The Placer herald., 1873-12-20
KATHLEEN O'NElL.

charge You it found you indulgng in this
foolish whimpering any ore ?"
Poor Kathleen O'Nei had been dustng
the e,egantly furnished drawing room. and
she stood before an exquisite little paioiing
OF one of the blue. sparkling Irish lakes,
set in gold green shores, with sky beyond
like liquid amber-siood with her apron to
her eyes, and her ruddy cheeks deluged
with tears.
81 couldn't help it, ma'am," she sobbed,
''but it puts me in mind of home"
"Home!' scomfully echoed Mrs. Amott
Your home! A shanty in bog. 1t isn't
likely that you ever saw such spot as
that"
"Deed did l. then, ma am" answered
Kathleen, ''and many time. For we
lived beysnt them same green shores,
when"
"'lhere. that will do" said Mrs. Anott,
coldly, don't care about any reminiscent
ces."
Kathleen did not understand the five ryl-
lablrd word, bat her quick nature compre-
liended the sarcastic tone. The tears were
dried in their fount-the scarlet spots glow
ed in either cheek
"She looks down on me as if was a
dog! Kathleen thought TO herself. "And
sure it s the same flesh and blood God has
given TO us both. How would she like it,
| wonder, to be in strange land and niver
kind word spoken to her? o, but if
could see the mother and the little Honora,
and Teddy that's but baby yet; but it's
the blue sea rolls between us, and it's all
alone ami"
Poor Kathleen the sense of desolatiop
came upon her with sickening power just
then as she stood before the picture of the
sweet Irish lake, with the wet splashes on
her cheek, and Mrs. Arno.t's cold, hard
voice sounding in her ears.
'lt's great pity to be obliged to do with
these wild untutored Irish"
Kathleen was just bringing up the tray,
and Mrs. Arnotts words sounded distinctly
in her ears as she paused on the top step to
get breath.
"Of course, my DEAR" said Mrs. Tudor
Audor sympatheticalIy, "theyre bad, thor
oughly bad, the whole lot of 'em. Id send
them all back to their native country if it
lay in my power"
al wish they were all at the bottom Of
The sea, said Mrs. Arnott, sharply, "and
then perhaps we could have ch nee to en-
ploy Swedes or Chinese, or somebody tha,
would at least earn their bread. Is that
you Kathleen? Why don't you bring the
cewa er in at once, instead of dawding
there ?"
Kathleen obeyed. hut The dreary, home
sick feeling that thrilled through all her pul-
ses can hardly be described.
"If l was only at home again." she
thought, "where the poorest and tie mean
est have kind word for each other! They
scorn and hate me here; and sure I've tried
to do my best, but the lady has heart Of
stone, and even the little children in the
nursery, with their French maid, make fun
of Irish Kathleen"
And the lonely exile wept herself to sleep
on her solitary pillow that night 1t was a
mere closet of a room without light or ven
lalion, that che occupied Mrs. Arnott
thought that any place was good enough tor
Kathleen; The bed was hard and insufficient
provided with clothing, but as Mrs. Ar
mott carelessIy observed, it WAS no doubt u
great deal better than che was accustomed
to at home. And she had just paid Isaac
ron & Co. a thousand dollars apiece for
draping her drawing-room windows with
lace and lrocaelle-so, Of course, there
was nothing left for such trihe as the com
fort of her servants
els Kathleen sick, mamma ?" little Julia
Arnott asked one day; "she cries SO much
and looks SO whte!"
Mr. Arno't, stout built, good-hearted
MN Of forty or thereabouts, glanced up from
his paper. 49,,
"W hat does the child mean, Lucretia ?"
he asked of his WIFE 81 hope that you
look little after your girls"
"Of course do" she said sharply.
Kathleen is only moping. She's silent,
sullen thing, and shall discharge her next
month. Nathalia has a cousin who wants
the place"
'Has she any friends in this country
Kathleen, mean ?"
"Not that know of. ;"
"Seems to me l wouldn't discharge her
then. 1t would be rather hard unless she If
guilty of come fault"
Mrs. Anott lit her lip.
Gentlemen understand nothing OF the
management of household" said she tart
ly. "rhese girls haven't our sensitive ma
lures either; they are quite used to knock
ing around the world. Are you going down
town, now?"
"Yes."
81 wish you'd stop and ask DIR. Hart to
stop here this morning; little Clarence is fe-
verish."
Anything seriouss'
81 hope not" the r ,ther answered, but
always like to take these things in time.
DR.. Hart leaned over Clarences little
crib; he involuniary u tered the name Of a
malignant type of fever just then raging in
the city.
II wish that you had sent for me before.
l fear that it is too late to secure the ex-
emption Of your two other little ones. But
with constant care think we may save the