The Worthington advance., 1879-01-02

questioning on the part Of the buxom
widow % to the reason Of its having been
forgotten. For time be tried to evade
her, but At length was forced 6 to- confess
thatlthe times bcing bad they could not
manage to get one, nor get the usual
|piece of meat on this occasion. The
good little widow listened very attentive
ly to his details. and then taking down
= large jar Of honey, and q loaf Of bread
of her own baking, she gave the boy "a
huge slice and bade him eat that and
dream upon it and see if his dream
! would come true. The poor fellow,noth-
| ing loath, eat his bread and honey, and
started for his home, but like wise child,
as be wat, said nothing of the fair Blddy's
| questionings. nor of his own replies
thereto. but on going TO bed found his
sleep much disturbed by the vision of a
beautiful leg Of pork. =, with greens
in; abundance. So vivid y, was this
dream that when on: returning: frum the
chapel the next day, he saw what
appeared to him the identical leg
of pork, with, the green's, he was more
pleased than surprised, and looked upon
1t as quite fulfilling of his dream and
nothing else.
| Not so the rest of the household; they
wondered who could have sent it. and the
| fisherman 70 we'd that if he only knew,
the first good, fish he ever caught should
go to repay the donor.
Everybody was pleased, with the ex-
ception Of the grown-up daughter, Ellie,
who still felt almost affronted at a din
ner being given to them by any one, and
much inclined to blame the young men,
who, on leaving, had vowed never to for
get the ''ould home." Nevertheless, they
/ had pleasant Christmas dinner, and
often did they ponder on the words OF
the good priest, when he said, "Neyer
saw l the righteous fersaken, or his seed
begging their bread" 80:
CHAPTER II.
The Christmas evening passed off
cheerfu!ly and happily. and many a guess
was hazarded as to the benefactor who
had SO generously provided for their COM
fcrt. II Master "Iaudheen" had his own
ideas on the subject, he took good care
not to divulge them, we'll knowing how
annoyed his parents and sisters would be
that fc should have made their poverty
know. to any one, even to the kind heart
cd Biddy.
In few days, the wild weather abat-
ing, old Kecgan was enabled once more
to 60 out fishing, and was most SUCCESS
! full, catching few fine cod, which he
| carried to the ncighboring village Of Ra-
heen to dispose Of, and having reserved
one for the use OF his own family "a piece
Of extravaganza not often indulg red in),
he resolved to pay visit to his neighbor,
the widow. On entering he found leg
of pork set out for her dinner, which so
much resembled his own that he discov-
cred at once who had given them their
Christmas dinner, when, grasping the
fair widows hand, be thanked her most
sincerely. She tried to deny it, and
then, finding that it was useless, she burst
forth with,-
Sand then who has better right than
the one you help:d many a time2 But
sure have good news for you. I was IN
Raheen this morning atore you were, end
got this letther for YOU"
The old man examined it, and soon
discovered that it must have been en-
closed in another, when the fair widow
blushinglv confessed that it came in one
from "Johu" to her. She gave it to her
old friend to read, who after vast deal
Of trouble, and t'spelling out" learned
that it was sn offer of marriage from the
| said John, setting forth how long he had
loved her, &c, but that beirg poor he
would not ask her to be his wife. "Now,''
he writes ~ have good wages, and can
make you comfortable, ii you love me
we'll enough to come out with the father
and mother, and the young craythurs.
Ellen, of course, will come for the sake of
Mitligan, who can now afford to keep u
! wife too"
J AT first the old man could hardly un-
derstand it all, and remained quite mute,
until Biddy. throwing her arms round
his neck said, "won't you have me for
daughter after alll'
The old man, solemnly laying his hand
on the head of the young woman. which
lay on his breast, said, "Msy the Blessed
Virgin and all the saints protect you. MY
purity darlin'. II is thatll be proud to
call you daughter: and now, alanna, Just
step over with me to see the Guild woman
! and make her happy
All this time theold man held his sons
letter between his fingers; be now folded
| it carefully in red cotton handkerchief,
which he placed inside his hat, and then
covering his fine bushv gray head of hair
NTH tho 1ottor cforfnI forH +,
accompanied by the 'eetrothed Of his
on.
I" Arrived a, home, the latter was intro
duced as "Biddy, our future daughter,"
an announcement requiring explanation
and the due perlsal of the different mis-
slves. There were ample enclosures for
making merry Oh New Years day (but
which ought to have arrived in time fer
the Christmas dinner), and also Ter TAX
| ing the family across the Atlantic. Even
the proud and passionate File was con-
v'nced that her young lover had not for
gotten her, and quickly made up her
mind to reward him for his faithfulness.
We will leave them making their pre-
paration for departure to that land at
which most irish emigrants look through
golden medium. I mean tine younger
portion OF the family made their prepar-
atoms for departure, but the "ouid peo-
pic" could not be persuaded to leave their
own dear cabin on the high western cliff,
agsinst which the mighty waters of the
broad Atlantic washed in interminable
waves, with deep boom surprising that
of the most powerful artillery.
We are perfectly sure that never again
will the old fisherman or his faithful
partner want the means of homely con-
fort, and certainly never again will they
be without their Christmas dinner.