The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-17
8 ample pockets, and stood on

the defensive.
ooh, father! and is it you come back?
Oh, the Lord be praised! Oh, the weary day
since you left us, and all our good luck
wild YEP
Brian received this and similar speeches
with fury and reproaches. Then they hum
bled themselves and wept, cursed their ill
governed tongues, and bewailed the mems
folly in listening to them, They flattered
him and caioled him, and ordered their hus-
bands to come forward and ask the old mans
pardon, and not let him ever leave them
again. The supple sons were all penitence
and affection directly. Brian at last consent
ed to stay, but stipulated for a certain cham
Der with key to it. "For," said he. 81
have got my stronghold to take care of. as
well as myself"
They pricked up their ears directly at the
mention of the stronghold, and asked where
it was.
"Ohl it is not far, but I can't carry it,
Give me two boys to fetch it.''
ooh! Guillaum and Shamus would carry it
or anything to oblige long-l father"
So they went with him to the farmers cart,
and brought in the box which was pretty
large, and above all very full and heavy.
He was once more king of his own house,
and flattered and petted as he never had been
since he gave away his estate. To be sure,
he fed this by mysterious hints that he had
other lands besides those in that part Of the
country, and that, indeed the full extent of
his possessions would never be known until
his will was read which will was safely locked
away in his straightforward other things.
And so he passed pleasant time, imbit-
tered only by regrets, and very poignant they
were, that he could hear nothing of his son
Carrot. Lurcher also was taken great care
of, and became old and lazy.
But shocks that do not kill undermine. Be-
fore he reached three,score and ten, Brian
Taat's night-work and troubles told upon
him, and he neared his end. He was quite
conscious of it, and announced his own de-
parture, but rot in regretful way. He be-
come quite philosopher and indeed there
was sort of chuckle about the old fellow in
speaking of his'own death, which his daugh-
ter-in-law secretly denounced as unchristian,
and, what was worse, unchancy.
Whenever he did mention the expected
event, he was sure to say, ''And mind, boys,
my will Is in that chest"
"Don't think of it, father" was the reply.
When he was dying, he called for both his
| sons, and said in a feeble voice: 81 was
strong farmer, and come of honest folks.
Yell give me good wakin,' boys and gram
funeral.'
They promised this very heartily.
'And after the funeral yell come here to-
gether. and read the will, the children and all.
All but Garrett. I've lett him nothing, poor
boy, for shure he's not in this world. I'll
maybe see him where Pm goin.."
So there was grand wake, and the virtues
OF the deceased and his professional impor-
| lance were duly howled by an old lady who
excelled in this lugubrious art. Then the
funeral was hurried on, because they were in
hurry to open the chest
The funeral was Joined in the church-yard
he or xubn 3od foo l,ol
| the only tears that fell upon that grave.
After the funeral he staid behind all the rest
| and moerned, but he joined the family at the
| feast which followed; and, behold! it was
Carrot, come day too late. He was welcom-
| ed with eXuberant affections, not being down
| in the will but they did not ask him to sleep
there. They wanted to be alone, and read
the WILL He begged for some Renaissance
OF bis father, and they gave him Lurcher.
So he put, Lurcher into his gig, and drove
away to that good farmer, sure of his wei
come, and prayed God that he might find him
alive. Perhaps his brothers would not have
let him go so easily had they known he had
made large fortune in America, and was 60
ing to buy quite slice of the country,
On the way he kept talking to Lurcher, and
reminding him OF certain sports they had en-
joyed together, and feats of poaching they had
performed. Poor old Lurcher kept prickirg
his ears all the time, and cudgeled his men,
DRY as to the tones of the voice that was ad-
dressing him. GaIret reached the farm, and
was received first with stares, then with cries
of joy, and was dragged into the house, 50 to
speak. After the first ardor of welcome, he
| told them he had arrived ouly just in time to
! bury his father. Sand this old dog" said he.
sis all that's left me of him. He was mine
| first, and, when I left, he took to father. He
was always wise dog"
1--WE know him." said the wife; /" he has
been here BEFORE" And she was going to
burt it all out, but the man said, 'Another
time" and gave her look as black as lhund-
er, which wasn't his way at all, but he ex-
planned to her afterwards. "Tney are friends.
those three, over the old mans grave. We
should think twice before we stir ill blood be-
tune 'em." So when he stopped her, she
turned it off cleverly enough, and said the
dear old dog must have his supper Supper
they gave him, and new sheepskin to lie on
by the great fire. SO there he lay. and SEEM
ed to doze.
The best bed in the house was laid for Gar
ret, and when he got up to go to it, didn't
that wise old dog get up, too, with an effort.
and move stiff1y toward Garret, and lick his
hand; then he lay down again all of a piece,
as who should say: ''Tm very tired of it ALL"
she knows me now at last" said Carrot. low
fully. ''That is his way of saying good night,
l suppose. He was always a wonderful wise
dog"
In the morning they found Lurcher dead
and stiff on the sheep-skin. 1t was a long
goodnight he had bid so quietly to the friend
of his youth.
Carrot shed tears over him, and said: eff
l had only known what he meant ,Pd have sat
up with him. But I never could see far. He
was deal wiser for dog than I shall ever
be for man."
Meantime the family party assembled in
the bedroom of the deceased. Every trace
of feigned regret had left their faces, and all
their eyes sparkled with joy and curiosity.
They went to open the chest 1t was locked.
They hunted for the key; first quietly, then
fussily. The woman found it at last, sewed
up in the bed they cut it out and opened
the chest,
The first thing they found was lot of
stones They glared at them, and the color
left their faces. What deviltry was this?
Presently they found writing on one stone:
''Look below" Then there was a reaction,
and a loud laugh, ''The old fox was afraid
the money and parchments would fly away, so
h9 kept them down."
They plunged their hands in. and soon
cleared out barrowful of stones, till they
came to kind of a paving-stone. They lift
ed this carefully out. and discovered a new
rope with running moose, and-the will.
1t was headed in large letters finely en-
crossed
''Thelast will and testament of Brian Taaf."
But the body of the instrument was in the
scrawl of the testator:-
81 bequeath all the Stones in this box to
the hearts that could turn their father and
benefactor out on the highway, that stormy
night.
81 bequeath this rope for any father TO
hang himself with who is fool enough to give
his property to his children before he dies.''
This is prosaic story compared with the
Lear of Shakespeare, but it is well told by
Gerald Griffin, who was man of genius. Of
course l claim little merit, but that of setting
the jewels. Were to tell you that is an art,
suppose you would not believe it.
EllpA RTN ERSHIp