. When the
Speaker 1: cinders had caught, he laid the piece of cardboard against
Speaker 1: the wall, sighed, and said, that's better now, mister O'Connor.
Speaker 1: Mister O'Connor, a gray haired young man whose face was
Speaker 1: disfigured by many blotches and pimples, had just brought the
Speaker 1: tobacco for a cigarette into a shapely cylinder, but when
Speaker 1: spoken to he undid his handiwork meditatively. Then he began
Speaker 1: to roll the tobacco again meditatively, and after a moment's thought,
Speaker 1: decided to lick the paper. Did mister Tierney say when
Speaker 1: he'd be back, he asked, in a sky falsetto. He
Speaker 1: didn't say. Mister O'Connor put his cigarette into his mouth
Speaker 1: and began to search his pockets. He took out a
Speaker 1: pack of thin pasteboard cards. I'll get you a match,
Speaker 1: said the old man. Never mind, this'll do, said mister O'Connor.
Speaker 1: He selected one of the cards and read what was
Speaker 1: printed on it. Municipal Elections, Royal Exchange Ward, Mister Richard J.
Speaker 1: Tyraney p l G. Respectfully solicits the favor of your
Speaker 1: vote and influence at the coming election in the Royal
Speaker 1: Exchange Ward. Mister O'Connor had been engaged by Tyranney's agent
Speaker 1: to canvass one part of the ward, but as the
Speaker 1: weather was inclement and his boots led in the wet,
Speaker 1: he spent a great part of the day sitting by
Speaker 1: the fire in the committee room on Wicklow Street with Jack,
Speaker 1: the old caretaker they had been sitting thus since the
Speaker 1: short day had grown dark. It was the sixth of October,
Speaker 1: dismal and cold. Out of doors, mister O'Connor tore his
Speaker 1: trip off the card and, lighting it, lit his cigarette.
Speaker 1: As he did so, the flame lit up a leaf
Speaker 1: of dark glossy ivy the lapel of his coat. The
Speaker 1: old man watched him attentively, and then, taking up the
Speaker 1: piece of cardboard again, began to fan the fire slowly
Speaker 1: while his companion smoked. Ah, yes, he said, continuing, it's
Speaker 1: hard to know what way to bring up children. Now,
Speaker 1: who'd think he'd turn out like that? I sent him
Speaker 1: to the Christian brothers, and I had done what I
Speaker 1: could him, and then he goes boozing about. I tried
Speaker 1: to make him some way decent. He replaced the cardboard wearily.
Speaker 1: Only I'm an old man now. I change his tune
Speaker 1: for him. I take the stick to his back and
Speaker 1: beat him while I could stand over him, as I
Speaker 1: had done many a time before. The mother, you know,
Speaker 1: she cooks him this and that. That's what ruins children,
Speaker 1: said mister O'Connor. To be sure, it is, said the
Speaker 1: old man, and many things should get for it. Only impudence.
Speaker 1: He takes the upper hand of me whenever he sees
Speaker 1: I've a supp taken. What's the world coming to? When
Speaker 1: sons speak that way to their fathers? What age is?
Speaker 1: He said? Mister O'Connor nineteen, said the old man, Why
Speaker 1: don't you put him to something? Sure, amped I never
Speaker 1: done at the drunken bowsy ever since he left school.
Speaker 1: I won't keep you. I says, you must get a
Speaker 1: job for yourself. But sure, it's worse. Whenever he gets
Speaker 1: a job, he drinks it all. Mister O'Connor shook his
Speaker 1: head in sympathy, and the old man fell silent, gazing
Speaker 1: into the fire. Someone opened the door of the room
Speaker 1: and called out, Hello, Is this a freemason's meeting? Who's that?
Speaker 1: Said the old man? What are you doing in the dark,
Speaker 1: asked a voice. Is that you Hines, asked mister O'Connor. Yes,
Speaker 1: what are you doing in the dark? Said mister Hines,
Speaker 1: advancing into the light of the fire. He was a tall,
Speaker 1: slender young man with a light brown mustache. Imminent. Little
Speaker 1: drops of rain hung at the brim of his hat,
Speaker 1: and the collar of his jacket coat was turned up well.
