Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-05-07
ONLY AN IRISH GIRL
an Irish girl ="

SIrue. a snail 6hiuS bu' are nee
and murder small things, Mrs. Adams
Murderers, and whatsoever loveth ahd
maketh lie, are to be left outside OF the
heavenly city. And, Mrs. Adams, sup.
pose it should appear that woman OF
high responsibility, moving IN the best So
cjety. and a most excellent housekeeper,
has both those two tickets for helli DO
Won remember the others that make up
that horrible company in the last chapter
of Revelations? Mrs. Adams, the girl is
DKADi
The Deacon's wife's hard face had
blazed instantly into passionate scarlet.
But cared not for her, nor for man nor
woman. For the words sad Themselves
and thrilled and sounded fearful to me
also; they hurt me; they burnt from my
tongue as melted iron might; and, scarce
" knowing it, l rose up and emphasized
with my forefnger. And her face, az
those last four words, turned stony and
Witty gray, like corpse. | thought she
would die. Oh, it was awful to think SO,
and to feel that she deserved it! For l
did. I do now. For, reason as | will,
cannot help feeling as if a tinge of the
poor helpless child's blood was upon my
own garments. do we'll to be angry. 1t
is not that desire any personal revenge.
But have a teeling-not pleasure, 1t is
almost all pity and pain-but yet feeling
that sudden death or lingering death
would be small satisfaction OF justice upon
her for what she rendered to another.
Her strong, hard, cruel nature fought IL
gerishly up again from the horrible blow
of my news. She was frightened almost
to swooning at the thing that | told and
my denunciation, and the deep answering
stab OF her own conscience. But her IN
CRY iron will rallied with an effort which
must have been agony; her face became
human again, and, looking straight and
defantly at me, she said, yet with diff
Gully :
"Ah! I'll see if my husband II hev sech
things said to mel That's ALL"
And she turned and went straightway
out of house, erect and steady as ever
1t may seem trifling story, and its les
son trif1ing one. But it is not so,-
neither trifing nor needless.
1t is rare thing, indeed, for a woman
in this America to long and love to have
children. The only two women whom |
know in this large town who do, are Mrs.
O'Reilly, the mother OF poor Bridget, and
one more.
Poor old Mrs. O'Reilly She came to
me this morning, and sat in my kitchen,
and cried SO bitterly, and talked in her
strohg Corkonian brogue, and rocked her.
self backwards and forwards, and shook
abroad the sreat lambent banners of her
cap border,-a grotesque old woman, but
sacred in her tender motherhood and her
Of
die blackberries in the summer. | asked
her if she picked them herself.
"Och thin and shure I've the childher
to do that saam," said she. And what
wonderful music must the voice of her
alton and heartfelt, and smooth and
thrilling yet, after fifty years of poverty
and toll. Sand IDS enough of thin that's
in i'd" she added, with curious air OF
satisfaction and effectiveness.
slow many children have ?ou?' in
quired.
She laughed and blushed, old woman
though she was; and pride and deep de-
light aud love shone in her large, clear,
gray eyes.
"Pve fourteen darlins, thank God for
livery wan of thin! And it's purity
partly they are!'
Fourteen /" / exclaimed" bow love-
typ stopped short and blusbed. Ny
heart had spoken. shut howl stop
ped again.
The old blackberry woman answered
me with tears and smiles What deep,
rich, loving heart was covered out OF sight
in her squalid life! 1t makes me proud
that l felt my heart and my love in some
measure like hers; and she saw il, too.
"An' it's yerselt, Nam, that has the
mothers own heart in yez, to be sure i
An can see it in your eyes, Mann! But
it's the thruth it's mighty scarce intirely
| do be SEEM the ladies that's not glad at
all for the dear chidher that's STINT 'em,
and sure it's strange, Main! Indate, it
was with the joy did be oryin' over ivry
wan O. me babies; and | could aisy laugh
at the pain, Main! And shure now it's
erwin am betimes because I'll have nc
morei"
The dear, beautiful, dirty old woman
l cried and laughed with her, and bought
ten times as many blackberries as | really
wanted; and Mrs. O'Reiily and | were
fast friends.
She and hers, her "ould man." her son:
and her daughters, were thencetorth oui
ready and devoted retainers, dexterou;
and efficient in all manner of service, gen
erous in acknowledging any return tha
we could make them respectful and self
respectful; true men and women in theil
place, not unfit for higher, and showing
the same by demeanor in a low one.
They came in and went out among u
for a long time, in casual employmeuts
until, with elaborate pretaces and doubt
full apologize circumlocutlons, shylg ant
hesitatingly, Mrs. OReilly managed t.
prefer her petition that her youngest girl
Bridget, by name,-there were Jew Ju
Nor boys,--might be taken into my taml
ly as servant. / asked the old woman
few questions about her daughters's expe
riences and attachments, in the Household
grace and economies; could not remem
Der her; thought had seen all the chill
dher:" found that she had been Twin.
with Mrs. Deacon Adams, and had no
been at my house. 1t was only for form
sake that l catechised Bridget came, o
course.
She was such maiden as her mothe
must have been, one of Natures own la
dies, but more refined in type, texture AM
form, as the American atmosphere an
food and ways AID life always refine tn
children of European stock-slendeeeI
more delicate, finer of complexion, AM
with soft, exquisite sweetness OF voice
more thrilling than her mothers, large
and more robust heartfeltness of Tone
and with the same, but shyer ways, AM
swift bushes and smiles Tn one thin,