Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-10-05

own felt often at n disadvantag with HIM
His quiet knowledge of subjects | was utter
ly ignorant of, his cool rejection of my farm
ing theories, his almost certain success in all
his ventures. overawed me, and after strug
gle or two | gave in.
| think Tim must have been about forty Al
this time but he looked many years younger
being fair and tail and well made, and
| bachelor. He had merry twinkle in his
gray eyes which almost contradicted the firm
set mouth with its long upper lip and square
massive chin from his half-Scotch mother
he derived close. calculating disposition,
| hard to convince, slow to receive new I'M
pressions, strong 10 retain them when once
received. From his father, rowing Pat llar
gaton from Donegal, he drew an lrishman's
ready wit and nimble tongue, and under all
an Irishman's tickle heart, but not his warm
affections, which go so far towards amending
the latt ter fault.
Another unusual thing among men OF his
| class, he was well to do, and having success
| fully speculated in cattle on his own account,
he had money in the bank and a snug cot
tage. Yet, year after year, Shrovetide after
| Shrovetide-the marrying season all over
Roman Catholic Ireland found Tim rejoic-
ing in single-blesseCness d; nor could he have
had comfortable home, for his old mother
was confirmed invalid ; and as Tim was re-
ported to be IA trifle near he afforded her
the services of little girl scarcely in her
teens. More than once mother spoke to him
about matrimony, and as often Tim met her
with the unanswerable argument Is it as
easy 10 peck for two as for one, maan So
she ceased bothering him about it.
Now it befell that one bright frosty Noyem-
Der day had despatched Tim to the county
town on very important business. and the
better to assure myself of the favorable issue
of it, | walked to meet him on his return
| As the time of his return was overdue, ! be
gan to feel rather uneasy, and quickened my
steps along the weary seaside road but a
turn in it soon revealed the reason OF Tim $
delay He was walking beside a very pretty
country lass and another, not so young or
nearly so pretty, Jagged little behind.
% ho, Master Tim thought ARE We to
hear news of this Shrovetide2 >
As | came forward the girls fell back, Tim
Fastening on to meet me- He looked shy and
sheepish enough as he advanced ; and the
| pretty lass whom ! at once recognized to be
Mary Dogherty, the acknowledged belle of
the barony, hung her shapely head in couiu-
sion as she passed me by.
Tim WAS all business and solidity once the
| girls were out of sight. Tie had lodged mon
ey for me in the county bank settled my own
and mothers accounts with butcher. baker
and grocer transacted all our various bust
nesses with care and corr tness and ll,v-
ing given up his acco,' ats int In 'ands
hurried on, whilst J 'r' ,led nv wl.F
Twilight was falling when / returned hon
but although more than an hour had rap i
since Tim had preceded me on the roao ne
was Just entering the gate AZ | turned from
the sea-road for the same purpose. ! made
mother smile when told her of my encoun-
ter.
But, she said. poor little Mary has no
fortune Tim will look for one with any girl
he marries"
A few days afterwards Tim took me into
his confidence. We were making our winter
arrangements in the greenhouse, putting
away summer plants whose Towering days
were done, and filling up gaps in our shelves
with bright chrysanthemums and other win
ter-blooming plants. An hour suificed 10
weary mother at this work, so Tin and |
were left alone among the flowers. For some
time he worked away in silence. but / could
easily see, was longing to speak, and so de-
termined TO give him I'LL opportunity but he
forestalled me.
Twas a fine day the day l was in Derry,
Mrs. Grace, he said, us he passed me carry
ing huge coronella from one end of the
greenhouse to the other
1t was indeed, Tim. Had YOU many peo-
pie on board the steamer ? | replied.
No, ma aam ; not 20 say very many. Them
officer-gentlemen from the Fort
Had you any OF the people from about
here 2 | asked.
Hugh Dogherty and his sister, and Susie
Connor. ma am
All, you walked home with the girls What
became of Hugh
'Troth, ma'am, he Just got oyertakeu with
a drop of drink, and / thought twas but
friendly to see the girls home
i am sorry to hear Hugh was as bad as
that, Tim
Well, sorra much was on him, Miss Ellen,
but be was loath to quit Mrs. Galagher's
when We got of the boat. so We Just left him
there. Hem Miss Ellen, I've thought to
change my life"
i am very glad to hear it, Tim
Yes, Miss'-(Tim always forgot my ma
tronly title in confidential TALK yes Miss
'Tis lonely work growing old with nobody to
take care of you.
That is a selfish way OF looking at things,
Tim, | replied
Begorn miss, what else would man mar
ny for but TO have himself took care OF =
4 suppose liking the girl he married would
be Il kind of reason, too, | responded.
% lay, I'd still like to have the one I'd fan
cy, if she was handy
And who are You thinking Off asked, as
Tim bent over box of geranium cuttings.
Il hope she il nice and good and will he
kind to your poor mother, and n good mana
ger
Faith | wouldn't take one that wasn't
that, Miss Ellen. he replied without raising
his head, But its hard to tell how these
young ones II turn out
She is young, then.
Young enough. and settled enough, he
responded. There's two I'm thInkin' OF
Two ! exclaimed why, that Is not
right OF you, Tim. You are surely old enough
to know the kind of wife would suit you best
and it Is unfair to the girls They are rela-
tlves. If guess night Those two Young wo-
men you were walking with ON Saturday =
Just so, replied Tim, utterly unahashed
Mary Dogherty an Susie Connor. Mary
the purtiest, he added in u half solioquy.
i have always heard she was as good as
she looked, | said She has been such u
dutiiul daughter and good sister to those
Wild boys, she cannot fail to make II good
wife.
Maybe quoth Tim. But the Dogheriies
is down IN the world these times.
4 know they are not very rich but they
are comfortable
They aren't begging, Miss, aXing your
pardon but musha its little sOitness there's
about the house
Well, suppose she has known what 1t is to
want, she will know better how to take care
OF plenty, when she gets 1t
Troth, don't know. Maybe when she'd
get her two hands full she'd bo THROWN
away, for them that's reared IN poverty sci
dom knows how to guide plenty when 1t
comes
Well, have always heard Mary cxtolled
for being the prettiest and the best girl IN
lnnishowen and am sure You may think
yourself II happy man If yon can get her for
your wife, | snid rather sharply
'Sorra a word of lie in that Miss Ellen.
replied Tim, as he placed the young gent
mum in its pot. She's good girl. and M
purity one AS you'd see IN a summers day
but I'm thinkin' Ill step up an see them all
before ! spuke TO her
Why, Tim. has things gone us far AZ
that
We'll, may say have courted her up to
the AKIN, Miss.
And the other, Tim - asked. intensely
amused.
'Troth, don't know, but have her on
hands too
Now is that fair to either ? asked rather
Indignantly.
Begorra don't know A man hns to look
before him sharp
And who is the other Mary's cousin =
Yes, Miss long Tom Connor's daughter,
from Shruve. She's up with Mary since IIol-
ly-eve. Hudie's lookin' after her
she's no beauty, Tim
No, Miss but she's settled They do