Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-03-16
An Irish Romance.

made me seek refuge In caoln- IL
was a crowded, busy PEASANTS home
and as | sat by the fire-the warmest
seat being given me with the lnvari-
able hospitality Of these people,
found abundant material for obserVa-
rion and reflection. Whatever clean
illness was possible in family OF eight
occupying one huge room along with
TWO pigs was carefully maintained at
least, the mother and children we're
neatly and comfortably attired, the
hearth well swept, snd the pigs were
confined to the limits assigned them.
An old woma was carding wool,
child rocking the cradle, and the mo
ther spin ming at large wheel The
chickens, also driven in by the rain,
one by one hoped up ladder to their
roosts among the rafters, from whlc
they watched over their rufiled feathers,
the busy lily and the blazing hearth
with so much approval and satisfaction
that am sure, if chickens be suscepti-
BILE to emotion, these were very ten
der ones indeed. A dog sneaked In,
and seeing a stranger, went out into
the rain again.
The dogs, which are not numerous
In the island are cf the most miserable
and conde mned aspect, and seemed 10
feel their ignoble ancestry, as they in
variably jumped over q wall or ran
into some obscurity on the approach
of stranger. While drying my drip
ping garments, l saw for the first time
seated in a corner as if to screen HIM
self from observation, the figure OF
young man clad in white flannel, the
costume of the island. His face was
thin and sad, and of the same color as
the garments lie wore, and he gazed at
the fire with such a detected and hope
less expression as led me to infer that
he was the fated victim of some terri
BILE disease-cOnsumption perhaps
and was feebly waiting through the
long hours of the day and night the
death he knew to be so sure and near.
[ spoke to him, striving in my pity to
appear unconscious of perceiving his
misery. Without answering, he rose
abruptly and left the cabin. The looks
of concern an lnquietude in the faces
about me told me of some unusual sor-
row, which the mother, leaying her
spinning-wheel, explained to me in a
low voice. She told me that the young
man, her eldest son, poor Owney, as
she call HIM, had until month before
been the most healthy and cheerful
member of the ia mily; ready and
prompt at work, and the life of the
household, when letter came from
America to a neigh boring family in
closing money to pay the passage |
thither of their eldest daughter. Itap-
peared that the young man had long
entertained a secret passion for this
girl, and when he heard that he proba-
bly, would never see her again, he de-
clared his love to her, and besought her
10 rem ain. So far from being unmind-
full of his affection, she avowed her
willingness to marry him at once, III he
would ace ompany her to America i'm
mediately afte rward. This was impos-
sibIe; his own family were unable to
q sslst 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
her material condition, and doubted
not that husbands were as plentiful 7
there as elsewhere; while, if she re- 4
mained, she knew the drudgery and
hopeless slavery that were the lot OF
all around her would be hers also. 4
Therefore she told her suItor if he d
could not acc Jmpany her she would {
not listen to his suit. When the young
man found his upb-aldings useless he
gave way 10 despair; and had not
spoken since his cruel sentence had
been pronounced. Every day he grew
thinner and more wan, and he did not
partake of sufficient food to support
life. All the solIcituae and tender
ness of his mother had not succeeded
in arousiDg within him his former
self, and with tears running down her
cheeks she told NE she thought he had
lost his reason forever.
Some weeks previously the school
master had written for them to priest
distant relative OF the family, who
lived in Connemara; but they had re-
seived no reply, and she supposed he
had neither help nor counsel TO give.
Ipondered for long wlile,as L sat by
the fire, upon what often proves to be
the unfortunate sincerity of men, and
l could not refrain from deploring the
no less frequent leyity OF my own sex.
In passing through the village week
afterward l stopped to say good-day
to these kind people, when / found
.he house a scene Of bus tie and cCnfu-
sion. My ere-whIle love-sick swain
was, when Ientered, making himself
pair of pampootees; and as he bade
me good-day over dangerously starch
ed collar, his face glowed with health
and energy. The now cheerful and
happy mother informed me that since
my last visit they had received letter
from the priest in CoRnemara, inolos-
Ing his blessing for her son, and the
money TO pay his passage TO America.
She had been very busy knitting him
stockings and making him fine white
flannel suit to be married in, and
which thereafter he would not again
wear It'll his arrival at New York, so
that lie would make decent appear
ance in the New World, as became the
relative of priest. He was to be mar
ried to the object of his choice the next
day, and they were to start Immediate
ly afterward upon their long voyage
AS left, the damsel, whose months
delay to prepare her outfit had given
such fortunate respite to her lover,
thrust her head In the door, and called
upon Owney to be sure and wear the
blt,a stockings sha ha6 Enittad hin, to I