Patsey

“ Troth, Patsey, it's what I'm thinking—there's nobody knows how to coort like a raal gentleman.'
'Och, botheration!' said Patsey, with an offended toss of his head, and a look of half malice.
'Faix, you may look how you like, but it's truth I'm telling ye. They know how to do it. It isn't winking at a body, nor putting their great rough arms round their neck ”

“ The boys were wild over the animals. They were irrepressible, and soon tired out poor Dil. She had to sit down and press her hand on her heart. There was a strange sinking, as if she was floating off, like the fleecy white drifts above her.
“Youse air nawful white!” cried Patsey in alarm. “An’ ther’s sich a queer blue streak acrost yer lip. Air ye sick?” ”

“ I tell you, Masther Freddy, them was the ecstasies!”
Patsey paused and gazed with a gloomy pride into the stricken faces of his audience.
“An’ as for her food,” he resumed, “she didn’t use a bit, hay, nor oats, nor bran, bad nor good, since she left Johnny Connolly’s. No, nor drink. The divil dang the bit she put in her mouth for two days, first and last. Why wouldn’t she eat is it, miss? From the fright sure! She’ll do nothing, only standing that way, and bushtin’ out sweatin’, and watching out all the time the way I wouldn’t lave her. I declare to God I’m heart-scalded with her!” ”

“ If ever there was a broken heart—one crushed and blighted by the rude grasp of suffering and misfortune—it was Patsey's. ”

“ Poor dear Patsey! All those pretty gowns waiting for her wedding day, and she does not know when she can wear them! Cousin Joe made one short trip, and then came back to Baltimore. He started out again, but not a word has been heard from him.”
“Poor Patsey!” Rhoda looked very thoughtful for a moment; then she jumped up from the stiff chair in which she was sitting. “I’ll write a note, Lettice,” she said. “I don’t doubt we can go to the ball if you so desire it. I have friends at court, even if my [Pg 96] father does not uphold the administration. ”

“ It was on this ridge that the three children gathered at ten o'clock that morning. An earlier flight had been impossible on account of Wan Lee being obliged to perform his regular duty of blacking the shoes of Polly and Hickory before breakfast,—a menial act which in the pure Republic of childhood was never thought inconsistent with the loftiest piratical ambition. On the ridge they met one "Patsey," the son of a neighbour, sun burned, broad-brimmed hatted, red handed, like themselves. ”

“ He put the rabbit to roast by the fire he had built, and then he went on. “That’s my meaning; but to get into the house there’s only one way, and that’s to slip a gossoon through the little scullery window; and there’s only one gossoon of me acquaintance I’d trust with the job, and this is him.” He suddenly pounced on Patsy. “Now then, Patsy,” said he, “confess your sins before I makes a freemason of you. When did you say the quality was coming to the Big House?” ”

“ We made a good deal of Patsy. We pretended that he was very, very old and sophisticated—not a difficult task—and deferred to his judgment on all occasions. But in spite of this Patsy never became “fresh.” To be sure, he speedily began calling Fosgill “Bull,” but I don’t think he meant the slightest disrespect; every one called the big fellow “Bull,” and it is quite possible that Patsy believed it to be a title of honor. He was attentive to all of us, but his heart was Fosgill’s. ”

“ Helen, the children say that a family of Kennetts live at 32 Anna Street, and I am going to see why Patsy didn't come. Oh yes, I know that there are boys enough without running after them, but we must have this particular boy, whether he wants to come or not, for he is sui generis. ”

“ The Young Doctor burst out laughing. “‘The Blessed Mary, or the Almighty himself—not even you!’ Well, Patsy, you’re a wonder,” he said.
“Aw, you’re not goin’ to get off by scoffin’ at me,” remarked Patsy. “Shure, what did Augustus Burlingame say of you?—well now, what did he say?”
“Yes, Patsy, what was it?” urged the other. “Shure, he criticized you. He called you ‘Squills,’ and said you’d helped more people intil the wurruld than out of it.”
“You call that criticism. Patsy?”
“Whichever way you look at it, hasn’t it an ugly face? Is it a kindness to man to bring him into the wurruld? ”

