The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-03-16
Tim Hargat0 s Courtship.

managed the farm without his clear head and
sound judgment to guide her. He had the
name of being the closest band at bargain
and the best judge of a "baste" in InDisho wen,
and think ne deserved it,; tor mother very
rarely lost upon her speculations Ia cattle,
and our animals we're famed for their beauty.
Tin was not wholly an Innishowen man.
BY his mothers side he claimed descent
from the Scottish settlers of the opposite
coast, and much of his cautiousness and
shrewdness could be traced to this Infusion
OF kindly Scotch blood. We children had
rather an awe of Tim. He ruled the outer
world of our homestead with a rod OF iron.
Woe betide the delinquent who ventured
into the garden before the ehouse'' had been
supplied With fruit for preserving. Woe be
to US it with profane hands we assaulted his
beloved grapes or ravaged bis trim flower
beds. l dare say it was very good for us that
some one was set in authority over the gar
den and farm-yard, for We were allowed quite
enough freedom Indoors, fatherless tom-boys
that We were. But years passed by; one BY
one We grew to womanhood. l, the eldest,
left home first to return FIRST; more alone
for having been so happy, too happy for a
lite while. When returned a widow, the
younger birds had flown from the nest. Moth
er had no one left but me, and she was grow
ing Old; so cast in my own and my boys
lot with her. and soon became thoroughly
acquainted with TIN Hargaton. To him I
was .'the young mstress' or miss Eiieo;'
and own felt often at disadvantage with
him. HIS quiet knowledge OF suDjrces WAS
utterly lguorsnt of, his cool rejection of my
farming theories. his almost certain success
in all his ventures, Overawed me; and after
a struggie or two | gave in.
| thIuk Tim must have been forty at this
time; but he looked macy years younger,
being fair aud tall, and we'll made and-a
bachelor. he had merry twinkle in his
gray eyes which almost contracted 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 iul-
pressions, strong to retain them when once
received. From his father, rowing Pat Har-
gaton from Donegal. he drew an Irlshman's
ready vii aud nimble tongue, aud under all
an lrishman's tickle heart; but not lis warm
affections, which 60 far toward amending the
latter fault.
Another unusual thing amongst men of bis
class, be was weIl-to-do, and having success
fully specuated in cattle on his own &C.
count, he bad money in the bank and a snug
cottage. Yet year after year, Shrove-tide
afser Shrove-tide-the marrying season all
over Roman Catholic Irelaad-found Tim re-
Jo'cing IN single blesseduess; nor could he
have had comfortable home, for his old
mother was Q CONFIRMED Invalid; aud as Tim
was reported to BIZ "a trife near" he only
Afforded tie services OF a little girl scarcely
IL her teens. More than once mother spoke
to bin sboQt Llatrlmony, aod as often Tim
net her With the unanswerable argument:
"ls it IS aaag TO peck for Two as for one
ma'aray'
% s..e cec.ed bothering him about it.
AseU IL 3eieE that one bright, frosty No.
veleGf dsy 1 uad despatched Tim to the
conaty own On Fsry Important business; aud
the Ssreer TO assure myself of the favorable
issue u it'll GslSed 10 meet him on bis re-
turn. As t--e :.u3 o. bis return was over
dce, css1a 10 .csi rather uneasy, and quick
eEec r.Y steps along the winding seasI de
road; bat & sarn Ia it soon revealed the rea-
sea ct Tins delay. He was walking beside
Te.V t.eetJ coaCsty lass; and another, not
so yong or nearly SO pretty, Jagged little
bsaind.
oh &c, A-aster Tini thought; care we
to lear news u you this Shrove-tide ?'
Is cse-c forward the girls Tell back, Tim
h-sseniEg ca to EJECT me. He looked shy
and shee.sisa enough es he advanced; and
TIE pretty isee, Zion | at once Recognized
IS AG..3 Dc5heFty, the acknowledged belle of
the tsfony. Elrs her shspely head in blush
lag c5aicSicn IS sle~rassed me by.
1...l s-s-s s.il saSiaess snd stoAtity once the
Esrs5 sseEc ct of sight. He had lodged
money isE llls ii sae cGIcty bank; settled my
own G0d Cictlcr account with butcher,
ba-Sr &ed grocer; transacted all our various
businesses With caro and correctness; and
having given up his accounts into my hands,
he hurried OF, whist continued my walk.
Twilight vas falling when returned h.me !;
but although more than an hour had ELAPSED
since Tin hsd preceded me on the road, he
was just entering the gate as turned from
the sea road for the same purpose. I made
mother smde thst evening when told her OF
my encoanter.
fortune. aim Will look for one with any girl
he masrics"
A fe1 Gays afterwards Tim took me into
his coOEdeuce. We were making our winter
arrangement in the greenhouse, putting awav
sumner plants whose Towering DAYS were
done, and filling up gaps in our shelves with
bright chrysantnemums and other winter
blooming plants. An hour sufiicad to weary
mother al this york. SO TIN aud were left
aione amongst the flowers. For some time
he worEed away 10 silence, but could easily
See be was Longing 10 speak. and so deter
mined t. give him gu opportunity; but ne
foreesallcd me. -15-r-. n
''fsss zee dav the day was in Derry.
E-s. Grace" be said, as be passed me carry.
ing = huge coronella from one end of the
greenhouse to the other. q
1T wa, indeed, Tim. Had you many
people Gu board the steamer?'' replied.
mo. ma'sm; not to say very many. Them
omcer gentlemen from the fort"
Had yon any people from about here?"
ASKED.
"Hugh Dogherty and his sister and Susie
Conner, a'am."
''Ah, you walked home with the girls.
What became OF Hugh?'
"Troth ma am, he just got overtaken with
drop OF drink. aud thought it was but
friendly to see the girls home"
&. Il am sorry TO hear Hugh was so bad AZ
thai, riu-"
well, sorra much was on him, Mss Ellen.
but he was loath. to quit Mrs. G.llapher's
when 0e got off the bDat, so We just left him
there. Hem! Miss Ellen, I've thought to
change my lite."
~ am very glad to hear it, Tim"
Yes, Miss" Tim always forgot my mat
ronly title in confidential talk "yes Miss,
It's lonely work growing old with nobody to
That is a selfish way of looking at things,
Tim," replied.
"Begorra, Miss, what else would a man
marry for but to have himself took care of2,
II suppose liking the girl he married
would be kind of reason, too,n re-
sponded.
"Oh, ay. I'd still like to have the one I'd
ihDCy IL sue was ndnOy.
''And who are you thinking of?'' asked.
as Tim bent over a box of geranium cuttings.
81 hope she is nice and good and will be ki1d
to your poor mother and good Manager"
Saith, wouldn't take one that wasn't
that. Miss Elleu," he replied without raising
his head. sBut it's hard TO tell how these
young ones'll turn out.'
'.She is young, then?'
Young enough and settled enough" he
responded "Tnere's two Pm thinkin off,
"rwol' exclaimed. "Why that is not
right OF you, Tim. You are surely old enough
to know the kiud Of wife would suit best and
It Is unfair to the girls. They are relatives.
If guess right. Those two young women
you were walking with on Saturday.n
Just SO, replied Tim, utterly nnabashed.
"Msry Dogherty and Susie Connor. Marv's
the purtiest," he added in a halt soliloouv.
81 have always heard sue was as goid az
she loosed,' 1 said. ''She has been such q
dusifuI daughter and good sister to those
villa boys that she cannot fail to make GOOD
wiie."
"Maybe," quoth Tim. "But the Dogher-
ties is down in the world these times"
81 know they are not very rich; but they
a.