American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-05-02
From the Columbian Magazine.l
TALES OF IRISH SUPERSTITION

By John Brougham.
THE TEST BLOOD.
"Thou shalt do no murder"
"You won't dance with me, Katheen?"
"No Luke, will not.''
"For what reason?"
81 don't choose it. Besides Pm engaged to
Mark Dermot."
The above very slight conversation in itself,
was to the individuals, full of the greatest i'm
port. To explain it, it will be necessary to take
u Parthian glance at our subject. Kathleen
Dryer was the pretty spoiled village pet, with
quite sufficient vanity to know that the prefer
ence was deserved. Every young man in the
place was anxious to pay court to her, and
sooth 10 say, she impartially dispensed her
smiles to ALL reservng, it must be admitted,
her more serious thoughts for one alone. That
one was Luke Bryant, and as he really loved
her, the hightiness of her conduct and her lit
terminable fiirtatlons gave him very great I'M
easness. Often and often would he reason with
her, implorng her to dismiss the crowd of Pur-
poseless sutors that ever huttered round. and
select one, even though that selection would
doom him to misery.
"No, no." the little madcap would say, with
a bright smile, 81 cannot give up altogether the
delight of having SO many male slaves in my
train; they are useful, and if you don't like it
you know your remedy"
''But do you think il is right" he would say,
"suppose there may be some, even one who
loves you truly, TO lead him on by the false
light Of your encouraging smile, to perish at
last?"
"Pshaw!" would she answer, ''men are not
made of such perislable stuff"
"Well, we'll, Kathleen, have care; if any
one Of your numerous admirers feel towards
you as | do, to lose you would be the loss of
every thing"
AS may be reasonably supposed these CONVEX
sations usually ended in little tiff, when the
wild, good-hearted, but giddy-headed girl would
select some one from her surrounding beaux, to
play off against Luke; generally pitching upon
the person most likely to touch his feelings to
the very quick; herself, the while, must do her
the justice to say, quito as miserable if not more
so than her victim.
And now to return, let me describe the indi-
vidual whom she had this time chosen to infct
torture upon her lover, and | think you will
agree with me that he has cause for more than
discomfort.
Mark Dermot, or as he was most generally
denomnated, Black Mark, was one of those
persons we sometimes meet with III the world,
on whom progressing appearance and great
natural ability are bestowed only to be put to the
basest possible uses. Character he had none,
except of the very worst kind; his ostensible
pursuit was smuggling, but crimes Of the dark
est nature were freely whispered about him, and
yet, in spite of all this, his dashing daredevil
nature and indomitable impotence, enabled
him to show himselfin places where, although
his evil reputation was well known, he was to-
lerated either from supineness, or more likely
from the fear of his enmity.
1t is not to be wondered at then, that as Luke
stood by and saw this ruffian carry off his SOULS
beloved, his very heart should quake from APP
prehension. He was unaware until this mo-
ment that she ever knew him, and his feelings,
as ever and anon Mark would seem to whisper
something in Kathleen's ear, to which she
would seem to smile an approval, can only be
imagined by such of nay readers, if any there
be, who have seen another feeding upon smiles
which they would fain monopolize.
Jealousy ofthe most painful nature took pos
session of Luke; he had often experienced sem
sations of annoyance before, but never to this
extent Her fame-her character-were COM
promised; for he knew Black Mark to be the
very worst description of man for woman to
come in contact with at all, caring nothing for
the ties of morality or for the werld's opinion
RECKLESS, bad-hearted, and moreover nncom-
fortably handsome in the eyes of a lover
The dance now over, Luke imagined that
she would give up her partner and join him.