The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-04-06
TIE MORNiRG APRIL 1878

had now 10 doubt, and if be was not sure of q
preference upon her part toward him. ne was
quite certain she han mono toward Tom. rms
was the natural result of Old Murdocks OBJ
| servations of Winny's conduct during the
evening,-who. while she could and did hide
the one, could not, and did not, hide the
| other.
Tom Murdoch was the least satisfied Of them
all with the whole business, and sullenly told
that "he had done more harm than good, and
that he knew he wonld, by asking that whelp
Lennon; and he Ho,N he might never die till
he broke oroa, every I've bonn bis body BY hook or
stop to his hopes in that quarter"
His father was silent. He felt that he had
not advanced matters by his party. Old Cav
ana was not the sharp old man in these mat
tiers, either to mind or divine from bow many
points the wind blew, and quietly supposed
all had gone on smoothly, as he and old Muir
dock wished.
Winfred had been more than confirmed in
her dislike to Tom Murdoch, while her secret
preference for Emon-a-knock had been in no
respect diminished. She had depth enough
also to perceive that Kate Mufvey was anx-
ions enough to propitiate the good opinion to
which she had taken no pains to hide her in
difference. She was aware that Kate Mulvey's
name had been associated with young Lem
mons by the village gossips, but she had seen
nothing on thst night to justify any apprehen-
sion, if she chose to set herself to work. Sne
would take an opportunity of sounding her
friend upon this nomentious subject, and find
ing out how the land really lay.
Kate Mnlveys til ,nghts were not very much
OF variance with those of her friend LWinny.
She, not having the same penetration into the
probable results of sinister looks and scowling
brows; or not, perhaps having ever perceived
til EN-, had trown one of the incest caps that
ever came from q smoothing iron at Tom Muir
dock, but she feared he had not yet picked it
up. She was afraid until the night of the
party, that her friend and rival-yes, it is only
in the higher classes of society that the two
cannot be united-had thrown still more
richly tt mmed one at him !; but on that night
and she had watched closely, she had formed
reasonable belief that her fear was totally
nntounded. She was not quite sure that it
had not been let drop in Emon-a knocks way,
if not actually thrown at him. These girls in
such cases, are SO sharp!
The very same thought had struck her. She
Winny, and would take the first favorable OPP
portunity of having confidential chat with
her upon the subject. The girls were very in
innate, and were not rivals, only they did not
"souuded each other.
Young Lemons after-thou2hts upon the
W hole, We're more satisfactory than perhaps
those of any of the other principal persons
concerned. If Winny Cavana had not shown
him decided preference over the general set of
young men there, she had certainly been still
less particular in her conduct and manner to-
ward Tom Murdoch. Thes. matters are man
aged no doubt pretty much the same in ali
rauks of society, though, of course, not with
the same refinement; and to young Lennon,
=" uoSe Hcai1 "tS Oh inc WaICn, as We'll as DIS
eyes, one or two little incidents during the
night, gave him some faint hopes that, as yet
at least, his rich rival had not made much way
agH&t him. Hitherto young Lennon had
looHea upon the rich heiress of Rathcash as
fruit too high for him to reach from the low
ground upon which he stood, and had given
more of his attention to her poorer neisdbsr
Kate Mulvey. He, however, met with deci-
ded reluctance in that quarter. and being nei-
ther eowardly, Ignorant nor shy, he had i'm
proved one or two favorable occasions with
Winny Cavana at the party, whom he now
bad some, perhaps delusive, notion was not SO
far above his reach after all. -.,.. d.
These are the only persons with whose after
thoughts we are concerned. There may have
been some other by-play on the part of two or
three fine young men and handsome girls, who
burned themselves upon the bar, and danced
together after they became cinders, but as
they are il no respect mixed up with our story
We may pass them by without investigating
their thoughts, further than to declare that
they were all we'll pleased, and that the praises
of old Murdocks muniticence, rang from one
end of the parish to the other.
ITO be continued)