Speaker 1: Matt he says to mister O'Connor, how goes it? Mister
Speaker 1: O'Connor shook his head. The old man left the hearth, and,
Speaker 1: after stumbling about the room, returned with two candlesticks, which
Speaker 1: he thrust one after the other into the fire and
Speaker 1: carried to the table. A denuded room came into view,
Speaker 1: and the fire lost all its cheerful color. The walls
Speaker 1: of the room were bare except for a copy of
Speaker 1: an election address. In the middle of the room was
Speaker 1: a small table on which papers were heaped. Mister Hines
Speaker 1: leaned against the mantelpiece and asked, has he paid you yet?
Speaker 1: Not yet, said mister O'Connor. I hope to God he'll
Speaker 1: not leave us in the lurch tonight. Mister Hines laughed, Oh,
Speaker 1: he'll pay you. Never fear, he said. I hope he'll
Speaker 1: look smart about it if he means business, said mister O'Connor.
Speaker 1: What do you think, Jack, said mister Hines satirically to
Speaker 1: the old man. The old man returned to his seat
Speaker 1: by the fire, saying it isn't but he has it anyway,
Speaker 1: not like the other tinker. What other tinker, said, mister Hines.
Speaker 1: Colgan said the old man scornfully? Is it because Colgan's
Speaker 1: a working man? You say that? What's the difference between
Speaker 1: a good, honest bricklayer and a publican? Eh? Hasn't the
Speaker 1: working man as good a right to be in the
Speaker 1: corporation as any one else? Ay? And a better right
Speaker 1: than those shoeings that are always had in hand before
Speaker 1: any fellow with a handle to his name. Isn't that so, matt,
Speaker 1: said mister Hines, addressing mister connor. I think you're right,
Speaker 1: said mister O'Connor. One man is a plain, honest man,
Speaker 1: with no hunker sliding about him. He goes in to
Speaker 1: represent the labor classes. This fellow you're working for only
Speaker 1: once some job or other. Of course, the working classes
Speaker 1: should be represented, said the old man. The working man,
Speaker 1: said mister Hines, gets all kicks and no halfpence, but
Speaker 1: its labor produces everything. The working man is not for
Speaker 1: looking for fat jobs for his sons and nephews and cousins.
Speaker 1: The working man is not going to drag the honor
Speaker 1: of Dublin in the mud to please a German monarch.
Speaker 1: How's that? Said the old man. Don't you know they
Speaker 1: want to present an address of welcome to Edward Rex.
Speaker 1: If he comes here next year, what do you want
Speaker 1: cowtowing to a foreign king. Our man won't vote for
Speaker 1: the address, said mister O'Connor. He goes in on the
Speaker 1: nationalist's ticket, won't he said mister Hines. Wait till you
Speaker 1: see whether he will or not. I know him. Is
Speaker 1: it tricky? Dicky Tyrney? By God? Perhaps you're right, Joe,
Speaker 1: said mister O'Connor. Anyway, I wish he'd turn up with
Speaker 1: the spondulicks. The three men fell silent. The old man
Speaker 1: began to rake more cinders together. Mister Hines took off
Speaker 1: his hat, shook it, and then turned down the collar
Speaker 1: of his coat, displaying as he did, an ivy leaf
Speaker 1: in the lapel. If this man was alive, he said,
Speaker 1: pointing to the leaf, we'd have no talk of an
Speaker 1: address of welcome. That's true, said mister O'Connor. Musha, God
Speaker 1: be with them times, said the old man. There was
Speaker 1: some life in it. Then the room was silent again.
Speaker 1: Then a bustling little man with a snuffling nose and
Speaker 1: a very cold ear as pushed in the door. He
Speaker 1: walked over quickly to the fire, rubbing his hands as
Speaker 1: if he intended to produce a spark from them. No money, boys,
Speaker 1: he said, sit down here, mister Henchy, said the old man,
Speaker 1: offering his chair. Oh don't stir, Jack, don't stir, said
Speaker 1: mister Henchy. He nodded curtly to mister Hines and sat
Speaker 1: down on the chair which the old man vacated. Did
Speaker 1: you serve on Gear Street, he said to mister O'Connor. Yes,
Speaker 1: said mister O'Connor, beginning to search his pockets for memoranda.
