The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-05-20

later might have been found In the study o
another old bookworm about mile off, al
deep in folios and science as their friends were
in evergreeps and paper-roses,
BY the afternoon all was finished, and then
the ladies, with O'Meara and Harry Neville
started out for o walk. or course their first
visit was to the quaint old-fashionei garden
that surrounded the house, and there, though
the trees were still bare and leahess, and the
shru bs in the garden still wore their winter
garb of mating, Maude was delighted with
all she saw. The old head gardener positively
trembled with excitement rs he conducted
his young mistress from greenhouse to con-
servRtory, and from one garden to another
But Maudes kind glance reassured him; and
her unqualified praise Of the tIimness OF every.
dresry years during which poor OKeefe had
sighed over his flowers as they had faded un
seen, and mourned over his wall fruit as IL
decayed the trees unused. The grounds
were really very beautiful, for o Keefe had
done much ont of pure love of his craft " bat
now, ran his thoughts,-"now that the you N Z
Teddy, God bless her! had come back to
gladden. their eyes with the sight of her, he
would do more, twenty times more" Indeed
Maude was hardly out of sight before the old
man began to lay out fresh beds in mis- imagn-
alton, and to raise glass no ses, such gar
dener's brain had never before planned in all
Connanght.
Instead of leaving the garden by the ordi.
nary entrance the doctor led the way towards
q little door in the wall, almost hidden by the
rednndsncy.o the ivy and other creeping
plants that overriding it. After some fumbling
on his key-ripg for oae special key, ard after
considerable resistance on the part of the
long.unused lock, our little party found them
selves on a plateau of turf, from which q mar
row path wriggled and twisted down the
mountain, forming q private communication
between the house and the Village of Neville
how.eagerly his three companions asssnted to
the doctors proposal of visit to tho same,
seeing that it involved that most exq uisite of all
delights to the yeung---a scramble. And a
scramble they had. What merry peals OF
laughter rang through the old woods as they
ran down paths that the winter rain had laid
bare to the parent rocks, or when, the path
having given way, they leaped, with the aid
of the DOCTORS hand, from one broken crag to
another! Sometimes the road would make a
sudden turn, and instead of following it they
would dash in among the tangled brushwood
sinking luxuriously into beds of last years
ing delioiously downward over the places
where the fr-trees, from generation to genera
tiop, had shed their dark green spines. How
poor Fanny shrieked as she crossed the crazy
planks thst formed the bridge over q boiling
mountain torrent, and when Harry wonld per
sist in sitting on a railing that overhUng the
same, though it rocked beneath his weight
and with what intense enjoyment Maude
gszed upon the views of wild and picturesque
beauty that the doctor pointed ont from time
to timel Sometimes q glimpse of the rippline
lake, sometimes of gray old mountair
crested with pine woods sometimes q peeI
of the village at their feet, with it's scattered
cabins; sometimes a tract of dark bogs, which
the rich glow of the setting sun had trans
muted into FURNISHED gold.
"What is thatf" che asked, pointing to the
horizon al it looks like distinct triangle
suspended in mid. air..
"It is the summit of Croagh Patrick" I" b.
replied that is to say. of st. Patr:ck'
ountain. 1t often takes that strange appear
anoe when the mists rise. 1t always seems tt
me as though the grand old mountain initiate.
the saint, who loved it so dearly in days gone
by; for as st. Patrick raised the standard o.
| truth high above the mists of ignorance, anC
tie clouds of pagsnsm that then obsoured oul
beautiful island. so does Croogh Patrick raist
it's clear-cut triangle, that truess symbol OF
the Triune GGd, high above mist aud cloud
as though ever striving to remind the children
of the saint of the faith that their father
taught them.
At this moment shout from Harry an.
uounced that be had reached the end of the
descent, and the next moment show them
that young gentleman astrde upon the wicket
| that termiu ated the path Here he formed the
centre of attraction to about half dozen little
ragged rascals, who were cheering him Justify
much to Harry's amusement. On the appear
anoe of the ladies, however, they all scufl cd
off and in less than Eve minutes the news
had spread like wildfire throughout the vii
lage Of Neville Town, that the young lady
God bless herl was coming with the doctor
and allIthe rest of the gentry at her back"
1t would be impossible to describe the burst
of loyalty that welcomed Maude Neville to
her native village. No queen conld have
been received more proudly, no home,re.
turning wanderer more joytully, long
lost child more lovingly. Catholic and Prot
estaut, old and young, men and women, hale
and sick, foeked to meet her, while the ohil
dren tbronged upon the pathway, or cried
"Hurrahl" in the cutters. AS they gszed
upon the sweet young face before them,
bright and fresh as a rosebud with her run
down the mountain, oil the faults of her
! father, cold and neglectful as he had grown to
them before his death, were forgotten, and
they loved his child already with all the en-
| thusiasm of their Irish hearts. When they
reached the smithy the sound of the hammer
suddenly ceased, and the old blacksmith
rushing into the road, flung himself at Masde'e
feet, and having kissed her hand, reverently
prayed for every blessing his warm heart
could imagine Oh her head. The doctor was
deeply moved, while Maude, whose simplicity
was terrified at 80 much homage, clung to his
arm, and fairly sobbed. But it was not fol
long she soon grew calmer, and told then
how glad she was to be in her native country
once more aud how she hoped never to leave
it moro. Young as che was, the prospect Of
resident landowner seemed to tighten hall
their cares and the almost whispered
words were repeated through the crowd, G
cheer arose so wild and loud that it echoed