The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-07-29

SidppiuS luO
.'Bedad, then, Tom, Pm in fix intirely.
Here's Corny, a dacent old man, with fine,
steady gossoon of son-he's first; an here's
yourself, an honest man an good neigh
Dor sorra betther-an' sure Martin is the
pride of the parish on Sunday! Pm both
cred intirely, an what can l say but settle it
betune ye? Whichever of ye can do the best
for her, take her, in the name Of st. Path
ricke' and Peter resumed his pipe and sunk
back into his corner.
The two old men eyed one another silently
for a few minutes; then Dillon pulled little
bag from his pocket, opened it deliberately
and took out another, from which he drew
forth third, made of purple stuff, fastened
with piece of red braid. Very slowly, his
eyes still fixed Oh Corny, he pulled out a SOW
ereign, and laid it on the table. 'Show Peter
Linksey what ye name to do,Corny O'Byrne,"
he said.
Corny smiled scornfully, produced his old
stocking, and taking from thence five pound
note, put it beside him, and nodded his head
defiantly. Tom drew forth four more sover-
eigns, clinked them one after another on the
table, and nodded his head. Old Peter
smoked away in his corner without uttering
word.
Corny waited for a moment and then said,
SIS that all you're goin' to do, Misther Dill
lon?"
Tom threw down another sovereign
Corny followed his example, till they had
each laid 500 upon the table.
sis that all you're goin' TO do, Misther
?" Corny repeated.
ssIp ready money, it is, Misther O'Byrne."
sThen l bate We at thatp' Corny cried,
throwing down another pound. II bate him
in cash, Pether; do We mind that?'
Peter nodded and smoked away.
''Pll take the girl in an share the best we
have with her, an give Martin two acres of
land an couple Of bonipes" (little pigs), an
nounced Tom Dillon.
"Dermctt Ii have my land when I'm gone,
every rood" cried Corny.
''rn give heifer in! Twenty pounds,
share of house, two acres of land. an a
heifer. What do We say, Pether?" Tom
cried. "Not bad for colleen without pen
nyW
''Thrue for you, Tom," Peter assented.
''What'll you 90, CornyP'
'sTwenty-one pound-down the day they're
married, house, an a home, a feather bed,
an the finest mule in the parish-that's
what I'll dop'
s'But the land-Tom is giving two acres"
Peter observed; ''Think OF that, Corny."
"Dermott'll have the land aftEer me, an
enough to eat off it till Pm gone. have no
one but him. Tom Dillon has 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.
cts very fair, an Pm obliged toye Tom,"
Peter said slowly.
''Pll make it twenty-five down, and throw
in heifer," Corney cried.
'Its very dacent, Corney, an Pm obliged
to ye," Peter observed in the same tone.
''Pll throw in calfv' exclaimed Dillon.
r,oupd tbrao ~ land q hon.
i've, heiter an calf. Now, Pether-done
or not ?"
II think ye spoke of two bonives, Tom ?"
Peter said quietly.
mo, no; ouly one. It's all can spare !;
an 1 think it's not bad. Petherr'
"Bedad, Tom, think ye said couple of
bonives," Peter said again.
Nabockish never mind, Peter, I'll throw
in clutch la whole brood) O. ducks-take it
or lose it! Twenty five pounds down the day
they're married, house an home, feath-
er bed, fine mule, heifer, an clutch O.
ducks p said Corny, putting his money back
into his stocking.
"Faix, an clutch O. ducks isn't 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'll have
it all to herself. When your Matt an James
marry, it'll be mighty narrow for you alp
"James is going 10 America, Pether," said
Tom.
"Well, that makes differ. But isn't there
anything else yer inclined to offer? Dermott
is the best match at this minuter' observed
Peter.
'Pm done" said Tom. Then suddenly
starting up he cried, ''wait minute!' and
ran out of the house, returning in a quarter
of an hour, staggering under great sack of
seed potatoes. ''There, Corny O'Byrne, put
that in your pipe an smoke p he cried ex-
ultingy.
Corny, at first sight of the sack, started to
his feet, and put on his hat. 'Wait min
and running all the way home was soon
there.
sect me sack, Judy-the meal sack-an'
be quick, asthore" he cried excitedly.
'Arra be aisy, Corny, shure and the male
is in it,"
'Betther an betther," cried Corny, going
into the room which served as dairy; and
without vouchsa6ng another word to the as
tonished Judy he shouldered the sack and
trotted off with it as fast as he could.
Completely out of breath, he reached
Peters, bathed in perspiration but on enter
ing he unluckily tripped over the doorstep,
and fell with the sack full length into the
kitchen. The string around the neck of the
bag gave way, and covered with meal, he
groaned aid stammered breathlessly:
9Th there, Pe-pether Lindsey! Wh-while
the praties was gr-growing, the meal would
keep them alive! W-what dye say, Pe-peth-
erT
"Begorra, Corny, say what have often
said before, that yer dacent man-an' yer
boy is welcome to Kate Linksey."
"What do you mean Pether?" cried Tom
Dillon.
"Wat say, Tom; nor more nor less.
The childer might die O. the faregarthu Ia
fainting brought on by hunger, or over ia
tigue without proper sustenance) while the
praties was growin.' 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 old men to look round, and Corny tried
to scramble to his feet. In the doorway stood
Kate Linksey, her hands pressed to her sides
and tears of mirth coursing down her pretty
face. "Im sorry for you, Corny," she said,
advancing; "but l could not help laughing,
you. looked so quare," and she burst into
fresh peal.
''Be quiet, Katie, an come here, said
Peter, reckoning his daughter to his side, 81
was matchmaking for We, and the bargain is
closed betune me an Corny for you and Der
mott O'Byrner'
eye don't name it, fatherw said Katie
49, NSthiSoi 5i"hSI du SOlby anu lOul
Dillon.
''Shure enough, do, me colleen; have
ye anything to say agin it?'' replied Peter.
knocking the ashes from his pipe.
"Musea, not word at all, father dear;
only-only-"
'Gnly what, Katie?"
"Only was married last Tuesday to Jack
Mangan, the painter!" she replied with
loud musical laugh, which brought her Lus-
band to the door.
"Whatv' shrieked Tom Dillon.
"What" echoed Corny.
"Ob, Peter Linksey, Peter Linksey, yer
afther humbugging us,' cried Tom reproach-
fully.
cay, humbugging usr' echoed Corny
mournfuly; and Peter, who was a sly old
humorist, put his head against the wall and
laughed heartily at their establishment.
The two ambassadors silently took their re-
spective sacks, and slowly departed, each
thinking himself injured, and in their mutual
discontinue forgetting their animosty. As
tor old Peter, he was too we'll pleased to have
his daughter well married and off his hands
without even the thew gown" or the priests
dues-though he could afford to give her
good fortune-as good fortunes go in that
part of the country.