Speaker 1: Did you call on Grimes? I did? Well? How does
Speaker 1: he stand? He wouldn't promise. He said, I won't tell
Speaker 1: any one what way I'm going to vote, but I
Speaker 1: think you'll be all right. Why so he asked me
Speaker 1: who the nominators were, and I told him I mentioned
Speaker 1: Father Burke's name. I think it'll be all right. Mister
Speaker 1: Henchy began to snuffle and to rub his hands over
Speaker 1: the fire at a terrific speed. Then he said, for
Speaker 1: the love of God, Jack, bring us a bit of coal.
Speaker 1: There must be some left. The old man went out
Speaker 1: of the room. It's no go, said mister Henchey, shaking
Speaker 1: his head. I asked the little shoe boy, but he
Speaker 1: said Oh now, mister Henchy, when I see work going
Speaker 1: on properly, I won't forget you. You may be sure,
Speaker 1: mean little tinker Usha, How could he be anything else?
Speaker 1: What did I tell you, Matt, said mister Hines. Tricky
Speaker 1: Dicky Tyranny, he's as tricky as they make em, said
Speaker 1: mister Henchey. He hasn't got those little pig's eyes for nothing.
Speaker 1: Blast his soul. Couldn't he pay up like a man
Speaker 1: instead of Oh now, mister Henchey, I must speak to
Speaker 1: mister Fanning. I've got lots of money, mean little schoolboy
Speaker 1: of Hell. I hope he forgets the time his little
Speaker 1: old father kept the hand me down shop in Mary's Lane.
Speaker 1: But is that a fact, asked mister O'Connor. God yes,
Speaker 1: said mister Henchey. Did you never hear that? And the
Speaker 1: men used to go in on Sunday morning before the
Speaker 1: houses were opened, to buy a waistcoat or a trouser's moya.
Speaker 1: But Tricky Dicky's little old father always had a tricky
Speaker 1: little black bottle up in a corner. Do you mind now?
Speaker 1: That's that? That's where he first saw the light. The
Speaker 1: old man returned with a few lumps of coal which
Speaker 1: he placed here and there on the fire. That's a
Speaker 1: nice how ye do, said mister O'Connor. How does he
Speaker 1: expect us to work for him if he won't stump up?
Speaker 1: I can't help it, said mister Henchey. I expect to
Speaker 1: find the bailiffs in the hall when I go home.
Speaker 1: Mister Hines laughed, and, shoving himself away from the mantelpiece
Speaker 1: with the aid of his shoulders, made ready to leave.
Speaker 1: It'll be all right when King Eddie comes. He said, Well, boys,
Speaker 1: I'm off for the present, see you later. Bye bye.
Speaker 1: He went out of the room slowly. Neither mister Henchy
Speaker 1: nor the old man said anything, But just as the
Speaker 1: door was closing, mister O'Connor, who had been staring moodily
Speaker 1: in the fire, called out suddenly by Joe. Mister Henchy
Speaker 1: waited a few minutes, and then nodded in the direction
Speaker 1: of the door. Tell me, he says, across the fire.
Speaker 1: What brings our friend in here? What does he want? Usha,
Speaker 1: poor Joe, said mister O'Connor, throwing the end of his
Speaker 1: cigarette into the fire. He's hard up like the rest
Speaker 1: of us, mister Henchy snuffled, vigorously and spat so copiously
Speaker 1: that he nearly put out the fire, which uttered a
Speaker 1: hissing protest. I'll tell you my private and candid opinion,
Speaker 1: he said. I think he's a man from the other camp.
Speaker 1: He's a spy of Colgan's. If he asks me just
Speaker 1: go around and try and find out how they're getting on.
Speaker 1: They won't suspect you, do you, twig Ah. Poor Joe
Speaker 1: is a decent skin, said mister O'Connor. His father was
Speaker 1: a decent, respectable man. Mister Henchy admitted, poor old Larry
Speaker 1: Hines many a good turn he did in his day.
Speaker 1: But I'm greatly afraid our friend is not nineteen carrot
Speaker 1: damn it. I can understand a fellow being hard up,
Speaker 1: but what I can't understand is a fellow's sponging. Couldn't
Speaker 1: he have some spark of manhood about him? He doesn't
Speaker 1: get a warm welcome for me when he comes, said
Speaker 1: the old man. Let him work for his side and
Speaker 1: not come spying around here. I don't know, said mister
Speaker 1: O'Connor dubiously, as he took out cigarette papers and tobacco.
