The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-05
NEW ORLEANS SUNDAY MORNING. APRIL 5, 1868

had stepped little backward when she came
near tllis is the boy that slept with Master
Gerald (that was the master, you know, honey
-, my breast"
We'll, then,' said she, giving one hand to
me me; and the other to my boy, 'remember it is
dancing tonight; and troth, my pet, she was
as good as her word and not soul would she
dance with, for all the fine lords and gentlemen
footed it for good half hour at least with my
Andie. All! them were times indeed, my jewel, !"
the old cro,ie quer.'lously wound up her cliron-
have lived to see the day when the young mas
tcrs father and the masters child are to be
hunted ont of their own by CrOmwellian up
start with his 'buddagh Sassenachs. Saxon
clowns,) like so many bloOdhounds at his heels,
to ride over ,ls rough slfOd." -"',.''
u, So far Tho young girl had "seriously inclined
her ear to listen, partly to soothe old Granne's
perhaps, because her own mind, exhausted by
present sufferings found some unconscious
lief in letting itself be carried back to those
bright days when the sun of worldly prosperity
ever, that the old woman began, with all the
fer0city of half-tamed nature, to pour ont de-
hunciations Oh the foes who had wrought her
ruin, she checked the dangerous indulgence of
her feelings by saying:
iusli dear Grannie and listen to me. My
mother is to stay here until May, ESQ much grace
they have seen fit t" do us,) il, order that she
may collect our stock and gather such OF our
people together as may choose to follow us into
exile"
"Then, may he she'll take me,' cried old
Grannie suddenly, her withcred face tightening
up into an expression OF hope and joy that was
touching to behold MAY be she'll take me,
a-lannah!"
Nellie Ncttcrville eyed Grannia wistfully.-
Nothing. i'll fact, would she have better liked
than to have taken that old relict of happier
days with her to her exile; hut old, decrepid,
bowed down by grief as we'll as years, rs Gram
ME was,it would have been folly, even more
than cruelty, to have suffered her to offer her
self for ConnauGht transportation. 1t would
have been, however, but Il thankless office to
have explained thus i'll as many words; SO Nell
lie only said: ''When the time comes, dear old
woman when the time comes, it will be soon
enough to talk about it then-that is to say, if
yon are still able and willing for the venture"
Willing enough, at all events, God knows"
said Grannie earnestly. "But why not go at
once with you, my darling The mistress Is the
and aren't you the child of the man that
suckled on this bosom: Why not go at once
with you Z"
81 think it is too late in the year for yo,-too
cOld-toO wretched; and besides, only to
take one servant with us, and of course it must
be>a man. said Nellie, not even feeling q temp
tation to smile at the blind zeal which prompted
Grannie> to offer herself with her sixty years
and her rheumatic limbs, to the Improbable
post of bower-maiden i'll the wilderness. "It
would not do to- alter orr arrangements nOw,"
she continued gently; "brt when spring comes
we will see what can be done; and in the mean
time, you must go as often you can to the
castle, to cheer my dear mother with n little
chat Promise me that you will, dear Grannie,
for she will be sad enough and lonely enough, /
promise you, this poor mother, auInOthing will
help her SO much i'll her desolation as to talk
with you of those dear absent ones, who well
she knows are almost as precious to you as they
can be to herself And now must he gone---I
must indeed! i could not go i'll peace without
seeing you once more, and so 1 stole out while
all the rest of the world were sleeping; but now
the sun is high in the heavens, and they will be
looking for me at the castle. Good.by, dear
good-by."
SObbng if her heart would break, Nellie
flung her arms round the old wOm:lr's neck 1
but Grannie with wild cry -sf mingled grief
and love, slipped through her embraces and
flung herself mt her feet. Nellie raised her
gently, placed her once more upon the settle, |
and not lnringto trust herself to another word,
walked straight cut of tie cottage. and closed |
the door behind her.
ITO he Continued.l