Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-04-17
#iseella,
TIE CHARMED HOST.

- - - u A.
The potato famine in Ireland was no.
where felt more severely than in that part
OF the country where the following alcry
Is told as true tale. .a544 sl1nasz
In small village in one of the most
barren districts Of the west of Ireland,
there lived very poor widow whore sole
inheritance from her husband wsremtwo
healthy children, girls, Of the respective
ages Of three and FIVE. Painfully andby
the utmost effort she had contrived to pAss
two years OF her sorrowful widowhcod
Bad and scanty food, obtained only by
labor too great for her delicate frame had
at last thrown her upon her sick bed, and
death, In pity, removed her In few days
and without great suffering from her earth
ly troubles. ~ '''
The poverty of the whole parish was
so great that nothing could be done for
the poor orphans All the neighbors, with
the utmost desire TO help, were too fam.
inc stricken, and heard their own children
too often cry in vain for bread. to assist
others. gLi
eff the children could only be got to
kilburn," village some miles distant,
said one of the neighbors, after the poor
mother had been buried, "a brother of
their father lives there, and he could not
possibly refuse to take care Of fhem.''
But matters are rs bad there as here
replied another, land I fear they will be
no better off there"
at cannot possibly be worse than here.
for nothing but starvation stares them In
the face. IT we send them to their rela.
tions, we have done our duty. We can.
not possibly keep them here"
or 1no
asr there ns was, was esr,ie. vsrr YRiburn he was
re9ue stea as ap ~rt Of charity, to take the
chi.dren Win him. The man readily con-
sented, and the neighbors felt satisfied
mat they had done all that could be re.
quired of them.
The carrier as agreed, came the next.
day and took the two girls-Lizzie was
seven now, and Mary five, In his cart with
him. The timid children kept very quiet
and close together. and the carrier hardly
looked at them. Towards noon they
reached the spot where the cart would turn
off The man lifted them out, showed
them the road to the left, and babe them
go straight forward and if they did not
turn from the highroad they would in
about two hours come to the place. He
then drove of. The children sobbed out
goodbye" and looked after him as long
as they could see the least speck Of the
cart, and then they both began to cry
Lizzie ceased her crying first; she took
hold of her little sisters hand, who had
seated herself on the grass, and said,
"Get up. Mary! we must not stay here. if
we wish to get to Kilburn. We cannot
stop here on the road" .15
Il am SO hungry" sobbed Mary; 1--WE
have had nothing to eat all day"
And again they both began to cry; for
Lizzie was equally hungry. The poor
had gone to bed without food the
night before; it was long time since they
had full meal: the neighbors where they
had stayed since the death Of their mother,
had not given them any breakfast, rs the
poor people had really themselves nothing
to eat. 1t was now dinner time, but there
was no dinner for them.
Come, Mary" at last said Lizze. eve
must try to get to some house; we may
perhaps get a little bread or few pota
toes. If we stay here we shall starre
no one will bring us anything to eat here
''Oh il our mother We're but alive -
exclaimed the little one, getting up with
difficulty.
The children were very weak. and could
only drag themselves slowly along. Hand
in hand they tottered on. Several times
Mary declared she could 90 no further
and sat down on the highroad: and it was
with the greatest difficulty that Lizzie per-
suaded her to get up again and pursue
their way At last Lizzie fancied she saw
a house, and pointed towards the spot
Now" said Mary, 1--WE shall soon get
to eat; we shall find kind peo-
pie there"
1t took them more than a quarter of an
hour before they reached the farmhouse,
for such it proved to be. With hesitating
steps they entered into the yard, for they
had never begged before in spite of their
former misery. But at this moment they
could think of nothing else but their terri
ble hunger. When a few steps from the
house they heard the farmer violently
scolding one of his men. Then he went in
to the house. tiercely closed the door af-
ter him, so as to make the windows rattle,
continuing his abuse all the time. The
children terrified. stood still at the door
until the voice ceased. Then Lizzie
opened the door, and bothchildren en-
tered. The farmer sat in anarm- chair
by the fire.
"Well, what do you want ~ he harshly
asked the children, who were too fright
ened to utter word and to tell their err
rand. Cant you speak ?" he asked still
more roughly. "
Lizzie at last took courage. and said
gently: "Oh if you would be so good as
to give us the least little bite to eat-a
small piece of bread or a few potatoes"
II thought So" shouted the farmer; 81
was sure you were nothing but beggars,
although you do not seem to belong to
this neighborhood. We have plenty OF
those here, and do not want them to come
from other parts. We have not bread
for ourselves in these hard times. You
will get nothing here. Be of, this mo-
nent!'
The children, both dreadfully frightened
began to cry bitterly. ~
THAT will not do you any good,n con-
inued the man; THAT kind of whining Is
1othing new to me, and won't move me-
Let your parents feed you; but they no
doubt prefer idling rather than getting
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