Speaker 1: I think Joe Hines is a straight man. He's a
Speaker 1: clever chap too with the pen. Do you remember that
Speaker 1: thing he wrote? Some of these Hillsiders and Fenians are
Speaker 1: a bit too clever. If he asks me, said mister Henchy,
Speaker 1: do you know what my private and candid opinion is
Speaker 1: about some of those little jokers. I believe half of
Speaker 1: them are in the pay of the castle. There's no knowing,
Speaker 1: said the old man. Oh but I know it for
Speaker 1: a fact, said mister Henchy. They're castle hacks. I don't
Speaker 1: say Hines, No, damn it. I think he's a stroke
Speaker 1: above that. But there's a certain little nobleman with a
Speaker 1: cock eye, you know, the patriot I'm alluding to. Mister
Speaker 1: O'Connor nodded. There's a lineal descent of major, sir, if
Speaker 1: you like, Oh the heart's blood of a patriot. That fellow,
Speaker 1: now that haud sell his country for fourpence ay, and
Speaker 1: go down on his bended knee and think the almighty
Speaker 1: cris he had a country to sell. There was a
Speaker 1: knock at the door, Come in, said mister Henshy. A
Speaker 1: person resembling a poor clergyman or a poor actor appeared
Speaker 1: in the doorway. His black clothes were tightly buttoned, on
Speaker 1: his short body, and it was impossible to say whether
Speaker 1: he wore a clergyman's collar or a layman's because the
Speaker 1: collar of his shabby frock coat and the uncovered buttons
Speaker 1: of which reflected the candle light, was turned up above
Speaker 1: his head. He wore a round hat of hard black felt.
Speaker 1: His face, shining with rain drops, had the appearance of
Speaker 1: damp yellow cheese, save where two rosy spots indicated the
Speaker 1: cheek bones. He opened his very long mouth suddenly to
Speaker 1: express disappointment, and at the same time open wide his
Speaker 1: very bright blue eyes to express pleasure and surprise. Oh,
Speaker 1: father Keon, said mister Henchy, jumping up from his chair.
Speaker 1: Is that you come in? No, no, no, no, said
Speaker 1: Father Keon, quickly, pursing his lips as though he were
Speaker 1: addressing a child. Won't you come in and sit down? No, no, no,
Speaker 1: said Father Keenan, speaking in a discreet, indulgent, velvety voice.
Speaker 1: Don't let me disturb you now, I'm just looking for
Speaker 1: mister Fanning. He's round at the Black Eagle, said mister Henchy.
Speaker 1: But won't you come in and sit down a minute? No, no,
Speaker 1: thank you. It was just a little business matter, said
Speaker 1: father keenan, I thank you. Indeed, he retreated from the doorway,
Speaker 1: and mister Henchy, seizing one of the candlesticks, went to
Speaker 1: the door to light him downstairs. Oh, don't trouble, I
Speaker 1: beg no, but the stairs is so dark. No, no,
Speaker 1: I can see. Thank you. Indeed, are you all right now?
Speaker 1: All right? Thanks? Thanks. Mister Henchy returned with the candlestick
Speaker 1: and put it on the table. He sat down again
Speaker 1: at the fire. There was a silence for a few moments.
Speaker 1: Tell me, John, said mister O'Connor, lighting his cigarette with
Speaker 1: another pasteboard card. Hum, what is he exactly? Ask me?
Speaker 1: An easier one, said mister Henchy. Fanning and himself seemed
Speaker 1: to me very thick. They're often in kavanaughs together. Is
Speaker 1: he a priest at all? M yes, I believe so.
Speaker 1: I think he's what you call a black sheep. We
Speaker 1: haven't many of them, thank god, but we have a few.
Speaker 1: He's an unfortunate man of some kind. And how does
Speaker 1: he knock it out? Asked mister O'Connor. That's another mystery.