“ Patsy, faring leisurely westward to meet the Princess in the park and be driven home, at the corner of Lyonesse House, just where you turn towards the green of the tree-tops discerned at the street's end, came within the sound of a mighty voice.
A tall, heavily built man of fierce aspect and red choleric face was picking himself up off the ground, opposite a house from which he had been forcibly ejected, and a crowd of ordinary street loafers was gathering about. ”

“ Patsy had as quickly decided what he would do. He knew he could not leap down from his unsteady perch undetected and retreat farther into the alley. He took, therefore, his only chance to escape observation, knowing that he could not hold up the intruder without alarming his confederates. Firmly grasping the stone sill of the window, he drew up his legs and raised his feet from the top of the door, hoping the man would pass under him and enter without seeing him. ”

“ The door was open, and there sat Patsy, "minding" the Kennett baby, a dull little lump of humanity, whose brain registered impressions so slowly that it would play all day long with an old shoe without exhausting its possibilities. ”

“ I’m an artist,” said Patsy, lest these inquiries might reach the ears of the said Toby Monk.
“He’s a chauffeur,” replied the storekeeper. “He owns a car and runs it as a jitney part of the time, when he’s not driving for a man who frequently employs him.”
“What man is that?” inquired Patsy, suppressing any betrayal of his elation. ”

“ Chance played into Patsy's hands when he returned to the glade. Two of the men had been quarreling, and they had taken the centre of the glade to settle their differences; and there a ring had formed around them—a ring which comprised almost every man of the outfit.
The point was that the attention of everybody was diverted from Patsy, and, merely bestowing a single glance upon what was taking place, he hurried silently past them—it was almost dark now—and in a moment more had passed through the pathway to the clearing around the cottage. ”

“ Even now, though he put his leg over the sill of the window, he would not have dared to enter the room, for that would have been housebreaking; but nothing could be done to a man for simply standing at a window and “colloguing” with his nephew. If Mrs Kinsella had appeared armed with a broom he would have run like a scared rabbit; but Patsy did not know this, Patsy took his uncle on his face value, and certainly Con’s face was of more value to him in affairs of this sort than his heart, for his face was the face of a formidable and villainous-looking rogue. ”

“ Loring, who was sewing by the table, while Patsy arranged her paper dolls. It was a rainy afternoon, and therefore the dolls were in demand.
"Oh, you have no shut-up rooms and secrets. Our house is full of skeletons. It is hateful."
"E-liz-a-beth!" exclaimed Patsy. "What in the world do you mean?"
"Well, how would you like to have a room in the house with a padlock on it that you never could go into, and have Aunt Caroline hush you up every time you asked about it? I have been there, though," and she nodded her head mysteriously.
Patsy left her paper dolls and drew nearer. ”

“ They entered the long drive that cut through the woods in the direction of Castle Knock. They had gone scarcely a quarter of a mile down it when a faint, flickering glow amidst the trees on the right became visible, and Patsy, clutching at his uncle’s coat-tail, hung back.
He had heard often enough that the witches had a habit of meeting by night in the woods here about. They would light a fire and make soup in a big pot, and whilst it was boiling they would all sit round and make jokes and tell stories, and their laughter—so the tale went—was enough to turn a man’s hair grey. ”

“ So when Patsy came limping up the garden path this morning, rubbing his eyes, his voice choking, and the tears streaming, and, burying his little face in Cully's jacket, poured out his tale of insult and suffering, that valiant defender of the right pulled his cap tight over his eyes and began a still-hunt through the tenements. ”

“ In that case, Patsy, you may have a chance to bag the men who slipped through my hands.”
“Nothing would please me better,” was Patsy’s retort, and Nick laughed at the boy’s eagerness.
“I bet Patsy will strike the fellows before you can say Jack Robinson,” put in Chick, with a grin.
“You win your bet,” said Patsy, coolly. “I think I can put you on the trail of at least one of the men you want. The other fellow will have to stand till I look around a little.” ”

“ But the Duke of Lyonesse was in the highest spirits and really gave himself to his task, knitting his brows and striving to follow Patsy's instructions to the letter.
"It is a long time since I heard so much truth about myself," said the Duke. "I own I am both stupid and awkward, but then, by gad, I am willing to learn!"
"People who are stupid and awkward ought not to offer," said Patsy. "I am sure that Captain Laurence, whom you sent away, could do it a great deal better."
"I can't give up the honour even to my friend Laurence," said the Prince. "In for a penny, in for a pound. ”

