Smyrna times., 1874-11-04
mise eIIUW e OWS.
An Irish Tale.

1t was little after midnight that a knock
came to the door of our cabin heard it first
for used to sleep in little snug basket near
the fire but | didn't speak, for | was fright
ened. 1t Was still repeated louder and then
came cry: Con Creganl Con l say
Open the door | want you !"
| knew the voice well. 1t was Peter Nc
Csbe's. But L pretended to be fast asleep, |
and snored loudly. At last my father unboted
the door, and heard him say:
"Oh! Mr.. Peter what's the matter? Is
the ould man worseY'
Fax that's what he is-for he's dead !"
replied Peter.
''Glory be his bed When did it happen?'
About an hour age" said Peter, in a voice
was greatly agitated {" lie died like an ould
heather, Con and never made will ~
| That's bad J" said my father-for he was
always polite man, and said whatever was
| pleasing to the company.
at is bad !" said Peter but it would be
worse if he couldn't help it. Listen to me
now, Coney | want ye to help me in this
business; and here are five guineas in gold ii
ye do what [ bid ye. You know that ye were
always reckoned the very image of my father;
and before he took i'll ye were mistaken for
each other every day of the week"
"Arrah!" !" said my father-fCr he was get
Ting frightened at the notion without well
knowing why.
"Well what l want is for ye to come over
into the house and get into the bed. :"
Not beside the corpseP 2" said my father,
trembling.
"By no means; but by yourself And
you re to pretend to be my father, and that ye
want to make yer will before ye die and then
Ill send for the neighborS, and Billy Seaman,
the schOOlmaster, and yell tell him what to
write, leaving all the farm and everything to
me-ye understand And as the neigbors
will see ye, and hear yer voice. it will never be
believed but it was himself that did it."
The room must be very dark, says my
father.
ITO be sure it will But have no fear.
Nobody will dare to come nigh the bed; and
ye'l only have to make cross with yer pen
under the name"
And the priest ?" said my father
My father quarreled with him last week
about the Easter dues and Father Tom said
he d not give him the rites-and that's lucky
now. Come along, now, quickl-for we've nc
time to lose. 1t must be all finished before the
lay breaks"
AN right J. was the reply.
My father did not lose much time at his
toilet-ior he just wrapped his big coat round
him, and slipping on the 6rogues, left the
house. | sat up in the basket, and listened til
they were gone some minutes. Then, in s
Costume MS light as my parents, | set out
after them to watch the course of the adven
ture. thought to take short cut, and b.
before them; but, by bad luck, fell into
og hole, and only escaped drowning by
chance. As it was, when reached the house
the performance had already begun.
think l see the whole scene this instan
Dt fore my eyes, as | sat on little window
with one pane, aud that broken one, and sur
veyed the proceeding. 1t was large room
at one end Of which was bed, aud beside
was table with physic.bOttles, and spoons
and elcups. A little further off was anothe
tabl, at which sat Billy Seaman, with all mar
ner Of writing materials before him.
The country people sat two and sometime
three deep round the walls all intenty cage
aud anxious for the coming event. Peter hlu
self went from place to place, trying to smotht
his grief, and occasionally helping the con
pany to whisky which was supplied wit
more than accustomed liberality.
All my consciousness of the deceit an
trckery could not deprive the scene of a CO
tain solemnity. The misty distance of Il
half lighted room the highly wrought EXPIRE
sion of the country people faces never mo-
intensely excited than at some moment OF tn
kind the low, deep-drawn breathings, u
hroken save by sigh or a sOb-the tribute
affectiOnate sorrow to some lost friend, who
II emory was thus forcby brought back the
w,re all so real that, as | looked a thrillil
sense of awe stole over me, and L actual
shook with fear.
A low, faint cough from the dark corn
where the bed stood seemed to cause even
deeper stiffness and then, in a silence whe
the buzzing of fly would have been heard, 1
father said
Where's Billy ScanlanP Iwant to ma
my will"
He's here, fatherT'' said Peter taxi
Billy by the hand, and leading him to the bC
side.
"Write what bid ye, Billy, and be quick
for haven't long time afore me here. {
good Catholic, though Father O'Ratfe
won't give me the rites u
A general chorus of muttered, "Oh musf
musha II was heard through the room
whether in grief over the sad fate of the dy
man, or the unfinching severity OF the priest
hard to say.
81 die in peace with all my neighbOrs and
mankind"
Another chorus Of the company seemed
approve these charitable expressions.
81 bequeath unto my son, Peter-and ne
was there better son or q decenter boy Ill
you that down?-I bequeath unto my son Re
the whole of my two farms OF killimundoon
and Knocksheboora, with the tallow meade
behind Lynch's house, the forge AMI right
turf of the Doorac bog. give him-and I'M
the Luary field with the limekiln. And that
Il mind0 me that my mouth ia dry. Let
taste what ye have in the Jug" Here
ai dying man took very hearty pull, aud seer
. = considerably refreshed by it.
Where was l, Billy Seaman p says
"Ohl remember-at the limekiln. lie
~ him-that's Peter mean-the two potato
dsns at Noouan's Well and it is the cleg
fine crops grow there !"
"Ain't you getting wake, father, darli
says Peter, who began to be afraid Of
fathers loquaciousness- to say the tr,
the punch got into his head, aud he WAS gre
disposed to talk.
III am, Peter, my son" says he
.a. getting wake. just touch my lips again ,
.he lug. Ali Peter Peter you watered
drink II
- No, indeed, father But It's the tast