Speaker 1: Is he attached to any chapel or church or institution
Speaker 1: or no, said mister Henchy. I think he's traveling on
Speaker 1: his own account. God forgive me, he added, I thought
Speaker 1: he was the dozen of stout? Is there any chance
Speaker 1: of a drink itself, asked mister O'Connor. I'm dry too,
Speaker 1: said the old man. I asked that little shoe boy
Speaker 1: three times, said mister Henshey. Wouldn't he send up a
Speaker 1: dozen of stout? I asked him again now, But he's
Speaker 1: leaning on the counter in his shirt sleeves, having a
Speaker 1: deep goster with Alderman Cowley. Why didn't you remind him,
Speaker 1: said mister O'Connor. Well, I couldn't go over while he
Speaker 1: was talking to Alderman Cowley. I just waited till I
Speaker 1: caught his eye and said about that little manner I
Speaker 1: was speaking to you about before. That'll be all right,
Speaker 1: mister h She said, yea, I'm sure the little hop
Speaker 1: Oh my thumb is forgotten all about it. There's some
Speaker 1: deal on in that quarter, said mister O'Connor thoughtfully. I
Speaker 1: saw the three of them hard at it yesterday at
Speaker 1: Suffolk Street corner. I think I know the little game thereat,
Speaker 1: said mister Henshey. You must owe the city father's money
Speaker 1: nowadays if you want to be made Lord mayor then
Speaker 1: they'll make you lord mayor. By God, I'm seriously thinking
Speaker 1: of becoming a city father myself. What do you think
Speaker 1: would I do the job? Mister O'Connor laughed, as far
Speaker 1: as owing money goes. Driving out of the mansion house,
Speaker 1: said mister Henchy, and all my vermin with Jack here
Speaker 1: standing up behind me in a powdered wig. Eh and
Speaker 1: make me your private secretary, John, Yes, and I'll make
Speaker 1: Father Key on my private chaplain. We'll have a family party. Faith,
Speaker 1: mister Henchey, said the old man. You keep a better
Speaker 1: style than some of them. I was talking one day
Speaker 1: to old Keegan the porter, and how do you like
Speaker 1: your new master? Pat, says I to him, you have
Speaker 1: him much entertaining, now, says I entertaining. He says he'd
Speaker 1: live on the smell of an oil rag. And do
Speaker 1: you know what he told me? Now? I declare to
Speaker 1: God I didn't believe him. What said mister Henchy And
Speaker 1: mister O'Connor, He told me, what do you think of
Speaker 1: a Lord Mayor of Dublin sending out for a pound
Speaker 1: of chops for his dinner? How's that for high living?
Speaker 1: He says? Wisha wish to says a pound of chops,
Speaker 1: says he coming into the mansion house. Wish us says
Speaker 1: I what kind of people is going at all? Now?
Speaker 1: At this point there was a knock at the door
Speaker 1: and a boy put in his head. What is it?
Speaker 1: Said the old man from the Black Eagle, said, the
Speaker 1: boy walking in sideways and depositing a basket on the
Speaker 1: floor with a noise of shaken bottles. The old man
Speaker 1: helped the boy to transfer the bottles from the basket
Speaker 1: to the table and counted the full tally. After the transfer,
Speaker 1: the boy put his basket on his arm and asked
Speaker 1: any bottles? What bottles, said the old man. Won't you
Speaker 1: let us drink them first, asked mister Henshey. I was
Speaker 1: told to ask for the bottles. Come back tomorrow, said
Speaker 1: the old man. Here. Boy said, mister Henshey, will you
Speaker 1: run over to old Farrells and ask him to lend
Speaker 1: us a corkscrew for mister Henshey, say, tell him we
Speaker 1: won't keep it a minute. Leave the basket here. The
Speaker 1: boy went out, and mister Henchey began to rub his
Speaker 1: hands cheerfully, saying, ah, well, he's not so bad after all.
Speaker 1: He's as good as his word. Anyhow, there's no tumblers,
Speaker 1: said the old man. Oh don't let that trouble you, jack,
Speaker 1: said mister Henchey. Many the goods man before now drank
Speaker 1: out of the bottle. Anyway, it's better than nothing, said
Speaker 1: mister O'Connor. He's not a bad sort, said mister Henchy.
