The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-11-24
CASTLE DAILY:
Story of an Irish Home Thirty Years Ago.
Continued }


of low rooted mud cabins, that stretched II
long struggling rows across tao plain. com
posed of mud and sand partially covered with
coarse grass, that sloped down to the 8 sss-shore
As they approached the huts, two three
sturdy young men, with dark faces and fierce
black eyes, strolled out as il to meet and in
spect them, before they were permitted to enter
the district. Darcy made some sign TO tht III
and they moved aside, with o nod OF welcome
and permitted him and bis companion to pass
on
stranger in the sod6en grass grown space be.
tween the cabins, which troops of half naked
children shared with herds OF pigs, aud hocks
of geese and poultry, vas evidently an unusual
event, and brought all the inhAbitaLt, of the
place to stare from the open doors OF the win
dowless cabins Into their dark recesses light
ed only by the dull glow of peat oinders on the
hearths, J Ohm had ample opportunity TO stare In
return, for his progress through the 1--we impedi'
menta that surRed round,was nect 9arily very
allow. Withered old women, lean and haSgard
crouched on the door sills, and smoked short
pipes up into his face. StAlvart dark Drowned
men leaned listlessly against the door posts
and sent suspicious glances after tim Slim
brown girls, with shspely bare feet, aud faces
of q strange foreign beauty, peeped at him
from under their head shawts, with large soft
gszelle eyes, such ss painters love TO depict
over an Arab woman's face veil, while they
twirIed spindes before him. and turned spin
ming wheels of shapes that were in vogue CEN
turies ago. By the time he had reached the
end Of the last row of cabins, be felt as II he
goric vision where every graduation of human
shape from hidcous aeformity to tie beauty OF
dream. land, was rreaHnted TO him in rapid
succession that took away his breath. One of
the ugliest of tho old women, q moving mass OF
rags, filth, and wrinkles, stood before him as
they were leaving the most densely thronged
lane of cabins. ard holding ont skinny hand,
whined for alms. John was drawiug out Lis
puIse, whom Darcy stopped him,
'No, don't do that; don't let them see money
you would hardly get ont Of the place alive
It's terrible thing to say, but It is true, THIS
year, when the herring fishery having failed
them, they are feeling the famine with the
rest. You might walk through this place at
night, with n hundred pounds in your pockets,
no one W ould think Of robbery; but if they be.
lieved they could coax OF fTighten you into
giving, you would have no chance of getting
away till You had parted with your last farth
ing. They are beginnipG 20 look at xiously at
you now-let us move on"
The cabins were less crowded together as
they proceeded and soon they renche1 q white
open road, terminating in a sandy ridge; on
climbing which they saw the waters of the bay
at their feet, divided from them only by gel
low strip of sandy beach, The fresh sea breeze
and the stiffness of the afternoon in this quiet
place were welcome after the crowd and d
they bad left very little way behind them,
DARCY lifted his hat to let the wind freshen
his face, and then turned to John, with smile
and half bow.
'I have shown you the Claddagh in return
for the great kindness you conferred on me
hour ago; and now perhaps it is time TO say
goodbye, and rid You of my company. 1 per
ceive you know who am. and though have
not the benefit of the same knowledge with
respect to yourself. see you sre an En- gtish-
man, end hardly suppose you can be anxious to
be seen with me under present circumstances
shall not forget that you have given q last
look at the sea-"
But, excuse me, have not yet said what
followed you to cay. You must not think me
impeI tinent, but l want you TO tell me what
you intend to do next"
go back to the Claddagh for to night, aud
tomorrow morning walk into the town and
give myself up to thu authorities Iere, who
are on the look out for me. The boys who
have sheltered me during the lsst week wonld
not touch bloody money, or l would make one
of them give me mp and earn the two hundred
pounds, that would keep the Whole clan in
luxury till better times come"
'Why give yourself upi Have you no better
prospect than tbatf
ment has broken me down. Do you see that
ship riding at anchor, just beyond the harbor
bari This morning hoped to be on board
her before night. The captain had agreed to
receive me and friend of mine on board, and
would have asked no questions. l was wait
ing only for my passage money, for which
had written to e friend, whom had snbstan-
italy helped more than once in happier days,
and who would, felt sure, have no diffi ,ulty
in lending me the small sum asked. l Eisked
walk into the town to day to get this letter
(postmen don't frequent the Claddsgh), and
had directed my friend to send it to my foster
mothers house. l received q shabby excuse
no mouey-and th ship sails early tomorrow
In fulflment of promise once gave, made
an attempt 10 raise the few pounds l wanted
80 much on the only thing left in my pos ses
sion that was worth selling but, to con fess the
truth, 1 was not very sorry to fail could not
raise my passage money to America on my
solitary valuable; bat an not sure that it is
not worth more to me, than say tsn years more
OF life out there-as things are now-I don't
covet them"
Bat you ought ; at your age, and with your
powers, you ought TO cling to life; it is a cow
ardly act to let it slip fcom you for want of re-
solution"
Darcy shrugged his shoulders, and looked
back at the CladdaRh.
"Would you have me pass the rest of my
days indebted for shelter and my daily bread,
to the poor fellows there,-or wbati / don't
believe have friend in Ireland besides the
one whose letter of excuse have in my poo,
kst, who has the power to help me with money
this year"
Yes, there is ono person to whom you were
Indirectly the means of bringing q consider
able sum of money, and some repute that has
been of service to him since, and who always
felt in your debt on that account. l know
inn lat ma ha h;. a