The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-04-08
THE MACDERM0TTS OF BhLLY.
BANE.
AN lnIsu sroHY or REAL LIFE.


BANE.
AN lIISn STORY or REAL LIFE.
The best "holding" Of lind on the
Bnllybano property was that Of old
Darby MacDeimott. His crops were
always first sowod and first home his
haPgard the ncatGst and beet matched !;
his fences in the best condition, and his
house the snuggGst in the village.
Darby waB never bchindhand with his
rent. The lat Of May aud tho LIST of
November found him, wet or dry, good
scpSOn or bad season, Mt the office with
bis old worstcd stocking, in tho very
corner Of which his half years rent lay
safely counted. He was n decent old
man, who always minded his business,
and attended to his duties, and Ind few
troubles IN the course of his three score
and ten years. lIo had two sons ; Mar
tin, the eldest, II dark, handsome man,
with II square, honvy face, ana Il pair Of
dark, restless, glittering oyes-n man
whom every one respected, but very
few liked and Owen, II fair, curly
haired, delicate boy, who had been his
mothers darling. Old Darby was fond
OF both his sons, but tho sturdy,
healthy Martin was decidedly his favor
ito and when lie died it was found
that the greater part of his saving went
to hir i~lrst-born.
Owen was not either Of u Jealous or
%cnvioue deposition still, no some
tunes thought it rather hard TINT his
brother should have all the luck. Mar
TN was strong, and healthy, and hand.
some, had been his fathers fnvoritc,
aud was master Of the farm after his
death. All the stock and crops, and
everything, were the property Of Mar
TN and Owen was the possessor of
put lity pounds. Forty years ago two
hundred pounds in ready money was
considered II fortune, and ever fifty
pounds was not by any means to be
doSplSod and when old Darby Mae
Dermott left his boys 80 well OIL, there
were lew men in BaIlybauo who did not
envy them Martin especially, who was
looked up to by his ~neighbors M little
short OF u gentleman, certainly ns Il man
who might keep his iaunting.c ar if he
chose. But the possession OF mone
mado no change in the new tenant Of
the Upland farm, as tho MacDermotts'
holding was called. Ho just worked MS
hard ~ over, getting up ut six O'Clock
IN the morning and going 10 bed late. |
owen lived with him, and worked too,
Just as usual, only that during his faith
erS time he might spend his evenings
reading old newspapers, or writing let
tors 10 hlS Appropriateness who had gone
to America. But Martin thought such
occupations mere waste of time, aud
when the days work wna ended and the
supper over, he ordered the fro and the
lights to be put out.
The next farm to that of Martin Mae
on me side was held by
Michael O'Byrne, II farmer who had
neen well to do once, but misfortunes
Oh ,ate years had come thickly ON him,
ana no had hard work TO keep the farm
together. On tho other side, II ANAL
h"'oIng OF about fifteen ncrcs was held
ny II good ior-nOthing old fclIow named
'htrlck hevcran, who was little better
IMAM II nuisance to the entire neiphbor. i,
MOOD. However, ono morning he WINS
i"U'i doad in his bed and Owen Mac.
'''rmott, without taking counsel of nnv
one went to the agent and asked if he
''''RhI nave the vacant farm, MS he
WISHED to settle down ON his own No..
count. The agent promised, md full
"f hope and joy Owen went about Lis
WORK; Ihe next day was the 18th of
MHrGh, 81, Patrick's day, and II general
monday; and early in the morning
owen dressed himself in his Sunday
tul' ana went ont. A little way down
the road he met IL young girl, also
dressed IN her best-a crimson stufr
,lreSs, u gay shawl, and n cross of rib.
oollS OF all the colors in the rainbow ON {
Iler shoulder. Her fair hair was twisted {
intelcssly round her head, and her soft ;
Dllie eyes had u startled look in them.
'oh, Ownie, av%ournecn, | was afenrd {
on weren't comm; and sure, sorra Il
Of shamrock you have in your cap 3
ms blessed mornin'. Why is that, !
:. ~ was in n hurry 10 SEQ Won. nv dor. :
,a' nc answered, looking tenderly h
,'l.o inc sweet, sky face. Julia. I !,
nave some good news for you, this Y
,anrhln let us walk down this lane. and h
| u tell you, and look for my shamrock u
ut the Same time" II
Together they turned down n lana or .
'a1her foot-path, bordered on one aida y
BY a thick biackthoru h dee, and n ,
broad meadow on the other. L
Julia" said Owen, "you know I'm !,
OF you, since you were n wee, shy, i.
iolica'e little creature. I never had !
SWppthenrt hrt yn,roolf ,,l Z