The Osceola times., 1881-09-24
An Irish Romance.

An Irish Romance.
When | arrived at kilmurney, one OF
those storms which come from the Allan
tic, and in an instant envelop pthese islands
in cloud of wind driven mist, made mt
seek refuge in cabin. Ii was crowded,
busy peasants home, and as sat by the
fire-the warinest seat being given me
with the invariable hospitality of these
people, fonnd abundant material fOr
observation and reflection. Whatever
cleanliness was possible in a family Of
eight occupying one huge room along
with two pigs was carefully maintained;
at least the mother and children were
carefully and comfortably attired, the
hearth well swept, and the pigs were cor
fined 10 the limits assigned them. An
old woman was caring WOOL child
rocking the cradle, and the mother spin
ing alta large wheel. The chickens, also
driven in by the rain, one 10y one hoped
up ladder to their roust among the
raiters, from which they watched over
their ruiiled feathers the busy family and
the blazing hearth with so much ap-
proval aud satisfaction that | am sure,
if chickens could be susceptible to
emotion, these were very tender ones
indeed. dog sneaked in and seeing a
stranger went out into the rain again.
The dogs, which are notnumerous on the
island, are Of the most miserable and
condemned aspect, amt seem to feel their
ignob.e ancestry, as they invariably Jump
over wall or run into some obscuriIyon
the approach of a stranger. While dry
ing my dripping garments, ! saw, for
the first time, seated in n corner a. if to
screen himself from observation, the
figure of a young man clad in white ilan-
mel, the costume Of the island. His face
was thin and sad, and of the same color
as the garments he wore, and he gazed
at the fire with snch q detected and
hopeless EXPIRE ssion as led me To- infer
that he was the victim of some terrible
disease-consumption perhaps and was
feebly waiting through the long hours OF
the day and night the death he knew to
be sure and near. spoke to him,
".-'"'"- -: '-, Pity to annearunconscious
of perceiving his misery. WfthonIf aiiS
swering, he rose abruptly and left the
cabin. The looks of concern and inquie-
tude in the faces about me told of some
unusual sorrow which the mother, leav-
ing her spinning wheel, explained TO me
in a low voice. She told me that the
young man, her eldest son, poor Owney,
as she called him, had until month be-
fore been tho most healthy and cheerful
member Of Oie family; ready and prompt
at work, and the life of the household
when letter came frois America 10 a
neighboring family inclosing money fol
the passage thither of their eldest
3 l,tt a., a..
man had long entertained a secret mas
sion for this girl, and when he hep ed ina
he probably would never see ,er aoain
he declared his love for her q ID besongb
her to remain. SO far frr IN being I'M
mindful of his affection she ayowed he
willingness to marry , i'm at once if h.
would accompany J ,er TO America i'm
mediately siserws I'd. This was impos
sibie, HIS osn fAmilv were unable I,
assist hlHA, and the few people who pos
sess money ca the island would no
ishu ,. Witp Jut security. The practica
Hasnsr, saw on the other side Of the At
ip dc eve ry prospect of improving hel
material condition, and doubted not tina
husbaD is were as plentiful there as else
where; while, if she remained, she knew
.
were the lot of all around her would b.
hers also. Therefore she told her suite
if he could not accompany her she woulo
not listen To- his suit. When the youn,
man found his upraidings useless, h,
gave way to despair, and has not wOrke,
or spoken since his cruel sentence ha,
been pronounced. Every DAY he grew
thinner and more wan, and he did no
partake Of sufficient food to support life
All the solicitude and tenderness of hi
mother had not succeeded in arousinj
within him his former self and will
tears running down her cheeks she tol,
me she thought he had lost his reason
Some weeks previously the school
master had written for them TO priest
a distant relative of the family, VIII
lived in Connemara; but they had re
ceived no reply, and she supposed he Ia,
neither help nor counsel to give. | pom
dered for long while, as ! sat by the fir
upon what often proves TO be the unfor
tunate sincerity of men and could not re
frain from deploring the no lees frequen
levity Of my own sex. In passin
through the village week aiterward
stopped 10 say good-day 10 these kin,
Of hustle and confusion. My erewhil
love-sick swain was when | entered max
ing himself pair of pampootoees; and a
he bade me good day over dangerousl
starched collar, his face glowed witt
health and energy. The now Cheerful
and happy mother informed me tina
since my last visit they had received
letter from the prlest IN Connemara, in
closing his blessing for her son, and tn
money to pay his passage TO Ameri3.
She had been very busy knitting Inn
stockings, and making him a fine whit
: Il nnef suit 10 be married in. and whicl
thereafter he would not wear again Ill
his arrival in New York, 50 that h
would make decent appearance in tn
+ New World, as bee tue the relative of
priest. He was to be married 10 the oh
ject of his choice the next day, and the,
We're to start Immediately ailerwarl m
on their long voyage. As | left, Tn
damsel, whose months delay to prepar
her outfit had given such respite 4
! her lover, thrust her head in the doc,
and called upon Owney TO he sure an,
wear the blue stockings she had knitte,
: him, TO the chappel on the morrow
and then, with her little rttros~ nos,
turned up TO thu sky, ran blushln,
away,