Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-24

SANDY, me DOy, SdlQ Mike 1aCkelI-
we remember Mixer" Sandy, isn't it
trembling We are with apprehension" He
was very particular in his conversation,
was Mike. "Isn't it shaking We are, from
the crown of your occiput to the very
phalanxes of your pedals at the job you've
got in hand to incarcerate Terence Macar
thy"
"They say twas he shot the bailiff,"
shouted one.
"Nivir one than he murthered the
sheriff's officer" cried another.
ooh, he'll take detachment of drag
oons from Killoo,' called a third.
"Come," said at last, getting rather
cross the way they was chatting me !;
''come, III bet gallon of potheen with
the boy to Dublin Castle all by myself"
"Done with your cried dozen voices.
And l was booked for about hogshead
of whisky before / knew where l was.
But wouldn't go back only when the
excitement of the drink was out of me, |
felt as if I'd deal rather have left it un-
done, for they were wild lot were the
Macarthys, and it was a wild country they
lived in.
The weather came on wet, remember I;
and it was nearly week before | could
get across from Shillaloo to Terence Mac
arthy's cabin, which was in the barony Of
Tullabardine; though where the barony
went to- and who was the baron of it, was
matter | never could know the bottom
of.
1t was just the dusk of the evening |
got to the top of the hill that looked over
Terences cabin; and dismal hole it
seemed, that same little hag or dingle.
There was a bit pool of black bog-water
at one end Of it, and at the other was
Tins cabin-jast heap of turf, with a
hole for the smoke to come out.
SANDY, my boy" l said to myself,
"you'll never come out of that hole alive"
And | looked round to see if there wasn't
some living creature near me; If 1t had
been only sheep or pig, it would have
been a comfort, just for companionship.
There was red streak of light in the sky,
and just across it, | remember, there was
line of wild geese flying, their long
necks stretched out and their wings beat
ing a slow time in the air, and l could
Just hear the whang of them and the sea
birds screamed and whistled over my
head, though it was too dusky to see them.
Eth, mon, my heart was like to sink into
my feet with the loneliness and the desc
lation and the danger l judged | was in.
"If it wasn't for being laughed at, I'd
have gone back. Well, / dropped down
into the hollow, and walked up to the
cabin. The door was open; and the
thought came to me for the moment that
they'd all gone off; and pleased I'd
have been for that. But, no; there was a
bit of fire in the corner, and in the dark
ness I could just see some people crouch
ing down, and the old grandmother sitting
in her chair by the peat fire.
"God save all herew l said as | walked
in.
"Save We kindly" replied gruff voice
from the corner.
And with that I sat down on the old
kish that had been filled with turf, and
pulled out my pipe and began to smoke.
/ could distinguish objects now in the
gloom. There was just a heap Of children
in the corner, with an old rag covering
them, sleeping just as sweetly, too, as If
they'd been wrapped in down; and there
was the mother of them with the babe at
her breast, and Terence lying doubled up
with his head in his bosom; but never
another soul in the hut.
"Take draw of pipe, mon," said l;
"and don't be down-hearted."
gave him my bag of tobacco, and he
found a pipe in the corner, and began to
smoke
Yell no have a wee drap whisky in
the house?" l said.
"Niver drop your hammers left u.s."
said the man dryly.
"Take a pull at my flask, then" said l.
And Terence took it and drank. Some
how | felt more comfortable then. was
safe as long as l was inside the cabin.
81 suppose YOU know what I've come
here for, Terence?" l said after awhile.
AS though this had been the precon-
certed signal, the wife here burst out with
oud lamentations; the old grandmother
raised feeble 'Wirra, wirran rocking
herself backward and forward in her
chair; the children in the corner, aroused
by the noise, began to wall and cry; and
the little babe at the breast howled dis
mally in concert.
"Whisht! whistr" shouted Terence,
angrily; "would We take all the heart Out
of me, and bring me to shame before his
hanner?"
ooh, what will we do, what will we do +!
Oh, Terry, Terry, will We leave the chill
dren to starve and the babe that hangs to
me breast? Oh, hone! Oh, hone!"
"Whisht, woman, dye hear? Mayhap
it isn't so bad as we think. Mayhap his
hammer will give us week or two, while
the praties come out of the ground and"--
I shook my head.
II can't do it, Terence; it's Queens
job, you know"
"And if the Queen were spoken to, yer
hanper," said the woman-"she's had
babes of her own-she wouldn't take the
husband away from me, that wasn't to
blame at all, except with being too good
natured with those two black villains
"Hold your tongue, Bridget" shouted
Terence, interrupting her.
"There is way" ! said. 0lf Terence
will show me the road to the still up
among the bogs, he'll be let OF his i'm
prisonment, and happen get twenty
pounds in the bargain"
ooh, Terence, darling, do you hear
thatg Do you hear what his hammer tells Is
you? Go to your knees, Terence, and
thank his hanner"
But saw Terence was not to be shak-