“ She’s a beaut!” exclaimed Patsy. “She looks about as big as a haystack, and a durned sight more dangerous! Straight for us, chief! That’s how she’s coming!”
Patsy was holding to the side of the car with a convulsive clutch, as he watched the gigantic stone skipping down the mountain. ”

“ Many a pretty girl had looked Patsy's way invitingly, seeing in him a steady, sober boy who might be trusted not to spend his wages in drink, whose dreamy eyes and soft slow voice promised gentleness with a woman; but Patsy never thought of the girls apparently. He was very fond of his master, but his great devotion was for Lady O'Gara who, as Miss Mary Creagh, had dazzled him when she came and went at Castle Talbot, not forgetting if she met Patsy to stop and speak with him. ”

“ Next moment Patsy, Mr Murphy and Con were running through the woods, each in a different direction. Patsy could hear the terrified shouts of the others, and he stopped and held on to the trunk of a small beech tree and laughed till the tree shook.
Then he resumed his way back to the Big House at a “sweep’s trot” under the light of the moon that was just rising over the distant hills. His window was still open and the candle had burnt itself out, but the moon gave light enough to get into bed by. Still laughing and chuckling to himself, he got between the sheets. ”

“ My father, who had been a handsome man in his youth and knew the ways of women, urged Patsy a thousand times to make it up quickly with his wife, telling him to put his arms round her and kiss her and all would be well. ‘Thou mayest know much about the telenafo, and how to keep thunder and lightning in pots,’ said my wise father, ‘but assuredly, Patsy, thou art ignorant of the hearts of women.’ He told him that Java was already repentant and ashamed, and, like a person on the top of a high wall, a push would send her either way. ”

“ In the meantime, Patsy had been in half a dozen different kinds of a brown study. He realized that now the entire situation depended solely upon him, and that the lives of his chief, and of Chick and Ten-Ichi, rested wholly in his hands.
He stood, be it said, all alone, in the midst of a huge swamp, from which escape could only be had by means of a boat, and into which he had been conducted blindfolded. Around him were men, all ready at any instant to take his life for the merest excuse ”

“ Patsy met her at the train in New York and embraced her rapturously. Patsy was really fond of Beth; but it was her nature to be fond of everyone, and her cousin, escaping from her smacking and enthusiastic kisses, told herself that Patsy would have embraced a cat with the same spontaneous ecstacy. That was not strictly true, but there was nothing half hearted or halfway about Miss Doyle. If she loved you, there would never be an occasion for you to doubt the fact. It was Patsy's way.
Uncle John also was cordial in his greetings. ”

“ He’s just an agreeable person—clearly, a clubman pure and simple.” Patsy laughed. “That’s funny, isn’t it, dear? A clubman pure and simple! But” (the lovely tawny eyes grew serious again) “Kent is; and he’s miles too good for his wife—you know that, Claire”—Patsy’s voice came from the depths of a huge cupboard, where she was storing away very small boots—“Farleigh Chalmers is nowhere near good enough for Kent.”
The stepmother gazed at the back of Patsy’s head—a little strangely. “No—I don’t believe she is,” she said. “Patsy, I see the Angel—I see Junior coming up the drive—and—no, my dear! ”

“ Near where he stood was a door which he thought led into the offices of the kennel club. He dodged through it to find he was correct in his surmise as well as to face the prominent banker.
“What now, Patsy?” asked the banker.
“Only a little makeup,” replied Patsy. “I think I’m on to something, and am going to try it.”
Much to the interest and amusement of the banker, he drew from his pocket a wig, which he slipped on, and a false mustache, using some color to change his face and eyebrows.
“Oh, for another coat and hat!” cried Patsy, casting longing eyes on those worn by the banker. ”

“ Some one mentioned Patsy, and Mosher spoke up:
“Say, fellows, let’s see that that little cuss does get into college. What do you say?”
“I’ll go you!” cried Fosgill. “He’s an all-right kid, is Patsy, and he deserves something better than spending his life on the streets. We’ll adopt him.”
“Sure thing,” said Allen. “But we’ll have our hands full. And what’s to happen when we leave college?”
“We’ll get some one to look after him. We’ll have a talk with Brother Brian about it. But, say, Bull, imagine Patsy putting the shot!” ”