Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-06-02

her without uttering a word.
Corney waited for a moment and the1
said: SIS that all you're going to do
Mister Dillon?" Tom threw down another
sovereign-Corny followed his example
till they had each laid twenty pounds upo1
the table.
"Is that all you're going to do, Mister
Dillon" Corny repeated.
Gin ready money, it is, Misthel
Byrne."
''Then I bate you in that!' Corne1
cried, throwing down another pound. 81
bate him in cash, Pether; do ye mind
that"
Peter nodded, and smoked away.
'sI'll take the girl in and share the bes
we have with her, an give Martin two
acres of land, am couple of boniues'
little pigs)," announced Tom Dillon.
"Dermott'l have my land when I'm
gone, every rood of it," cried Corney.
aI'll give heifer in! Twenty pou nds,
share of my house, two acres of land, an
heifer. What do you say, Pether?" Tom
cried. 'Not bad for colleen without a
penny"
"Thrue for you, Tom," Peter assented.
s'What;ll you do, Corney?"
"Twenty-one pounds-do,0n, the day
they're married, house and home, a
feather-bed, an the finest mule in the
parish-that's what I'll do!''
"But the land-Tom is giving two acres;
think of that, Corny!" observed Peter.
''Dermott III have the land afther me,
an enough to eat of it till I'm gone.
three more to provide for.''
can plenty to do it with; an I'll make
it three acres, Pether, of the best upland
in Ballymoyne?" Tom replied.
"It's very fair, an I'm obliged to ye,
Tom," Peter said slowly.
''I,l make it twenty-five down, an
throw in a heifer!" cried Corney.
"It's very dacent, Corny, an Pm obliged
to ye," Peter quietly observed in the same
tone.
cpl throw in calf!' exclaimed Dillon.
Twenty pound, three acres of land, a
bonive, a heifer, an calf" Now,
Peter-done or not?'
II tkink ye spoke Of two bonlves, Tom. -
Peter said quietly.
'No, no; only one. It's all can spare;
an think it's not bad. Pether."
"Bedad, Tom think ye said couple of
bonives," Peter said again.
'Nobocklish (never mind, Pether, I'll
throw in a clutch Ia whole brood) of dncks
take it or lose it.! Twenty-Five pounds
down the day they're married, house an
home, a feather bed, a fine mule, a heifer,
an a clutch of ducks!" said Corney, put
ting his money back into his stocking.
''Faix. and clutch O. ducks is not
bad,' observed Peter. They're better
than calf to them that hasn't cow to
feed it; an Corny's is the best house, an
Katie II have it all to herself. When your
Matt and James marry, it'll be mighty
narrow for We all ~
"James is going to America, Pether,"
said Tom.
"Well, that makes differ. But isn't
there anything else YOU'RE inclined to Of
fer? Dermott is the best match at this
observed Peter.
''I'm DONE" said Tom. Then suddenly
starting up he cried: "Wait a minute;;"
and ran out of the house, returning in
quarter OF an hour. staggering under a
great sach of seed potatoes. "There!
Corny O'Byrne; put that in your pipe and
smoke it!'' he cried exultingly.
Corny, at first sight of the sack, started
to his feet and put on his hat. "Wait
minute, Pether," he cried; s'Ill not be
Long''-and running all the way home, he
was soon there.
sect Inc a sack, Judy-the meal sack
an be quick, asthore!" he cried excitedly.
Cara, be aisy. Corney, shure an the
male is in it.
"Bether an bether," cried Corney, going
into the room which served as dairy;
and without vouchsafng another word to
MS astonished Judy, he shouldered the
sack and trotted off with it as fast as he
could.
Completely out of breath, he reached
Peters, 5athed in perspiration, but on en-
5ering, he unluckily tripped over the door,
step, and fell with the sack full length on
the kitchen. The string around the neck
of the bag gave way, and covered with the
meal, he groaned and stammered breath
lessly: "Th-there, Pe-pe-ther Lins-k-ey!
While the praties are growing, the meal
would keep them alive! W-what dye say,
Pe-ther.'
"Begorra, Corny, I say what I have Of
Ten said before, that yer decent man
an yer boy is welcome to Kate Linskey."
''What do you mean, Pether!" cried Tom
Dillon.
''What say, Tom; nor more nor
less. The childer might die o. the fare
yurtha Ia fainting brought on by hunger,
Or over fatigue without proper sustenance)
while the praties was CROWN. Dermott
O'BYrne can best provide my little girl
with comforts, an he's welcome to her.
At that moment merry laugh caused
the three men to look round, and Corny
tried to scramble to his feet. In the door
way stood Katie Linskey, her hands press
ed to her sides, ana tears of mirth cours-
ing down her pretty cheeks. ''I'm sorry
for your trouble, Corney," she said ad-
"but could not help laughing,
for you look so quare;" and she burst into
fresh peal.
''Be quiet, Katie, an come here,' said
Peter, reckoning his daughter to his side,
II was match making for ye; an the bar
gain is closed betune me and Corney for
you an Dermott Bryne."
Eye don't name it, father!'' said Katie,
with a comical glance at Corney and Tom
Dillon.