The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-10-16
THE THREE FINGERS.


live in barracks. Not in the military quar-
tiers, usually so named, but among merry
sort Of boys and girls, and good humofeu
men and women, in some wide, rano'''s'
hospitable countyy-house. The reoe's' Or
whitcboys, banded themselves together TO
destroy, without exception, every profess
tant man and grown boy in the country;
bu, they usually, except in rare instances
respected the lives OF women and chhofeh.
The gentlemen, gay, gallant. well mounted
and well armed, formed themselves INTO
veomunry corps for the defence of their
i.Yes and properties; large mansion IN each
district was selected, into which as many
Of the neighbors Us the rooms would ac-
comodate congregated. In spite OF the
burnings, pikings, murders and cruelties OF
the most atrocious description, which were
going on around, the party inside usually
cou,rived to a,nuse themselves with eating,
drinking, laughing, dancing and lovs-mak-
ing, in u highly satisfactory and thoroughly
Irish manner.
The cid house Of Carrigbawn, situated
some miles distant from the town Of hol!ys-
luugbln, was selected for this purpose; Its
master and mistress being a kind and hos
pitabe pair, never SO happy us when closet
and Granny hole was crammed full OF guests:
The mansion itself was as curious and
comfortable q specimen OF the In-anu-out
style architecture rs ever was seen. II ana
the fine old estate that lay around 1t are now
gone-thc one into ruins, the other INTO the
Encumbered Estates Court. But SILKY years
ago BON were filed with life and merrl-
ment. Family and family had arrived and
been Hospitality welcomed, and comtorta-
blv accommodated by Mr.. and Mrs. Synge.
1t was dull, Lrzzling day in autumn,
such rs is very common in the South Of
ireland, when there is DO cold in the air,
and yet you have such feeling of thorough
and diHused dampness, that you invount'isI
rly hang over the fire, rs if to air not onl
After b-eakfa.t, the gentlemen, as usual,
went out in purity to patro, and the ladies'
amused themselves, rs best they might, with
needle work and gentle gossIplng.
'llow wish,' said Mrs. Synge, laying
down her embroidery, and politely trying
70 suppress yawn, ''that Hugh Lawrence
were here! lie is the very LIFE and soul Of
party, and SO good-natured-thc7e is
nothing he would not DO to oblige a friend"
'Yes,'' ~tilSIrs. Wrrrcn, land the child
rcn are so fond Of hun. My little Eddie,
who is so shy of every one else, actually
.!ies into Hugh Lawreuce's arms, and
Will not leave hin for nurse or any Que
e!se.'
lie paid morning visit here q few days
ago. said Mrs. Syngr, 'and we urged him
strongly to leave his lonely matched cottage
where he has no companions but his dogs,
and come into the barracks Ike every one
else. why my dear lady, said he, who
would hurt me? Thank God, don't think
have an enemy in the country among rich
or poor; and then have my steward, the
faithful fellow, Icnnesey, who would give
his life for me, living at the LODGE
The conversation then took another turn,
and the afternoon passed somewhat weariIy
away; It's mOnotcny now and then enl!vened
by tho unuvailing efforts Of the matrons to
preserve order among the Juveniles, each
lady protesting that her girls and boys Were
the quetest creatures imaginable when at
home, and that it was only company that ex-
cited them to rebel.
The gentlemen returned in good spirits to
a late dinner, and reported that they had
seen nor heard nothing alarming. Ahou.
ten O'Clock, the house was disturbed by
loud ringing at the hall door. 1t was no
light matter to open at that hour. so the
visitor was challenged BY the master Of the
house.
who's there?'
a friend Hugh Lawrence; lot me in?'
At the sound of the weli-known voice,
bolts and bars were speedily withdrawn, and
the whole party crowded into the hall to
receive the welcome guest, who looked pale
and agtated.
'Synge,' he said, Il havel dreadful thing
to tel! you. My house was set on fire this
evening, and everything in it burned. |
don't care for the furniture, but my poor
little dog. Minny, that was licking my hand
an hour before-she perishcd!' And the
tears stood in his kind, honest eyes.
1t appeared that, while sitting after sup
per, he perceived Il strong smell of smoke,
and rushing to the window, he saw the fig
ures who had put the live sod of turf to the
thatch, moving in front Of the house. lie
had been out shooting that day, and his gun
stood loaded in n corner Of the room.
Il seized it, he said, sand fred off both
barrels at the fellows, but could not tell in
the twilight whether hit them or not. |
saw one man, whose face was blackened,
take deliberate aim at me, and heard an
explosion AS if the gun had burst in his
hands. They rushed to the door, forced it |
IN, and in another moment would have mur-
dered me, when, by Gods providence par
ty OF soldiers who were passing, saw the |
flames, and came galloping up the avenue
The fellow of course made off, ard the SOL |
ders tried in vain to catch them. ! escap-
ed just as the roof was falling in, and came |
here, as knew you would not turn me out
A warm pressure of the hand was Mr..
Synge's reply. sWhere were your servants,
Hughs' he asked.
'They were out,' was the reply. sThe old
cook and the housemuid had asked leave to
60 to wake in the neighborhood, and Lea
ry, the an-of-aIl-work, had gone to the
stable to feed the horses
Mr.. Synge and other gentlemen looked
grave.
'Wherc was Hennessey, your steward?'
asked Mr.. Warren.
'Oh, poor fellow, he has been sick these
wo days replied Mr.. Lawrence. Il sen.
'or him this morning, and heard that he was
confined to bed with heavy cold: and there
found him with his head tied up when |
went down to see him and take him few
things that | thought would do him good.
II he had been with me, he'd have shed his
last drop of blood for me; you know he's
my foster brother.'
Next morning, at breakfast, the delight
o1 the children a. meeting their friend was
'oc!ferous. lie was not SO much inclined
% play with them as usual, for tho loss of
lis favorise little terrier lay heavy ut his
,ear'. And the bright, round young eyes
hat were fixed on HIM soon filled with tears.
when they heard the fate of Minny, who had
,een as well known and almost as much
liked, as her master.
After breakfast, all the gentlemen, ac-
Hugh Lawrence to his cottage,
low u heap of smoking ruins. The police
we're also in attendance, with view to max
ne every possible investigation. OF course,
here was no chance Of eliciting anv infor.