The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-01-26
Tom Ffrench's Christmas
CURRAGHGLASS.
Now York Catholic World.
tCenclsded.l

stamp OF high and gentle lineage. AT firs
Barbara Ffrench was struck by something
in the semi- outline nose, the immense
moustaches and beard, and eyes very black
and very calm. There was nothing reRssuripg
, in this cold exterior, but the slightest smile
diffosed itself like sunlight, impsrtinR an at
mosphere of gladness that conrted confidence
His voice was singularly sweet and melodiOus
and it was more or less of q surprise to her to
hear this m usio issuing from behind those ter
rible moustaches.
The Corporal was standing opposite his mas
ter, the tears leaping from his joyous eyes on
to his great grizzly moustaohe, and eventually
gliding down his coat collar.
~ told you would come back Joyce and
"Oh but this is day for Currag gbglass,
Master Tom. l don't care how soon the roll is
oaiied now, Sir, once let in the daylight to
the old house. l can't believe it's true, Sir, /
can't believe it's true," fairly breaking down,
although as erect and motionless as If he were
on duty at Dublin Castle.
"Tve come back, Joyce, to the old home, and
-" here, suddenly perceiving Barbara, he
"To which bid you Cead mile .failthe, Tom
Ffrench," cried the girl, spriuging forward and
clasping both his hands in hers.
"God bless you for those words ~ exclaimed
the master of Curragbglass. "They are the
life"
II never gave you up," continued the girl,
"when they all said you had gone to the
"Did they say thatf" he asked with a
smile.
.'They did, and they said yon had commit
ted suicide; and horrible attorney csme to
papa and consulted him about pntting this
place into Chsncery. Wasn't it lucky was
home in Dublin when that happened 7 Papa
told it to mo, for he knew the interest l took
in you--1 mean" with deep blush "in-
in the family ard the old estate; aud l said to
him 'Para, Ton. Ffrench will come back, and
don't let that man touch q stick or stone of
- a To-, ,lol -.
wouldn't; and here you are, and God bless
you" And Miss Barbara Ftrenob, in the fresh
and glorious enthusiasm of her nature, began
to sob and smile and blush alternately, till she
looked like "a beautiful rcsebud covered with
sunshine and dew.
"This is worth coming home. for,' cried
Ffrench, in VOICE that quivered despite his
effort to carry of the word homo in cough.
"Tell me all about yourself You were in
India, of course, aud-bnt oh ! dear me, you
don't know who am; and oh what must y0a
think of me y
81 do want to know who you are; NY thoughts
about you ard your gracious, golden welcome
are already registered here" placing his hand
gracefully across his heart.
II an your cousin thousand times remov-
ed. [ am the daugt ter of Mtryyn Ffrench,
the Qoeen's Counsel, brother of Robert Ffrenoh
of Toilthaghula."
MY poor fathers best friend" exclaimed
Tom.
I'm stopping at Tollthaghula now. My au 1T
drove over to visit a. CIonduane, aud
halted ut the Ffrenoh Arms There met tn
dear old faithful soldier, this Corporal Trim,
who wouldn't depart from his path of duty
even for me. l wanted to see Curraghg glass.
1iy aunt went on to CloudnIane, and l came
over hero with the Corporal. suppose you
: hayO written me down AZ forward, fast younE
lady. 1 sm not. To see Curragh glass has been
d dream of my life; to you back has been
dream of my lf'. Is there not something
Rwfully strange at my coming to-day of all
days, aud at this hour of all hours Now you
know all about me, tell me, Cousin Tom
though you are not my oous'n-teil me where
on earth you have been"
"Alas my fair kins conan, l have bnt little
to say. Do not go, Corporal. Yom must do
matron," to Jovce who was about to leave.
what a sOuF,t for poor me- ," exc claimed Bar
bRra; bat nm not so mnch to blame as yen
would imagine Mr.. Ffrench. did secure the
services of a chaperone, Miss Bridget FINN,
niece to the landlady of the Ffrench Arms. She
accompanied me in the car, and is at present,
no doubt, enjoying q fierce II II alton with our
Charioteer-not that barbara Ffrench need &c.
fend herself oHtrGRCe in the halls Of Cur
raghglRss" haugntily, If not defantly.
DO not flare up, you thorough Irish girl"
laughed Tom. II am not muon in love with
what TIE French term les Conrt tmaRcts, but when
youuF and may not say-wel, l won't
An intertin9 girl is in question, the iron fet-
ters OF cunventIonalism cannot be too strongly
put in force However, this is no time for leo
ture or homily. You wish to know what 1
have been doing with myself for these ten
long years. AS Ffrenoh you have right to
know so if you will kindly plant yourself in
that yawning chair, family vault, will tell
you u strange story"
Barbara flung herself into an old fashioned
chair of a brocade that might have rustIed as
the train of Sarah Jennings, Duchess Of Marl-
borough.
Tom Ffrench, seating himself opposite, and
passing his hand once or twice across his fore
head, as if to recall the exact date At which to
commence, began follows:
"When my poor mother died l was indeed
alone in the world. l was gilded beggar in
the old house here We had but two followers
when in the olden time they could be counted
by the score-the Corporal here, and a good
faithful creature who actually faded away with
the splendor of CurraghGlass. l resolved upon
one thing-and now that l look back upon
that time, it seems to me that only resolv ed
upon one thing-and that was to leave this
place to shut it up, hermetcAlly seal it, and
go l knew not whittier, and, indeed, did not
care. l went and with two hundred pounds
in my pocket started for India"
81 said So" interrupted Barbara, clapping z
her hands in q sort of childish rapture
"At c CalcuttS dropped upon Ffrencb; but,
alasl he was poorer than ], and he made me
poorer still by borrowing one-half Of my little