The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-03-04
AN IRISH ROMANCE.

When l arrived at Kilmurray, one Of those
storms which frequently come from the At /.
lantic, and in an instant envelOp these is
lands in a cloud of wind-driven mist, made
me seek refuge in a cabin. 1t was a crowd
ed, busy peasants home, and as ] sat by the
fire-the warmest seat being given me with .
the invariable hospitality Of these people,
found abundant material for observation /
and reflection. While drying my dripping
garments, l saw for the first time seated IN a
corner, as if to screen himself from observa-
ton, the figure of a young man clad in white
/ flannel, the costume Of the island. His face
was thin and sad, and OF the same color Of
/ the garments lie wore, and he gazed at the
/ fire with such a detected and hopeless eX-
preston as led me to infer that he was the
1 fated victim of some terrible disease-cOn-
sumption, perhaps-and was feebly waiting
I through the long hours Of the day and night
( the death he knew TO be so sue and near.
l spoke to him, striving in my pity to appear
unconscious of perceiving his misery. With
/ out answering, he rose abruptly and left the
cabin. The looks Of concern and inquietude
in the faces about me told Of some unusual
sorrow, which the mother, leaving her spin
3
She told me that the young man, her eldest
son, poor Owney, as she called him, had un-
til a month before been the most healthy and
cheerful member of the family; ready and
prompt at work, and the life Of the house
hold, when a letter came from America to
neighboring family inclosing money to pay
the passage thither of their eldest daughter.
1t appeared that the young man had long en-
tertained a secret passion for this girl, and
when he heard that he probably would never
see her again ne declared his love for her,
and besOught her to remain. So far from
being unmindful of his affections, she ayow-
ed her willingness to marry him at once, if
he would accompany her to America imme-
diatey afterward. This was impossible
his own family were unable to assist him.
and the few people who possess money on
the island would not lend it without security.
The practical damsel saw on the other side
of the Atlantic every prospect Of improving
I her material condition, and doubted not that
husbands were as plentiful there as else
/ where while, if she remained, she knew the
= drudgeTy and hopeless slavery that were the
2 lot of all around her would be hers also. -
2 Therefore she told her suitor if he could not
I accompany her she would not listen to his
, suit. When the young man found his up
braidings useless, he gave way to despair,
S and had not worked or spoken since his
+ cruel sentence hadbeen pronounced. Every
1 day he grew thinner and more wan, and he
: did not paTtake of sufficient food TO support
: life. All the soIicitude and tenderness o.
b his mother had not succeeded in arousing
! within him his former self, and with tear:
running down her cheeks she told me Sht
n thought he had lost his reason forever
+, Some weeks previously the school master
Y had written for them to a priest, a distant
relative of the family, who lived in Come
J. mara but they had received no reply, anC
e she supposed he had neither help nor coun
d sci to give. Ipondered for a long while, a
sat by the fire, upon what often proves L
IF be the unfortunate sincerity Of men, and
If could not refrain from deploring the no les
is frequent levity of my own sex. In passin
n through the village a week afterwaUd stop
J. ped to say good-day to these kind people
a when l found the house a scene Of bustl
is and confusion. My erewhile Iove-sick swat
1T was, when l entered, making himself pal
:, of pantaIoons and as he bade me good -da.
5, over a dangerously starched collar, his fac
n glowed with health and energy. The nov
l. cheerful and happy mother informed m
le that since my last visit they lad received
IT letter from the priest at Connemara, incios
1t ing his blessing for her son and the money {
IF pay his passage to America. She had bee
d very busy knitting him stockings, ana mai
)f ing him fine, white flannel suit to be maj
IT ried in, and which thereafter he would nc
ID again wear till his arrival at New York, 5
a, that he would make a decent appearance
n tie New World, rs became the relative Of
IN priest He was to be married to the ObjeC
d. of his choice the next day, and they were 1
OF start Immediately afterward upon their Ion
" voyage. AsIleft the damsel, whose month
delay to prepare her outfit had given such
fortuna te respite TO her lover, thrust b,
e. head in the door aid called upon OwneY {
Iy be sure and wear the blue stockings she ha
II. knitted him to the chapel on the mOrrow
Nv and then with her little Tetrousse nose turns
a up to the sky, ran blushing away.-Harper
Magazine.