Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-10-02

See tlat you are out, bag and baggage,
before the first of January" the baIiff
said, roughly laying his hand on the
old woman's shoulder.
"Don't touch me, ye miserable crea-
ture !" she cried, shrinking back.
"Don't lay yer dirty hand on me, ye
black-hearted villain. Look at him,
neighbors, mark him, the evictor It's
all his doin's, and his pointing to the
agent. "Mark them, Willie Don't
forget their evil faces !"
"I'll not forget them, granny" Willie
Merrick said, sternly, with quivering
lips and flashing eyes "and if ever
have a chance, God help them both"
"Och |" Judy cried, lifting up her
hands, "may God forget them at their
greatest need, and forgive them like as 1
do now ;" and she went in and sat rock
ing herself for hours over the fire.
The first of January, 1856, was bleak,
wild day, with fierce east wind, driv-
ing cutting, bitter sleet before it.
The sea and sky, of gray leaden hue,
seemed to meet, you could scarcely dis
tinguish one from the other; and the
storm ragged along the desolate coast.
The village of Cloonabeg presented
very pitiful sight that New Years day
a sight, once seen, never to be forgotten
a sight which impressed itself on the
memory with burning intensity, the
sight of an eviction All words are in
adequate to describe the scene-it is
something one must look on to thor
oughly comprehend. That morning, on
the common, wherever stunted shrub
offered the faintest shelter from the bit
ter east wind, the people were sitting
huddled together, or lying on their poor
beds to keep themselves warm, waiting
for the demolition of their cabins ;
women weeping bitterly, children shiv-
ering, and men with folded arms, set
teeth, and blanched faces men poor,
ignorant, homeless, yet exercising a
self-control wonderful and touching.
The lane leading to the village was also
lined on each side by the unfortunate
people and as the bailiffs came with
picks to begin their work, the women
greeted them with terrible cry.
The men were silent, calmly, grandly
silent. They could have easily beaten off
the intruders-they could have chased
them into the sea, or dashed their brains
out against the rocks; but what would it
avail others would come and take their
places, for Cloonabeg was doomed. The
men looked passively on as they saw
their homes leveled to the earth, as they
saw cabin after cabin fall in.
Opposite their door, Denis Connor
and his wife and daughter sat waiting
for the end before starting for Galway
In vain they entreated Judy Merrick to
accompany them she would not leave
her cabin. Grim and resolute she sat
on her bed, and declared solemnly that
out she would not go. And her grand
son, Willie2 Poor fellow, he was in
Galway jail on q charge of attempted
murder. Mr.. Hayes the agent had been
fired at, and without any hesitation he
accused Willie Merrick, and the bailiff
swore he heard the young man threaten
him; so he was committed to stand his
trial at the spring assizes.
When the men came to Mrs Merrick' s
house, and found her still inside, they
paused in dismay, but the head bailif's
order came sharp and decisive: SEQ
on !" and a shower of dust and stones
about poor Judy's ears, showed that they
were going on without any mistake.
Then Denis Connor rushed in, and seiz-
ing the woman in his arms, carried her
out, just as the roof gave way; but he
might as we'll have left her in her dearly
loved cabin, + Judy Merrick was dead
The first desecrating blow struck to the
roof which had SO long sheltered her,
had stilled her heart forever.
All through that dreary winter day
the people sat shivering by the wayside,
mourning over their ruined, desolated
homes, and at night some few of them
were sheltered in barns and outhouses,
while others lay under the hedges or on
the fallen cabins. The next morning
vans came and took the very old aud
sick to the workhouse, and those who
were able to walk and work went hither
and thither in search of employment.
All this time his honor the landlord
was enjoying his honeymoon on the
shores of Lake Leman, and knew nc
more about the fearful scene enacted in
Cloonabeg than his somewhile tenants
knew about his locality. The agent
thought the little village in the way
the common would, he fancied, make {
valuable piece of pasture land; and sc
he wrote to his master, and said the
houses were only dilapidated dens de
clared the tenants never did, or could
or would pay any rent and that the
best thing for all parties was to pull tht
cabins down, as the people would the1
immigrate to America. And so Mr.
Hayes evicted the people and razet
their homes to the earthl Such thing
have been common, and are still no
unknown in the west of Ireland.
Months passed, and Willie Merricl
still lay in jail awaiting his trial. At tn
assizes, there was not shadow of proc
against him, and one of the gamekeeper
on an adjoining estate confessed tina
it was he who fred the shot whicl