The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-05-13

the hearts of more than ore of the guests
Who conid behold that narrowed circle with
ont rel sctiops strangely at variance with the
blinking of glasses and the rattle OF knives
ard forksf Certainly not Edward NeYne
aud although his face wore his usual kindly
smile. as he discharged the varied duties oil
the lip, and q certain far-away expression IN
his eS o. that soon bespoke an inward condict'
To him death and change like III hidden guests
seemed to sit on the vacant chairs. and low
sad voices OF the past seemed to mlnRie WIN
every gust of wind that moaDed without. 10
vain he struggled against his emotions; LOT
his mind, still unnerved by his late bereaVe-
ueut, refused to he schooled. 1t was atry ing
moment; for he felt that his abstraction was
already beginning to cast it's sh adow over the
rest bnt though be would have gwen WORLDS
to rally his spirits and be himself again, III was
beyosd HE power.
lG was Just at this moment that the door
suddenly opened, and to the satisfaction oi
everybody present cur old friend, kichatd
O'Meara, presented himself. He excused the
lateness of his arrival by informing his host
that his business had compelled him to remain
to the latest possible moment in Doblin, ad-
ding, that, except for Jerry kind offices In
finding him o corner at the station in which to
perform his toilette and getting him post
chaise afterwards, he could never have ar
rived at all.
The Doctor had not been seated Eve minutes
at the table five minutes before he perceived
Mr.. Neville's embarrassment, and quickly dl'
vining it's cause, with the deepest 81 mPathy
Us
however, was his Interference that NO one per
oeived 1t, though all felt its power, For with
out trespassing on the vantage ground OF his
seniors, or bringing himself prominently 1oi,
charming substitute for his host, who many
times smiled In sly gratitude across the table
The fact was Richard O'Meara possessed in q
high degree the rare art OF being able to lead
q Conversation, SO as to bring forward each
persons fsvorite topic in turn without suffer
ing one man's hobby to weary the rest. Thus,
when Mr.. Neville's old friend, Professor Broad
view (who, as usual, had come up from Dublin
for the occasion had entertained the company,
numbering three or four scientific men, Tor
fully half an hour with an account OF certain
geological discoveries, an old fox hunter ris a.
ria beginning suddenly to yawn, in i've III D.
utes' time O'Mesrs had set the whole party
lesping fences and five-barred gates in7imagi-
nation, until the old sportsman was almost
choking with excitement Then came the
prosptc of the crops. which wonderfully in
terested two agricultural sqnires, and whence
they naturally digressed to the value of labor
and the condition of the working classes. This
brought for ward the question of the tenant
law" in Ireland, and Richard OMeara knew
that another heart beside his own writhed be.
meath the sentiments of the whole party on the
subject. He and perhaps he alone, knew how,
a boy, the old gray-haired priest, Father
Donovan, had been turned out of house and
home; and his quick eye alone detected the
qulver of the old name lip and the hnsh on
tbe old mans cheek. Before two minutes were
over he had put an apparently careless ques-
tion to the professor about the progress OF the
excavations at Rome, and in two mere Father
| Donovan was the centre OF attraction as he
gave an account of his own Investigations
during his five years. residence at the Irish
| College in tie Eternal City.
| Little by little Mr.. Neville's abstraction wore
away; the conversation gradually interested
him and the doctor, feeling he might now
safely leave him to his own resources, descend
ed from the height he had 80 unostentatiouslJ
occupied to the epjoym of quiet converse
ton with his neig Dor, the professor. Nor wat
he mistaken, for Mr.. Neville's spirits tagged
no more during the remainder Of the evening
on the contrary, his hiIarity and good humor
| seemed to increase in proportion to his late
depres At length old Mills, who had been
| lowering restlessly round Mr.. Neville's chair
succeeded in attracting his attention, and re-
| ceived from him certain directions about the
| ladies " that would rather have mystihed the
| guests had they overheard them. But they
| only saw Mr. Mills WI ak majesticslly If at the
end, as though charged with some usually i'm
portaut business; while Mr.. Neville. turning
| to the table, again Joined in the conversation
which had now returned to the nbiect of the
| geological discoveries. He found the professor
| in the full tide of dissertation on the laby
rinthodop, which he coutended must bavt
been frog considerably larger than an ele
| phant-a statement so astounding to the ole
ox-hunter that he Was sitting open monthe'
with establishment
by the bye, Mr.. Neville" exclaimed tn
professor, "if remember rightly, your lat
respected brother, Sir Moroar, possessed cas-
of the tooth Of this very animal"
HE did; it is in g cabinet in the long dra "
inR-r with the rest of his collection"
(which remember is very valuable one
If 1 could have this tooth for q few moments
could clearly prove my assertion that the laby
rintbodon must be classified as batrachiar
and not as q ssurian, reptile"
"Then there 10 a little commission for yoV
Doctor" cried Mr.. Neville; for You mus
know" he added, turning to the professor
that DIR O'Mesra likes no hand but his own I
disturb the treasures / long siuoe eurrendere
to his charge, because he appreciates them G
we'll and arrapgss them so scientifically"
, Treasures, indeed' calculated the oil
squire; did ever Christian man hear suoh gil
berish beforei The tooth of q frog, indeed
3 Fiddlesticksp Aud the old gentleman gre
!. redder than ever in his indignation.
D "Apropos of specimens" cried the rector,
/ the DOCTOR 1855 from his seat, you will fF
8 one there that has just arrived from Engla
In my opinion 1t Is a very charming one, b
g of course You may not agree with me-"
8 "In what part of the room is it placed ~
( 81 cannot say, but you will easily distingui
o it,"
f What kind of specimen is it =" asked 4
;, Professor, with great curiosity. Ia it bea'
o bird, fish or reptile r
:, II dare not give it it's due classification
: replied the rector.
=. :. ns o,,-s,, - !. n f,ssil continued tle mr.