The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-01-22
From the London Christian Miscellany
The Irish Boys Lament.

The Irish Boys Lament.
o, thin, don't shut the door awhile
won't some Of ye listen to me, for It's a
sonowful story I've to tell The shining
beams Of the blessed heaven on yer head,
my lady and let me spake minite while
the hunger leaves me strength. Och lit
tie tho't I'd ever be driven from the stran-
gers thrashal. For | wasn't always house
less and friendless. Ii wasn't long since
| was happy an continued in my fathers
house in the mountains beyant but wina
true tbs Imply an deSSolate now. The
FIRE has gone out on our hearth stone, an
my hand will never be strong enough to
kindle it sgin. Many a night sat by it,
listening to ould stories, or hearing my
mother sing; and the red light dancing up
and down her face, an her voice rising an
falling 50 beautiful, I'LL in spite O. me, my
eyes filled up wild teas. That was the
pleasant crying; but many is the bitter one
from EN- since.
The blight Of the hard year fell on our
crops, my lady, an thin come starvation
where full and plenty Wor alore. A woe
some change come over US all everything
was sold to gather the rint even my own
Little gOldhnch; sure 'tisn't that / grudged
1t. Mother didn't sing thin, and when She
tried to sPake joyful, to cheer my father up,
there was a shake in her voice, and her lip
trembled; and they both had a frightened
look; no wonder, wild famine staring 'em
in the face. For we'd be whole day. an
more, maybe, widout tasting food, an
couldn't get 1t anyhow; an I'd 60 to bed
sick an fainting like; but | didn't mind
myself al all al all, only my little sister
Norah. In all the country round there
wasn't a prettier child, wild her cheeks OF
pink and snow, an her white forehead, wild
the yellow hair on it, like goOld rings,
only softer dale; an shining eyes, the col
or Of the sky in June
o dear! the hunger bore heavy on the
innocent child, an rubbed out all the dim
piles in her face an faded the red blush an
her eyes sunk back in her head as if all the
tears she cried put out the light in 'em. An
oh, lady 1t would have gone TO your hearts
heart to see her hold out her long thin hand,
an hear her young small voice, that used to
be laughing all day, axing for bread, an
Done TO the fore. Then mother 'uld soothe
her to sleep, an her face working all the
time. The sob would be on Norah' heart,
an she asleep. But one night, after being
stupid like long while, she reused up to
say, I'm very hungry; an before the words
wor out Of her mouth, she stretched herselfl
out on mothers lap, and died. Well, | tux
on grstely at that; but mother said God
had taken her from the misery, an she |
wouldn't be hungry agin, for the angels in
hiven wOr feeding her, Thin | thought, |
only for mother, I'D like to 60 TOO. Father
bernd her lcithOla coffin.
She was the first | liver saw die; but
'twasn't to be long strange thing to me-
My father got work at last, but the power to
do il was going fast. And mother nd keep
the last bite an sup in the house for him,
when he'd come in, and make him believe
that she ate afore, and pretind she was Civ
ing him her lavings, an laugh an Joke
with him. Och but, her laugh had quare
sound, thin, just like the. crushing Of her
heart; it 'Ud make my flesh creep; but you
wor always minding everybody, barring,
yourself, mother dear heerd EN- say no
one could drive a spade deeper nor my
father once, but hungeT's stronger nor
the strong man when that is Juggling at the
inside, thin the arm is very wake. He
tainted over his spade, an was soon lying
down in the fever. We wor out Of the doc
tors way, the priest was always out, an
weight Of sickness on my father, an nothing
to quinch the thirst that was perishing him,
barring can Of cold wsther from the strame
sfore the door.
Day an night mother sat beside the
whisp Of straw that kept him from the floor.
o but his face was hot and red, his two
eyes like Lighting Goals, an puff of his
breath nd burn ye, an he saying such out
o'-the way things in his wanherings. Well,
we thought he was getting cool; but sure
enough, twas Deaths own cold fingers up
on him. For he got quite sensible and said
to mother, Nora, aclsShIa ma chree, put
yer hand under my head, an raise me; the
sight Is leaving my eyes, but let me feel We
kissing me; snd then he died off quite aisy,
just as the day dawns; an the spirit died in
me too, but | couldn't help staring at moth
er. As soon as she had stroked the body. she
stated herself forninst it, and hardly stirring
for two days maybe. | thought all her
tears sDers used up; for her eyes wor dry as
dust. Them wor the sorowful days, |,
There was food in the house thin, but we
couldn't taste it; us very aisy to give the
body enough when the heart is full. On the
third day she wrapped him in her ould cloak
and called me TO help her. so we carried
him TO the grave ourselves, without shroud
or coffin, for the neighbOrs were too hard