Speaker 1: Only Fanning has such a loan of him. He means, well,
Speaker 1: you know, in his own tinpot way. The boy came
Speaker 1: back with the corkscrew. The old man opened three bottles
Speaker 1: and was handing back the corkscrew when mister Henchy said
Speaker 1: to the boy, would you like a drink's boy, if
Speaker 1: you please, sir, said the boy. The old man opened
Speaker 1: another bottle grudgingly and handed it to the boy. What
Speaker 1: age are you, he asked, seventeen, said the boy. As
Speaker 1: the old man said nothing further, the boy took the
Speaker 1: bottle and said, here's my best respects sir. To mister Henchy,
Speaker 1: drank the contents, put the bottle back on the table,
Speaker 1: wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Then he took up
Speaker 1: the corkscrew and went out the door sideways, muttering some
Speaker 1: form of salutation. That's the way it begins, said the
Speaker 1: old man. The thin edge of the wedge, said mister Henchy.
Speaker 1: The old man distributed the three bottles which he had opened,
Speaker 1: and the men drank from them simultaneously. After having drank,
Speaker 1: each placed his bottle on the mantelpiece within hand's reach
Speaker 1: and drew in a long breath of satisfaction. Well I
Speaker 1: did a good day's work to day, said mister Henchy,
Speaker 1: after a pause. That's so, John, Yes, I got him
Speaker 1: one or two sure things in Dawson Street, Crofton and
Speaker 1: myself between ourselves. You know Crofton, he's a decent chap
Speaker 1: of course, but he's not worth a damn as a canvasser.
Speaker 1: He hasn't a word to throw to a dog. He
Speaker 1: stands and looks at the people while I do the talking.
Speaker 1: Here two men entered the room. One of them was
Speaker 1: a very fat man whose blue serge clothes seemed to
Speaker 1: be in danger of falling from his sloping figure. He
Speaker 1: had a big face which resembled a young ox's face,
Speaker 1: an expression, staring blue eyes, and a grizzled mustache. The
Speaker 1: other man, who was much younger and frailer, had a thin,
Speaker 1: clean shaven face. He wore a very high double collar
Speaker 1: in a wide brim bowler hat. Hello, Crofton, said mister
Speaker 1: Henchy to the fat man, talk of the devil. Where
Speaker 1: did the booze come from? Asked the young man. Did
Speaker 1: the cow calve? Oh? Of course, lions spots the drink
Speaker 1: first thing, said mister O'Connor, laughing. Is that the way
Speaker 1: you chaps canvas? Asked mister Lyons. And Crofton and I
Speaker 1: out in the cold and rain looking for votes. Why
Speaker 1: blast your soul, said mister Henchey. I'd get more votes
Speaker 1: in five minutes than you'd two get in a week.
Speaker 1: Open two bottles of stout, jack, said mister O'Connor. How
Speaker 1: can I, said the old man, when there's no coke? Screw?
Speaker 1: Wait wait now, well, said mister Henchy, getting up quickly.
Speaker 1: Did you ever see this little trick? He took two
Speaker 1: bottles from the table and carried them to the fire
Speaker 1: and put them on the hob. Then he sat down
Speaker 1: again by the fire and took another drink from his bottle.
Speaker 1: Mister Lyon sat at the edge of the table, pushing
Speaker 1: his hat towards the nape of his neck, and began
Speaker 1: to swing his legs. Which is my bottle? He asked?
Speaker 1: This lad, said mister Henchy. Mister Crofton sat down on
Speaker 1: a box and looked fixedly at the other bottle on
Speaker 1: the hob. He was silent for two reasons. The first reason,
Speaker 1: sufficient in itself, was that he had nothing to say.
Speaker 1: The second reason was that he considered his companions beneath him.
Speaker 1: He had been a canvasser for Wilkins the Conservative, but
Speaker 1: when the Conservatives had withdrawn their man, and choosing the
Speaker 1: lesser of two evils, given their support to the nationalist's candidate,
Speaker 1: he had been engaged to work for mister Tyrney. In
Speaker 1: a few minutes, an apologetic was heard as the cork
Speaker 1: flew out of mister Lyon's bottle. Mister Lyons jumped off
Speaker 1: the table, went to the fire, took his bottle and
Speaker 1: carried it back to the table. I was just telling them, Crofton,
Speaker 1: said mister Henshey, that we got a few good votes today.
