Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-24
uOh he'll take detachment of drag

anv sportsman in the room, that I'll take
the boy to Dublin Castle all by myself"
Done with your cried dozen voices.
And I was booked for about hogshead
of whisky before | knew where | 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 wild country they
| lived in.
The weather came on wet remember;
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
Terence's cabin; and dismal mole it
seemed, that same little bag or dingle
| There was a bit pool of black bog-water
at one end of it, and at the other was
Tins cabin-just heap of turf, with a
| hole for the smoke 10 come out.
"Sandv. my boy" | said to myself.
you'll never come out of that hole alive. y
| And | looked round to see if there wasn't
been only sheep or pig, it would have
| been comfort, just for companionship.
| There was a 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 | could
just hear the whang of them; and the sea
birds screamed and whistled over nv
head, though it was too dusky to see them.
En- mon, my heart was like to sink into
my feet with the loneliness and the desc
lation and the danger l judged was in.
off it wasn't for being laughed at, I'd
have gone back. Well, l 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 could just see some people crouch
ing down, and the old grandmother sitting
in her chair by the peat fire.
God save all herer' | said as [ walked
in.
Save We kindly" replied a gruff voice
from the corner.
And with that 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.
Il Of -, u r
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?" | said.
''Niver drop your hammers left u.s."
said the man dryly.
Take a pull at my flask, then" said I.
And Terence took it and drank. Some
how felt more comfortable then. | was
safe as long as | was inside the cabin
Il suppose YOU know what I've come
here for, Terence?" | said after awhile
As though this had been the prec0n-
certed signal the wife here burst out with
oud lamentations; the old grandmother
raised feeble 'Wirra, Wirrar 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 h0wled dis
mally in concert
"Whisht. whist" shouted Terence,
angrily; would We take Ill the heart out
Of me, and bring me to shame before his
hanner?"
oh what will we do, what will we do!
Oh, Terry, Terry, will We leave the chill
dren to starye and the babe that hangs to
me breast? Oh, hone. Oh, homer
"Whisht, woman, dye hear? Mayhap
it isn't so bad as We think. Mayhap his
hammer will give Us week Or two, while
the pratics come out of the ground and"--
[ shook my head.
q can't do it, Terence; it's Queens
joD, you know"
hanHer," said the woman-"she's had
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.
will show me the road TO the still up
among the boys, he'll be let off his i'm
prisonment, and happen get twenty
pounds in the bargain
ooh, Terence, darling, do you hear
that? Do you hear what his hammer tells
you? Go to your knees, Terence, and
thank his hanner"
But | saw Terence was not to be shak-
en-; he thrust away from him the clinging
arms of his wife
DO you know that it's an informer he
wants me to be? Pm ready to CO." he
said, getting up and coming toward me-
Come along, yer hammer, afore my heart
breaks entirely"
"All right, Terence; we must walk
across to where the Dublin road crosses
the tail of the bog. We shall have plenty
of time to catch the coach"
as it the coach I'll have to go by?
Won't it cost power of money!"
Seventeen shillings the fare, two shll-
lings the coachman, shilling for refresh
ment; you'll cost the country pound al
together, Terence"
"A pound your hammer! a whole
pound a golden sovereign to take the
likes of me to prison? Oh, your
hammer" said Terence, his face
lighting up all of a sudden,
"if yed only give the pound to the mis-
thress to keep the childer and the babes
while l lie in tie JAIL I'd run by the side
yer hammer; We should never take youl
eyes off me. All, I'd bless your hammer
all the days of my life, and the childer
should learn to pray for you, and the old
mother that's almost in the grave shall
entreat the Queen of Heaven for your