The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-07-08
THE M'DERMOTTs OF BALLYBANE.
An Irish Story of Real Life.

The best ssholding" of land on the Bal
| lybane property was that of old Darby
| MacDermott. His crops were always
| sowed first, and first home his haggard,
the neatest and best thatched his fen
ces in the best condition, and his house
the snuggest in the village. Darby WIS
| never day behind hand with his rent.
| The 1st of May and the 1st of November
saw him, wet ordry, good or bad season. at
| the Office with his old worsted stocking,
in the very corner of which his half
| years rent lay safely counted. He was
| a decent old man who always minded
| his business, and attended to iis duties,
| and had few troubles IN the course of
| his three score and ten years. He had
two sons. Martin, the eldest, a dark,
restless, glittering eyes-a man whom
every one respected, but very few liked;
| and Owen, fair, curly haired, delicate
boy, who had been his mothers darling.
Old Darby was fond of both his sons,
but the sturdy healthy Martin was deci-
dedly his fayorite, and when he died it
was found that the greater part of his
| savings went to his frst-b born.
Owen was neither of jealous or en-
vious dispositions; still he sometimes
felt rather hard that his brother should
have all the luck. Martin was strong and
handsome, had been his father favorite,
and was master of the farm after his
death. All the stock and crops, and
everything was the property of Martin;
and Owen was the possessor OF but so
pounds. Forty years ago 200 pounds in
| ready money was considered fortune,
and even fifty pounds was not by any
| means to be despised and when old
Darby MacDermott left his boys 50 well
off, there were few men in Ballybane
| who did not envy thenl-Martin espec-
tally, who was looked up to by his
neighbors as little short of a gentle
man, certainly as man who might keep
his iauntngcar if he chose. But the
possession of money made no change in
the new tenant of the Upland Farm, as
! the MacDermotts' holding was called.
| He just worked as hard as ever, getting
up at six o'clock in the morning, and
going to bed late. Owen lived with
him, and worked, too, just as hard, only
| that during his fathers time he might
spend his evenings reading old news
! or 1ott,,.c 4, hi,
tances who had gone to America. But
Martin thought such occupations mere
waste of time, and when the days work
was ended, and the supper over, he or
| dered the fire and lights to be put out.
The next farm to that of Martin Mac
Dermott's on one side was held by
Michael O'Byrne, farmer who had
been well-to-do once, but misfortunes of
late years had come thickly upon him,
and he had hard work to keep the farm
| together. On the other side, a small
| holding of about fifteen acres was held
| by Patrick Heveran, who was little bet
ter than a nuisance to the entire neigh
| borhood. However one morning he
was found dead in his bed and Owen
| MacD Dermott, without taking counsel of
any one, went to the agent, and asked if
he might have the vacant farm, as he
count. The agent promised, and full of
hope and Joy, Owen went about his
| work. The next day was the 18th of
March, st. Patrick's Day, and general
| holiday; and early in the morning 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 stuff dress, gay shawl,
and cross of ribbon of all colors in the
rainbow on her shoulder. Her fair hair
| was twisted carelessly around her head,
and her soft blue eyes had startled
| look in them.
"Oh, Ownie, ,avourneen, was afeared
you wern't comm; and, sure sorra bit
of shamrock you have in your blessed
cap this mornin'. Why is that dear?"
ST was in hurry to see you this NOR
MIN my darlin','' he answered, looking
tenderly into the sweet shy face 'sJu-
liza have some good news for you this
mornin' let us walk down the lane, and
I'll tell you. and look for my shamrock
at the same time"
Together they turned down lane; OF
rather foot-path, bordered on one side
by thick black-thorn hedge and
broad meadow on the other.
'sJulia," said Owen, s'You know I'm
fond of you ever since you were wee,
| shy, delicate little creature. I never
| had any sweetheart but yourself, and
now / want you to fix the day; I'm
going to take you all to myself. You
know Pat Havera's houldin' went to
the Office yesterday and axed for it, and
the agent as good as promised it. Now,
Judy p
''I'm so glad, Ownie," was all the
girl answered very softly, but there were
tears of genuine delight il her eyes as
she looked up at him. Well it was that
neither saw the dark face which watched
them from the other side Of the hedge.
or heared the muttered threats that We're
hurled after them, or they might not
have enjo ed the remainder of that day
as they DID.
st. Patrick's Day in ireland, forty
years ago, used to be very different
from what it is now and when Julia