The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-03-02
THE IRISH LEAR.
BY CHARLES READE.

There is alegend almost as old as Lear,
of father whom his children
treated as Goneril and Re-
gan treated Lear; but he suffered
and survived, and his heart turned bitter
instead of breaking. OF this prose Lear
the story is all over Europe, and, like
most old stories, told vilely. To that,
however, there happens to be one excep-
ton, and the readers of this collection
shall have the benefit of it.
In a certain part of Ireland, long
time ago, lived wealthy old farmer
whose name was Brian Taafe.
His three sons, Guillaum, Sha-
mus, and Garrett worked on the farm.
The old man had a great affection for
them all, and, finding himself growing
unfit for work, he resolved to hand his
farm over to them, and sit quiet by the
freside. But, as that was not a thing to
be done lightly, he thought he would
just put them to the trial He would
take the measure of their affection. Pro
ceeding in this order he gave them each
910O, and quietly watched to see what
they did with it,
Well, Guillaum and Shamus put their
f100 out at interest, every penny; but
when the old man questioned Garrett as
to where his 9100 was, the young man
said: 81 spent it, father"
"Spent it ?" said the old man, aghast.
els it the whole f100 ?"
"Sure 1 thought you told us we might
lay it out as we plaised."
els that rason ye'd waste the whole
of it in a year, We prodigal ?" cried the
old man and he trembled at the idea of
his substance falling into such hands.
Some months after this he applied the
second test. He convened his sons, and
addressed them solemnly 1 am an old
man, my children my hair is white on
my head, and it's time l was giving over
trade and making my sowl aisy." The
two elder overfowed with sympathy
He then gave the dairy-farm and the hill
to Shamus, and the meadows to Gull
laum. Thereupon the two We'd with each
other in expressions of love and graft
tude. But Garrett said never word
and this, coupled with his behavior about
the 9100, so maddened the old man that
he gave CARROTS portion, namely, the
home and the home farm, to his elder
brothers to hold in common. Garrett he
disinherited on the spot, and in due
form. That is to say, he did not over
look him nor pass him by, but even as
spiteful testators used to leave the disin-
herited one shilling, that he might not
be able to say he had been inadvertently
omitted, and it was mistake, old Brian
Taafe solemnly presented young Garrett
Taafe with hazel staff and small bag.
Poor Garrett knew very well what that
meant. He shouldered the bag, and
went forth into the wide world with sad
heart, but a silent tongue. His dog,
Lurcher, was for following him, but he
drove him back with stone.
On the strength of the new arrange
ment, Guillaum and Shamus married di-
rectly, and brought their wives home, for
it was a large house, and room for all.
But the old farmer was not contented to
be quite a cipher, and he kept finding
fault with this and that. The young men
became more and more impatient of his
interference, and their wives famed the
fame with female pertinacity. So that
the house was divided, and q very home
of discord. This went on getting worse
and worse, till at last, one winter after
noon, Shamus defied his father openly
before all the rest, and said: "I'd Like to
know what would plaise We. Maybe
ye'd like to turn us all out as we did
Garrett"
The old farmer replied, with sudden
dignity, Ii did, I'd take no more than
/ gave.
"What good was you giving it ?" said
Guillaum; we get no comfort of it while
you are in the house."
"Do you talk that way to me?" said
the father, deeply grieved. eff it was
poor Garrett / had, he wouldn't use me
So"
"Much thanks the poor boy ever got
from you, said one OF the women, with
venomous tongue then the other wom-
an, finding she could count on male sup.
port, suggested to her father-in-law to
take his stick and pack and follow his be.
loved Garrett. "Sure he'd find him beg.
ging about the counthry."
At the women's tongues the wounded
parent turned to bay.
81 don't wonder at anything / hear We
say. Ye never yet heard of anything
good that a woman could have hand in
only mischief always. If we ask who
made such road or built a bridge. or
wrote a great history, or did great az
ton, you'll never hear it's woman done
il; but if there is jewel with swords
and guns, or two boys cracking each
others crowns with shillalahs, or didly
secret let out, or a character ruined, or a
man brought to the gallows, or mischief
made between father and his own flesh
and blood, then I'll engage you'll hear a
woman had some call to it. We needn't
have recoorse to histhory to know your
doin's; tbs undher our eyes; for twas
the likes o. ye two burned Throy, and
made the King O. Leinsther rebel against
Brian Boru."