The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-22
Selert Stpyg'
AN IRISH TALE.


cd louder, and then came a cry, Con
Creganl Con, say, open the door want
you"
I knew the voice well it was Peter
MCabe's; but l pretended to be fast
asleep, and snoured loudly. At last my
&ther unbolted the door, and l heard
him say, "oh, Mr.. Peter, what's the mat
ter is the ould man worseW .r
"Faix that's what.he is; for he's deadV'
replied Peter. y'l
"Glory be his bedl when did it hap
pen?" .a,
"About an hour ago." said Peter in a
voice that even |, from my corner, could
perceive greatly agitated. she died like
an ould heather, Con, and never made
willp ..
'"That's bad" says my father for he
was always u polite man, and said what
ever was pleasing to the company,
1T is bad" said Peter; butt wouldbe
worse if he couldn't help it, Listen to me
now, Corney; l want ye to help me in
IN this business; and here are five guineas
In gold if ye do what | bid ye. You
know thatye were always reokoned the
very image of my father, and before he
took ill ye were mistaken for each other
every day of the week"
"Ananp said my father for he was
getting frightened at the notion, without
we'll knowing why. r.
"Well, what | want is for ye to come
over into the house and get into the bed"
"Not beside the corpse? said my GIther
trembling. .n
"By no means, but by yourself; and
you're to pretend to be my father, and
that We want 20 make yer will before ye
die; and then III send for the neighborS,
and Billy Seaman, the schoolmascr and
Se'll tell him what to write, leaving all
The farm and everything to me- ye under
stand. And as the neighbors will see ye
and hear yer voice, it will never be be-
ieved 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'll only have to make q cross with
yer pen under the name" ays 49, |
~And the priestW said my father.
any father quarreled with him last
week about the ,Ea ter dues; and father
no ,YiuA Ia hG. nj
and that's lucky, now! Come along, |
now-quiCk-fo we've no time to lose; it |
must be all finished before the day |
breaks" .
"AlI right" was the reply.
Ny father did not lose much time at his |
toilet for he just wrapped his big coat
round him, and slipping on the brogues
left the house sat up in the basket, |
and listened till they were gone some |
minutes, and then, in costume us light |
ns my parents, set out after them to |
watch the course of the adventure.
thought to take a short cut, and be before |
them; but by bad luck fell into bog |
hole, and only escaped drowning by |
chance. As it was, when | reached the |
house, the performance had already be-
gun
think | see the whole scene this in.
slant before my eyes, as | sat on a litue
window, with one pane, and that a brok- |
en- one, and surveyed the proceeding. 1t
was large room. at one end of which
was bed, and beside it was .able with
physic bottles, and spoons, and teacups;
little further off WAS another table, al
which sat Billy Scanlan, with all manner
Of writing materials before him.
The country people sat two and some
times three deep around the walls, all in.
tently eager and anxious for the coming
event; Peter himself went from place to
place, trying to smother his grief, and
occasionally helping the company to
whisky; which was supplied with more
than accustomed iberality. .
All my consciousness of the deceit and
trickery could not deprive the sceue of
certain solemnity, The misty distance
Of the half lighted room; the highly
wrought expression of the country peo-
ple's faces, never more intensely excited
than at some moment Of this kind; the
low, deep drawn breathings, unbrOken
save by sigh or sob; the tribute of ai-
fectionate sorrow to some lost friend,
whose me uory was thus forcibly brought
Nack-these were all SO real, that. as |
looked, thrilling sense ofawe stole over
me, and l actually shook with fear.
A low, faint cough from the dark corn
or where the bed stood seemed to cause
even a deeper stiffness; and then, in
silence VIII, re the buzzing Of fly would
have been heard, my father said.
"Where's Billy Scanlan? l want to make
my willW
Hes here, father" said Peter, taking
Billy By the hand, and leading him to
the bedside,
write what I bid ye, Billy, and be
auick; for l havn't Il long time 'atole me
here. l die a good Catholic, though
: Father O'Ratferly won't give me the,
. Rit-sp Il
A grand chorus of muttered, "Oh
musha, musha" was now heard through
the room; but whether in grief over the
cad fate of the dying man, or the un-
Ainching severity of the priest, is hard to
, cay. a,,
Il die in peace with all my nei shbors
and all mankind" ...ar.,H -sl
Another chorus of the company seem
I'd to approve these charitable express
sions.
Il bequeath unto my son, Peter,-and |
2 never was there better son or a decenter
bOy!-have you that down?-I bequeath
nnto my Apn Peter the whole of my two |
, farms of KillimundoOnery and Knock
sheO Dora, with the ftllow meadows be-
bind -hyHelf's hoHse: the -forge-und-right
Of turf on the, D0Oran bog give him
and much good may it DO him-Lanty |
Cassarn's acre, and the Luary field with |
the ljWe-kiln; and that reminds ME q ut |
my mouth is Just as dry. Let me taste
what ye have in the jug" Here the dying
man took very hearty pull, and seemed |
considerably reireshedbyh IT,
"Where was !, jlly ScanIan?" says he;
Foh, / remem3er; at the lime.kiln | |