Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-02-17


on his wrists At the meeting on Satur-
dined with Mr.. Kelsoe, called to Tom
"That foster-brother Of yours played you
. sharp trick, Ell, Tommy"
But / mean to pay him for 1t, sir,
cried Tom, loudly.
"That's right my lad" said the Cap
tain, nodding and laughing. Tom was
almost as proud as If he had his new
fowling piece 10 carry that morning.
He used after that to say every day to
the boys: "I'l pay Kit Cassidy yet"
thinking how Captain Duncan would ap-
plaud him if he heard it, Until, one day,
Phirs big brother George said: II did
not think you were the kind of boy to
keep . grudge. It seems mean and cat
fish to me-"
Now. George wore wh;skers, and could
construe Euripides. Tom began to doubt
whether his revenge were 80 manly after
all. Besides, he was not in half such q
fury with Kit as ut first.
~ never knew fellow who could train
a setter like Kit Cassidy" he said to Phil;
and when I had the ague, that chap slept
at my door like dog There's no deny
ing that he was very fond of me. But
there's no good in cToppy. Mind ! tell
you Phil"
Soon after news came of the battle at
Ross. The slaughter of the rebels was
terrible. Mr.. Kelsoe read the account
from Dublin paper, which was taken by
a club and passed from house to house.
zone little lad from County Cork"
it said rushed up the embankment and
thrust his body against the mouth of q
cannon, shouting, Come on, boys! I've
choked the baste' Curiously, he escaped
with his life"
Father, that was Kitr' cried Tom.
"He was as brave as lion, Kit was"
1.-THE bravery of the poor croppies
seems to me to resemble that of the
beasts" said Captain Duncan, who sat by
the fire, brushing the snuff from his cam
brio shirt-frill.
"They are men," said Mr.. Kelsoe,
gravely; land perhaps it would be better
to have called out the best part of their
manhood, instead of the worst"
Tom turned this over in his mind, but
could make nothing of it, But at the
next words he pricked up his ears.
by the way, Kelsoe, there is a queer
story going that one Of your diaries is left
open at night, from which the croppy
families can help themselves to milk and
bread. Surely, there is no truth in it ?"
"The women and children are starving"
said Toms mother, quietly.
"You encourage the rebellion, madam"
eff thine enemy hunger, feed him."
said Mr. Kelsoe.
eff you are trying to make man out
of croppy, through gratitude, you are
bribing swine with pearls" said the Cap
tain.
All this perplexed Tom. OF course his
father must be right. But it was so easy,
like the Captain, to see no good in those
who differed with you, to deny that your
enemy was only a faulty man, like your
self, and to call him brute He went
down that very night, and stood on the hill
to watch the lean, ragged women stealing
into the open dairy for the food left there
for them. 1t was all that stood between
them and starvation. They were huddled
into the huts on the Cloyne estates, and
their husbands were all In the rebel army.
CHAPTER III.
Nearly year had gone by. One cool
evening just after harvest time, Tom sat
alone on the doorstep, looking over the
dreary fields He had just eaten miser-
able supper; the usually bright, cheerful
room was dim and dirty, the ashes of the
fire were scattered over the hearth There
had been sickness in the house for many
months, and trouble almost want--had
come, so that the old orderly routine had
long ago given way to discomfort
Tom crept up now and then to the door
of his fathers room, and listened to his
heavy, feverish breathing, or looked at
his mothers pale face bending over the
bed, and then down again. The doctor
came down after a while from his daily
visit.
"How is he to-day, sirg"
"The same, my lad. Typhoid is a slow
disease. But hope it will all come right,
in time" He looked pityingly down on
the boy, who had followed him to the
gate, and stood with his hand on the
horses name. "The farm needs your
father sorely."
"Yes IF I was only man,
The doctor was silent. This terrible
year of war and pestilence had made the
sky dark for them all The rebels were
conquered, but were still in hiding among
the hills, shot down like dogs whenever
they ventured out: in every house there
was disease or want, but the Jolly Kelsoe
household seemed to have Jared worst Of
oil.
"What is wrong, Tom, boys Perhaps
l can be of some help to YOU"
"My father was in debt, il seems One
of the creditors is pushing hard for a
small sum. The Sheriff served q writ to-
day; if my father was not 80 near to
death, he would be in Jail at this minute r
Tom broke down here, altogether; he
was only child, after all and he hid his
face against the doctors knee, and sobbed
out loud.
tut, tut! Poor lad This must be set
right at once. I'll see to it, Tom"
But Tom, when he looked up, had no
brighter face than before. SO many Of
his fathers friends had gone to see to it,
and there was the end of it. There was
nothing 30 plentiful as goodwill that
year. or 80 scarce as money.
If your crops were in "-hesitated The
doctor. s
"If the crops were in, we would be
safe," said Tom, eagerly; "but look at
themT pointing to the great fields Of un-
cut grain, beginning TO droop from over
ripeness. There 10 not man to be
found to cut them" -
"There are not half dozen laborers
1eft in tho rOn,ytf VIA y1ioa the S,vopnioa