Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-04-30
THE M1CDERMOTTS OF BALLY-
RINE
AnIri.h story Of Real Life.

| Dermott. His crops were always first
/ sowed, and first home his haggard the
neatest and best matched his fences in
the best condition, and his house the snug
| eest in the village. Darby was never
/ Jay behindhand with his rent The first
Of MAY and the first of November found
/ him, wet or dry, good season or bad sea-
son, at the office with his old worsted stock
| ing, in the very corner Of which his half
| years rent lay safely counted. He was
decent old man, who always minded his
| business, and attended to his duties. and
had few troubles in the course Of his three
score and ten years. lie had two sons
Martin, the eldest, a dark, handsome man,
with a square heavy face, and a pair Of
| dark, glittering, restless eyes-a man whom
| every one respected, but very few liked
and owen, a fair, curly-haired, delicate
boy, who had been his mothers darling.
| Old Darby was fond Of both his sons, but
tue sturdy, healthy Martin was decidedly
his favorite and when he died, 1t was
found that the greater part Of his savings
went TO his firstborn.
owen was not either of jealous or envi-
Gus disposition; still he sometimes took it
rather hard that his brother should have
all the luck. Martin was strong aud healthy
and handsome, had been his fathers favor
ite, and was master Of the farm after his
death. All the stock and crops. and every
thing, was the property of Martin and
owen was the pussessor Of but fifty pounds.
Forty years ago, two hundred pounds in
ready money was considered a fortune, and
even filly pounds was not by any means to
be despised and when old Darby Mac
Dermott len his boys so well off, there
were few men in Ballybane who did not
envy them-Martin especially, who was
looked up to by his ncighbors as little short
Of a gentleman, certainly as a man who
might keep his jauning-car if he chose.
But the possession of money made no
change in the new tenant Of the Upland
! Farm, As the MacDermott's holding was
| called. He just worked as hard as ever,
getting Up at six o'clock in the morning.
aAd going to bed late. Owen lived with
him, and worked too, just as usual, only
that during his fathers time he might
spend his evenings reading old newspa-
pers, or writing letters 10 his acquaint-
| ances who had gone to America. But Mar
tin thought such occupations mere waste
Of time, and when the days work was end
ed, aud the supper over, he ordered the
tire and the lights TO be put out.
The next farm to that OF Martin MacDer-
moNs on one side was held by Michael
! O'Byrne, farmer who had been well to do
] hnt mi ~ 1at ha1
come thickly on him, and he had hard
work to keep the farm together. On the
other side, small holding OF about tfteen
acres was held by a good-for-nothing old
| fellow, named Patrick Heveran, who was
| little better than a nuisance to the entire
neighborhood. However, one morning he
was found dead in his bed, aud owen Mac
! Dermott, without consulting any one, went
| u the agent, and asked il he might have
the vacant farm, as he wished to settle
down on his own account. The agent prom
ised, and. full Of hope and joy, Owen went
about his work. The next day was the
l7lh Of March, 81. Patrick's Day. and 4
general holiday; aud, early in the morn
ing owen dressed himself in his Sunday
suit, and went out. A little way down the
road, he met young girl, also dressed in
her best-a crimson stuT dress, a gay
shawl, aud cross Of ribbon Of all the col
oss in the rainbow on her shoulder. Her
lair hair was visited carelessly round her
head, and her soil blue eyes had a startled
look in thciu.
"Oh, Ownie, ayourneen, l was afeared
yol weren't comm and sure, sorra a bit
Of shamrock you have in your cap this
blessed moruiu'. Why is that, dear? -
Il was in hurry to see you, my darl-
in he answered, looking tenderly into
the sweet, shy face. Julia, have some
good news for you this mornin'; let US
walk down this lane, and I'll tell you, and
be looking for my shamrock at the same
time"
Together they turned down a lane, or ra-
the5 footpaih, burdered on one side by a
thi,k blackthorn hedge, and a broad mead
ow on the other.
Julia" said Owen, "you know I'm fond
of you, since you were a wee, shy, delicate
creature. 1 never had any sweetheart but
yourself, and now | want you to Ii K the
day; TIN goin to take you all to myself
You know Pat Heveran's houdin' went
TO the office yesterday, and axed tor it, and
the agent as good as promised me ii. Now,
Judy"
81 am SO glad, Ownie," was all the cir
answered, very softly, bat there were tear,
of genuine delight in her eyes as she look
eel up at him. Well It was that neither o
them saw the dark face which watchet
10, .fI "A. Il, . Al.
heard the muttered threats which wer,
: hurled after them, or they might not hay,
enjoyed tie remainder OF the day as they
did.
81. Patrick's Day, in Ireland, forty year
ago, used to be very dilIerent from what i
is now and when Julia o Byrne and owe
MacDermotr entered the market town O
Gort, al(er a long ramble through the field
in search of ashamrock, it presented gal
appearance. The principal street was line,
with stalls, filed with oranges, apples, an,
gingerbread, gay crosses, and sugar-sticks
There were tents full Of "boys" and girls
ealing, drinking, and laughing; large pot
> of boiling bacon and potatoes, barrels q
; porter and kegs of potheen, and Irish pip
b. ers playing with all their might. From
! stall to stall, aud from tent to tent, Owel
{ and Julia wandered, enjoying everything
l Till late in the evening, when they me
t Martin MacDermott and Julia's father
= both evidently in high spirits, and chatting
Y conidentally. They went into tent tc
: gether, and aller an hours chat, came ou
i more good tempered and confidential tha
y ever, and sought Julia and owen.
= "Come here, my colleen r. O'Byrne sale
g in rather a thick voice. ~ have made