The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-20
THE TEST OF BLOOD.
AN IRISH TALE.

'For what reason?
Il don't choose it, Besides, I'm engaged to Mark
Dermot.'
The above very slight conversation in itself, was to
the individual full of the greatest import. To explain
it it will be necessary to take a Parthian glance at our
subject. Kathleen Dwyer was the pretty, spoiled, vii.
lage pet, with quite sufficient vanity to know that the
preference was deserved. Every young man in the place
was anxious to pay court to her, and sooth to say, she
impartially dispensed her smiles to all, reserving, ii
must be admitted, her more serious thoughts for one
alone. That one VassLuke lRryant, andsas he really
loved her, the A~ightiness- of her conduct, and her inter
minable ~Airtationg gave him very great uneasiness.
Often and often would he reason with her, imploring
her to dismiss the GROVE of purposeless suitors that ever
auttered round, and select one, even though that selec'
ton would doom hin to- misery rf&fUgf4fi
mo, no ? the little madcap would say, with a bright
smile, I cannot give up altogether the delight Of hav-
ing 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 ii IS right /? be would say sup.
pose there may be some, even one who loves you truly,
to lead MIN on by the false light of your encouraging
smile, to perish at last!
sPshaw" would she answer, 'men are not made of
such %perishable stuff
well, we'll, Kathleen, have a care if any one of
your numerous admirers feels towards you as l do, to
lose you would be the loss of everything
AS may be reasonably supposed, these conversations
usually ended in a little tiff, when the wild, good
hearted, but giddy-headed girl would select one from
her surrounding beaux, to play off against Luke; gen.
orally pitching upon the person most likely to touch his
feelings to the very quick herself, the while, | must
do her the justice to say, quite as miserable, if not more
SO, than her victim.
And now to return, let me describe the individual
she has this time chosen to infict torture upon her lover,
and | think you will agree with me that he has cause
for more than discontent. 2T0NA .
Mark Dermot, or, as be was most generally denomi.
mated, Black Mark, was one of those persons we some.
times meet with in the world, on whom progressing
appearance and, great natural ability are bestowed, only
70 be put to the basest possible uses. Character he had
none, except of the very worst kind; his ostensible pur-
suit was smuggling, bat crimes of the darkest nature
were freely whispered about him-and yet, in spite of
all this, his dashing, daredevil nature and indomitable
impotence, enabled him to show himself in places
where, although his evil reputation was we'll known. he
was tolerated either from supineness, or more likely
from the fear of his enmity. ?
It is not to be wondered at, then, that as Luke stood
by and saw this rufian carry off his souls beloved, his
very heart should quake from apprehension. He was
unaware until this moment that she ever knew him,
and his feelings, as ever and anon Mark would seem to
whisper something in Kathieen's ear, to which she
would seem to smile an approval, can only be imagined
by such of my readers, if any there be, who have seen
another feeding upon smiles which they would fain
monopClize.. sail E,.-qy .ee :t 2 14f,.
Jealousy Of the most painful nature took possession
of Luke he had often experienced sensations Of annoy.
ance before, but never to this extent. Her fame-her
character-were compromised ; for he knew Black Mark
to be the very worst description Of man for a woman
to come in contact with atsaH,, caring nothing for the
ties Of. morality, or for. the worlds opinion-reckless,
bad hearted, and moreover uncomfortably handsome in
the eyes Of a lover. 80 e .,- -~..-.Y
The dance now over, Luke imagined that she would
give up her partner, and JON him; but no, the silly
girl seemed proud Of her co6qdess, and 70 take a sort
Of mad delight in ~wounding Luke's feelings to the ut.
termost. She approached the spot where Luke, With
folded erlGs was standing, aud leaning familarly upon
"A esr -
e : Why don'sgou dance, lake? CsmetIn find a
partner for you" 4
Called 70 the very quiok,;t Luke answered with asper-
ity-.Thank you, Miss Dryer, you have found one for
yourself, and looking at Black Mark as a jealous lover
only can look youth pardon me; but l don't like the
sample -le64 ga @ae 197hss- p
Mark regarded him with a scowl of the deepest ma
Lightly, wbllesKatbleen, the real feelings of her heart
kept down 81 coquetry, exclaimed with a laugh
Don't mind him, Mark, he's only jealous, poor fel-
low. Come, will you not dance again.
LAY, and again, and forever, impetuously replied
Mark. Come IL %e s.,*sa.9
And as they went to rejoin the dancers, Kathleen
caught the expression Of Luke features, and there saw
y so much misery depicted that she would have given
- worlds to have recalled her words. She yearned to, i'm
plore his forgiveness, but her Insatlab!e, appetite tor
admiration restrained her, /. Never mind thought she
when the dance is over I can easily make it up with
him. and away she went, thinking no more about it.
At the conclusion of the dance, her better feelings all
predominatipg, she quilted Marx and rushed over to the
place where Luke had been standing! but be was gone;
with that ~unf;eling speech rankling in bis heart, be had
left. 1t was nov hef turn to be miserable; not all the
soft speeches that wee poured into her ear had power
to console her; but her annoyance was at its height
when Black Mark, presuming upon the encouragement
which she had given him. seated himself beside her, and
in ardent anguagedecared himselfh her passionate hover.
Poor, unthinking Kathleen, she had evoked 3 spirit
which she had not the power to quell. ~ q
It was more than q week after before Luke could
bring himself 70 venture near Kathleen ; but thinking
that each s~uccseding day only madenhim still more
wretched. he determined to know his fate at once, and
: wiitha soreiy paipitating heart he nsared her abode,
lifted the slatcb, and entered the first sight that met
his eyes was Mark and Kathleen, sitting near to each
other, the deep blush that crimsoned her to the very
throat, eyinced tosLuke the interesting nature of their
conversation. She could not speak,, neither could he,
busgiyiug her one look which sank iato her very brain,
he left the place in vain she called after him, he I turned
but once-a deep curse was on his lips, but his noble
heart refused to sanction it. Farewell, beloved Kath.
! Gen. be cried, while bitter tears flowed fastas be spoke
Nay the good God protect you now, for you will need
It, And Luke rapidly Af1nodn toHalnA the village, inlY