Cinder Path Tales

PADDY'S PROBATION 85 better; and trotted around with his barrow of dirt as if he was entered in an old- fashioned " wheelbarrow race." The other eyehe kept on me, and would not once have missed touchinghis hat had I passed him one hundred times in the day. Now Paddy was as strong as a bull, in­ clined to be beefy, and his extraordinary exertions undoubtedlybrought him into con­ dition to undergo successfully the test that followed. One morning George Mitchell, an in­ veterate joker, with a face as serious as any judge on the bench, got hold of him, and gave him the following confidential informa­ tion : It was as good as settled that he (Paddy) was the best man of the gang, but this would do him no good, as it had been decided that the job should be given to one who knew a little about athletics, and was something of a performer as well. I had a man in mind who was a good hand with rake and roller, and who could also take off his coat and show a clean pair of heels over the track. Paddy listened to this with his mouth open, thenstraightened himself up, and with an air of great confidence said," Faith, an' 'tis a runner he is? You'd not say that same with Patrick O'Malley forninst him. 'Tis a