Speaker 1: Who did you get, asked mister Lyons. Well, I got
Speaker 1: Parks for one, and I got Atkinson for two, and
Speaker 1: got Ward of Dawson Street. Fine, old chap he is
Speaker 1: too regular, old tough, old conservative. But isn't your candidate
Speaker 1: a nationalist? Said he? A respectable man, said I he's
Speaker 1: in favor of whatever will benefit this country. He's a
Speaker 1: big ratepayer, I said. He has extensive house property in
Speaker 1: the city, in three places of business, and isn't it
Speaker 1: to his own advantage to keep down the rates. He's
Speaker 1: a prominent and respected citizen, said I, and a poor
Speaker 1: law guardian. And he doesn't belong to any party, good,
Speaker 1: bad or indifferent. That's the way to talk to him.
Speaker 1: And what about the address to the king, said mister Lyons,
Speaker 1: after drinking and smacking his lips to me, said mister Henchy.
Speaker 1: What we want in thus country is, as I said
Speaker 1: to old Ward, is capital. The King's coming here will
Speaker 1: mean an influx of money into the country. The citizens
Speaker 1: of Dublin will benefit by it. Look at all the
Speaker 1: factories now by the quays there idle. Look at all
Speaker 1: the money there is in this country. If we only
Speaker 1: worked the old industries, the mills, the shipbuilding yards and factories,
Speaker 1: it's capital we want. But look here, John, said mister O'Connor,
Speaker 1: Why should we welcome the King of England? Didn't Parnell himself.
Speaker 1: Parnell said, mister Henchy is dead. Now here's the way
Speaker 1: I look at it. Here's the chap come to the
Speaker 1: throne after his old mother keeping him out of it
Speaker 1: till the old man was gray. He's a man of
Speaker 1: the world and he means well by us. He's a
Speaker 1: jolly fine, decent fellow if you ask me, And no
Speaker 1: damn nonsense about him. He just says to himself, the
Speaker 1: old one never went to see these wild Irish, by Christ,
Speaker 1: I'll all myself and see what they're like. And are
Speaker 1: we going to insult the man when he comes over
Speaker 1: on a friendly visit? Eh? Isn't that right? Crofton? Crofton
Speaker 1: nodded his head. But after all, now, said mister Lyons argumentatively,
Speaker 1: King Edward's life, you know, is not the very let
Speaker 1: bygones be bygone, said mister Henchy. I admire the man personally.
Speaker 1: He's just an ordinary knockabout like you and me. He's
Speaker 1: fond of his glass of grog, and he's a bit
Speaker 1: of a rake perhaps, and he's a good sportsman. Damn it,
Speaker 1: can't we Irish play fair? That's all very fine, said
Speaker 1: mister Lyons. But look at the case of Parnell. Now,
Speaker 1: in the name of God, said mister Henchy. Where's the
Speaker 1: analogy between the two cases? What I mean said mister Lyons,
Speaker 1: is that we have our ideals, Why now would we
Speaker 1: welcome a man like that? Do you think now, after
Speaker 1: what he did, Parnell was a fit man to lead us,
Speaker 1: and why then would we do it for Edward the seventh?
Speaker 1: This is Parnell's anniversary, said mister O'Connor, and don't let
Speaker 1: us stir up any bad blood. We can all respect
Speaker 1: him now that he's dead and gone, even the Conservatives,
Speaker 1: he added, turning to mister Crofton. The tardy cork flew
Speaker 1: out of mister Crofton's bottle. Mister Crofton got up from
Speaker 1: his box and went to the fire. After he returned
Speaker 1: with his capture, he said, in a deep voice. Our
Speaker 1: side of the house respects him because he was a gentleman.
Speaker 1: Right you are, Crofton, said mister Henchy fiercely. He was
Speaker 1: the only man who could keep that bag of cats
Speaker 1: in order. Down, ye dogs, lie down, ye curs. That's
Speaker 1: the way he treated them. Come in, Joe, come in,
Speaker 1: he called out, catching sight of mister Hines in the doorway.
Speaker 1: Mister Hines came in slowly open another bottle of stout. Jack,
Speaker 1: said mister Henchey, Oh, I forgot there's no corkscrew here,
Speaker 1: Show me one here and I'll put it on the fire.
Speaker 1: The old man handed him another, and he placed it
Speaker 1: on the hob. Sit down, Joe, said mister O'Connor. We
Speaker 1: were just talking about the chief. Aye, aye, said mister Henchey.
