The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-09-01

have ye anything to say agin it ?"
"Sorra, one word, Tom only me neigh
Dor Corny O'Brync an myself were speaking
o the same thing when yc came in p Peter
replied, with a shrewd glance at them
| both.
First come, first served. Pether," Corny
said, shaking the ashes from his pipe by
knocking his pipe against his thumb nail;
mind that !"
ITO be sure to be sure, Peter replied and
there was another long pause.
"An' we may as well clinch the bargain
at once,' Corny continued.
"To be sure, to be sure" Peter again as
scnted, smoking steadily.
"Ye have nothn' agin' my MaItin, have
ye, Pether Linskey?' Tom Dillon said, lay
ing down his pipe
"Agin him? No; he's nice dacent boy
an | have great regard for him." Peter
| answered.
An he has great regard for your little
girl an sorra days good he'll do till he's
married" calculated Tom, bringing his fist
down on the table. "lIc's set his mind on
| it, an I'll back him out.
"Turf and tundther! Tom Dillon, didn't
Pether Linskey tell you l came match.mak-
ing for my Dermott?'
"Tundther an turf, Corny O'Brvne don't
| tell you that come to do the same thing
for my Martin; an | suppose Dillon may
ask a Lnskcy in marriage any day-an' he
can afford it, tool" Tom added, slapping
his pocket.
can let me tell ye an O'Brync can put
down pound for pound with Linsl;ey any
day; or for that mather with Il Dillon"
COrny said, with scornlul glance at Tom,
who was in his working clothes "pether,"
ye know what | came for; what fortune are
you goin' to give Katie?"
Peter took out his pipe emptied it, pro-
cecded to reiilit leisurely, poked the fire,
relit the pipe, and settled himself back in
the corner, and said slowly: Fortune,
Corny Katie is Il fortune herself Pm a
poor man, an the times is bad; an beyond
Il new gown, a couple of ieeces of wool, an
" H'hh Va so Va yaiH, cah give any iOI-
tune!"
Colny looked astonished, and pushed
back his stool, as much as to say that all fur
ther negotiations were useless when Tom
Dillon said, Never mind, pether; there's
them as'll be wilin to take her without any
fortune, an can afford it, tool"
"Thrue for ye, Tom Dillon, an one O.
them is Dermott O'Bryne. We're not de-
peudn' on few bare pounds-not but it's
well to have something to put by for the
childer," he added cautiously.
"To be sure, Corney, to be sure" Peter
assented
swell, Pether, is it to be me or Corny?
Is Dillon to be put behind the door for an
O'Bryne? Isn't my Martin as likely IL boy
is there is in the barony? He'll take your
colleen without Il brass penny, an' do well
for her. What do ye say to that?" Tom
asked, slapping the table.
"Bedad, then, Tom, I'm in fix intirely.
Here's Corny, dacint old man, with a fine
steady gossOon of 4 son-he's first; an here's
| yourself, an honest man an good neighbor
-sorra better-an' sure Martin is the pride
of the parish on Sunday! Pm bothered
intirely, an what can say, but settle it be-
tween ye! Whichever of ye can do the best
for her, take her in the name of St. Pat
rick ~ and Peter resumed his pipe and sank
back into his corner.
The two old men eyed one another silent
ly for a few minntes, then Dillon pulled a
little bag from his pocket, opened it delibe-
rately and took out another, from which he
drew forth third made of purple stuff, fas-
tened with Il piece of red braid. Very slow
ly, his eye still fixed on Corney, he pulled
out sovereign and laid it on the table.
"Shew Pether Linskey what ye name to do,
Corny O'Bryne," lie said.
Corny smiled scorniully, produced his old
stocking,and taking from thence five pound
note put it beside him and nodded his head
deliantly.
Tom drew forth four more sovereigns,
clinked them one after another on the table,
and nodded his head. Old Peter smoked
away in his corner without uttcrng Il word.
Cprny waited for amomcnt, and then said :
SIS that all you're going to do, Misther
Dillon"
Tom threw down another sovereign, ,Cony
followed his example, till they had each
laid twenty pounds upon the table.
SIS that all you're goin' to do, Misther
Dillon ?"
"In ready money, it is Misthcr O'Bryne."
"Thcn | bate ye at that" Corny cried,
throwing down another pound. 81 bate him
in cash, Pcthcr; do ye mind that"
Peter nodded aud smoked away.
"IIl take the girl in, an share the best
we have with her, an give Martin two acres
of land, an Il couple Of bouires (liltle pigs"
announced Tom Dillon.
Dermotll have my laud when Pm gone,
every rood, )" cried Corny.
"lll give heiier in, Twenty pounds, share
of a house, two acres o land al II heiler.
What do you say, Prther? Not bad for a
colleen without penny."
"Ihrue for you, Tom," Peter assented.
Whatll You do CornyY
"Twenty-one pound down, when they're
married, a house an n home,a Il feather bed,
an the finest mule in the parish that's
what I'll do"
But the land-Tom is giving two acres, "
Peter observed "think of that, Cornyw
"Dermotll have the land aither me, an
enough to eat of it till Pmgone have no
one but him. Tom Dillon has three more
to provide for"
"An' plenty to do it with, an III make il
three acres, Pether, of the best upland in
Baliymoyne," Tom replied,
"lt's very fair, au' Pm obliged to ye,
Tom," Peter said, slowly.
an make it twenty-five down, an throw
in heier p cried Corny.
SITS very dacent, Corny, an Pm obliged
to ye," Peter quietly observed, in the same