American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-06-17
From the Columbian Magazine.]
THE IRISH HEART-A TRUE STORY
BIT MRS. Z. MARIA CHILD,

1t was pleasant sight to look on James and
Nora in their early childhood; their cheeks
were so rosy, their lair SO sunny, and their
clear blue eyes so m;ld and innocent They
were the youngest Of cabin full of children;
and though they did now and then get ,e. cuff
frcm the elder enes, with the hasty words,
"Get out of the way, you papeen," they were
the pets and playmates of them all. Their
love for each other was extreme; and though
James, in early boyhood, evinced the Irish pre-
objection for giving knocks, he was never known
tc raise his hand against little sister. When she
could first toddle about it was his delight 70
gather the May gowans that grew about the
well, and put them in Nora's curly hair, and
then he would sit before her, with his little
hands resting on his knees, contemplating her
with the greatest satisfaction. When they
were older, they might be seen wedding the
'''pathies" ( y side by side, or hand in hand ge-
therng berries among the hawthorn bushes
The greatest difference between them seemed
10 be, that James was all fun and frolic, while
Nora was ever serious and earnest.
When the young E!aiden was milking the
COWS, her soft low voice might usually be heard,
wcrbling some of the n,ournful melodies of Ire
land. But plaintive tones were rarely heard
from James. Hei came home from his daily
labor whstling like black-bird, hooking the
cuckoo, or singing, at the top Of lis clear ring
ing voice, the merry jingle of st. Patrick's Day
in the Morning, or the tacetious air of Paudeen
O'Ratferty. At dancing, too, he excelled all
the lads of the neighborhood. He could dance
Irish ngs, three part reel, four-part reel or
rowlY powly, to the tune of the The Dusty
Miller, or The Rakes of Bally-shanny, with
such quick ear for the music, that all the las
sizes declared they could 'see the tune upon his
feet" He was comely lad, too, and at we'd
ding end Christmas carousals none of the rus
tic dandies looked more genteel than he, in his
buff colored vest, his knot Of ribbons at each
knee, and his ca,tbeen (2) set jauntingly on one
side of his head Being good-natured and
mirthfui, he was great favorte at wakes and
dances, and festivities of all sorts; and he might
have been in danger of becoming disspated,
had it not been for the happy consciousness of
belonging TO an honest and industrious family,
and being the pride and darling Of Nora's heart.
Notwithstanding the natural gaiety of his
disposition, he had spirit of enterprise, and a
love of earning money This tendency led him
early to think of emigrating to America, the FL
dorado of Irish imagination. Nora resisted the
first suggestion with many tears. But James
drew fine pictures of farm of his own in
the new country, and cows and horses, and a
pleasant jaunting car; and in the farmh house
and jaunting car, Nora was ever by his side;
for with the very first guineas that crossed his
hand, sure he would send for her. The affection
ate sister, accustomed to synpathise with all
his plans, soon began to help him to build his
castles in America; and every penny that she
could earn by her spinning heel was laid away
for passage money. But when the time actu-
ally arrived for him to &C to Dublin, it was