Speaker 1: Mister Hines sat on the side of the table near
Speaker 1: mister Lyons, but said nothing. There's one of them anyhow,
Speaker 1: said mister Henchy. That didn't renig him. By God, I'll
Speaker 1: say that for you, Joe. No, by God, you stuck
Speaker 1: to him like a man. Oh Joe, said mister O'Connor.
Speaker 1: Suddenly give us that thing you wrote. Do you remember?
Speaker 1: Have you got it on you? Oh? Ay, said mister Henchy.
Speaker 1: Give us that. Did you ever hear that? Crofton? Listen
Speaker 1: to this now splendid thing. Go on, said mister O'Connor.
Speaker 1: Fire away, Joe. Mister Hines did not seem to remember
Speaker 1: at once the peace to which they were alluding, but
Speaker 1: after reflecting a while, he said, oh that thing is it? Sure?
Speaker 1: That's old? Now out with it, man, said mister O'Connor.
Speaker 1: Sh sh, said mister Henschy. Now Joe. Mister Hines hesitated
Speaker 1: a little longer, and then and missed the silence. He
Speaker 1: took off his hat, laid it on the table, and
Speaker 1: stood up. He seemed to be rehearsing the peace in
Speaker 1: his mind. After a rather long pause, he announced the
Speaker 1: death of Parnell sixth October eighteen ninety one. He cleared
Speaker 1: his throat once or twice, and then began to recite,
Speaker 1: He is dead, our uncrowned king is dead. O Erin
Speaker 1: mourn with grief and woe, for he lies dead whom
Speaker 1: the fell gang of modern hypocrites laid low. He lies
Speaker 1: slain by the coward hounds. He raised a glory from
Speaker 1: the mire, and Erin's hopes and Erin's dreams perished upon
Speaker 1: her monarch's pyre, in Pallace cabin or in cot. The
Speaker 1: Irish heart, wherever it be, is bowed with woe, for
Speaker 1: he is gone. Who would have wrought her destiny? He
Speaker 1: would have had his errand famed the green flag gloriously
Speaker 1: unfurled her statesmen, bards and warriors raised before the nations
Speaker 1: of the world. He dreamed a last twas but a
Speaker 1: dream of liberty. But as he strove to clutch that idol,
Speaker 1: treachery sundered him from the thing. He loved. Shame on
Speaker 1: the coward caitive hands that smote their lord, or with
Speaker 1: a kiss betrayed him to the rabble rout of fawning priests.
Speaker 1: No friends of his may everlasting shame consume the memory
Speaker 1: of those who tried to befoul and smear the exalted
Speaker 1: name of one who spurned them. In his pride. He
Speaker 1: fell as fall the mighty ones, nobly undaunted to the last,
Speaker 1: and death has now united him with Erin's heroes of
Speaker 1: the past. No sound of strife disturb his sleep. Calm
Speaker 1: he rests, No human pain or high ambition spurs him.
Speaker 1: Now the peaks of glory to obtain. They had their way,
Speaker 1: They laid him low, but Erin list his spirit may
Speaker 1: rise like the phoenix from the flames when breaks the
Speaker 1: dawning of the day, the day that brings us freedom's
Speaker 1: rein And on that day may Erin well pledge in
Speaker 1: the cup she lifts the joy one grief the memory
Speaker 1: of Parnell. Mister Hines sat down on the table. When
Speaker 1: he had finished his recitation. There was a silence, and
Speaker 1: then a burst of clapping. Even mister Lyons clapped. The
Speaker 1: applause continued for a little time. When it had ceased,
Speaker 1: all the auditors drank from their bottles in silence. The
Speaker 1: cork flew out of mister Hine's bottle, but mister Hines
Speaker 1: remained sitting, flushed and bareheaded on the table. He did
Speaker 1: not seem to have heard the invitation. Good Man Joe,
Speaker 1: said mister O'Connor, taking out his cigarette papers and pouch,
Speaker 1: the better to hide his emotion. What do you think
Speaker 1: of that? Crofton, cried mister Henshey, isn't that fine? What
Speaker 1: Crofton said that it was a very fine piece of writing.
Speaker 1: End of story, twelve ivy day in the committee room,