The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-04-20
Con Cregan's Farm.
by DIR. CHARLES LEVER.

door want you"
knew the voice well. 1t was Peter
McCabe's. But pretended to be fast
asleep, and snorel loudly. At last my
father unboltcd the door, aud heard
him say
"Oh, Mr.. Peter! what's the matter =?
Is the old man worse -
"Faix that's what he is--ior he's
dead - replied Peter.
GLORY be m- bed. When did it bap-
pen ~
"Ahout an hour ago said Peter, in
voice that |, from my corner, could per-
ceive was greatly agitated. lie died like
an ould heathcrn, Con, and never made a
will "
That's bad" said my father, for he
was always polite man, and said what
over was pleasing to the company
at is bad" said Peter, "but it would
be worse il he couldn't help it. Listen
to me now, Coruey | want you to help
me in this business and here are five
guincas in gold fye do what | bid ye.
You know that yc were always rcckoned
the very Image of my father and before
he took ill, ye were mistaken for each
other every day Of the week
"Arrah :" said my father, for he was
getting frightened at the notion without
well knowing why.
"Wcll, what want is for ye to come
over into the house and get into bed
Not beside the corpse" said my faith.
er, trembling
by no means but by yourself. And
you are to pretend to be my father, and
that yc want to make your will before ye
die aud then l'l send for the neighbors
an Billy Seaman, the schoolmastcr, and
yen tell him what 10 write, leaving the
farm and everything to me-ye under.
stand Md A. the neighbors will see ye
aud hear yer voice, it will never be be.
ieved hot it was himself that did it."
The room must be very dark says
my father
10 be sure it will. But have no fear.
Nobody will dare come nigh the bed ];
and yen only have to make Il cross with
yer pen under the pane"
And the priest ?" was the reply.
My father did not lose much time at
his toilet, for he just wrapped his big
coat around him, and slipping on the
trogans left the house. sat up in the
basket. aud listened till they were gone
some minutes. Then in costume as light
as my parents, set out after them to
watch the course Of adventure. thought
to take 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 begun.
| think see the whole scene this in.
stant before my eyes, as | sat on little
window with one broken pane, and sur
, vcycd the proceeding. 1t was Il large
room, at one end Of which was bed,
and beside it was a table with physic bot
, ties, spoons aud tea cups. A little fur
ther off was another table at which sat
Billy Seaman, with all manner OF writing
t materials before him.
The country people sat two, and some
times three deep around the walls, all To-
tently eager and anxious for the coming
, event. Peter himself went from place to
place, trying to smother his grief, and oc-
casionaIly helping the company to whis.
t key, which was supplied with more than
accustomed liberality.
t All my consciousness of the deceit and
9 trckcry could not deprive the scene of a
certain solemnity The misty distance OF
c the half lighted room; the highly
wrought expression Of the country peo
9 pies faces, never more intensely excited
, than at some moment Of this kind the
deep. drawn breathings, unbroken by 4
I sigh or a soo-thc tribute of attectionat,
} sorrow to some lost friend, whose memory
1 was thus iorcibly brought back these
were all so real, that. as looked thrill
! ling sense of awe stole over me, and ac
, tuaIly shook with fear
a low, faint cough from the corner
e where the bed stood seemed to cause
G even deeper stiffness; and then, in t
silence where the buzzing Of a fly would
have been heard my father said, in {
scarcely articuate tone
where's Billy Scanlan! | want tt
make my will
Here's here, father" said Peter, tax
ing Billy by the hand, and leading hin
: ; to the bedside.
y Write what bid ye, Billy, and b,
quick, for haven't long time beIor,
: me here. die a good Catholic, thougl
u Father O'Raffcrty won't give mo thu
> rites"
> 4 general chorus OF muttered, "Oh
musha musha :" was heard throughou
the room; but whether in grief over tn
= sad fate of the dying man, or the un
flinching severity Of the priest, is hard +
say.
81 die in peace with all my neighbor
and all mankind"
. Another chorus OF the company seeme
. to approve these charitable expressions.
c II bcqueath to my son pete--an
n never was there better son or decent
C er boy Have you that down ?-l be
c queath unto my son Peter the whole @
Y my two farms Of Killmundoonery an
# Knockshedooa, with the fallow meadow
IS behind Lynch's house, the forge an
r right Of tult on :he Doorac bog. Civ
N him--and much good may it do him :
O Kanty kaskarn's acre, and the Lurr
field limekiu. And that reminds II
that my mouth is dry. Let me tas'
what ye have in the Jug Here the dy
l. ing nun took hearty pull, and SCENE
le considerably refreshed by it.
~ ;" "Where was !, Billy Seaman ," sal
:" be, "Oh, | remember, at the imekiln.
- leave him--thals Peter, | mean--tl
:" gardeus at Noonau's Well; and its Il
- =, elegant, fine crops gov there"
" "Ain't you getting wake, father da
Imp" says Peter. who began to ie
ncrniA Of mn Ialhnr,s nncinusnnaa 4