Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-01-18

up, my boy, and make yourself com
Portable
Then | suppose it's all bosh abou
the discomfort and dissatisfaction il
the West: You don't think much of il
any way, or you wouldn't drive so fal
alone and unarmed'
I'm not nervous certainly. No one
has ever molested me, and | dom
suppose they're going to commence
now, | replied, in. | fear, rather /
lofty tone But there is certain
amount Of dissatisfaction here in Con
nemara, and some cause for it too
For instance, if were the new agen
that's coming to Montmartyn,
shouldn't care 10 drive there alone
this evening, and, if did. certainly
wouldn't take the road through Glen
Flynn and Bohersandy.'
Why, is he disliked:'
Yes; some ugly reports have pre-
ceeded HIM, poor, man and he come:
TO replace the most deseryedly unpo
pular man. represent the most cordi
ally detested landlord, aud manage the
most unreasonable people in the pro
vince. If you gave them land foI
nothing. they'd expect you to till ii
for them; and then, if you didn't SOW
the potatoes and reap the oats just tc
their fancy, they 'd'shoot you withou,
IA moments hesitation. That the
sort of folks the Currans, Connors
and CassIdys of Montmar,yn are,
wouldn't undertake the care Of that
estate for "a thousand a year and turf; !;
and that's the top Of an lrishman'
ambition
w hat wretched people they must
be- Henry said, with shrug. I'D
teach theW to behave better, or exter-
inmate them.
( That's precisely what they say
about the agents; and, unfortunately,
determination is game both sides
can play at. Now, then, are you ready
Wrap up we'll, for We have "a fifteen
mile drive before us across as break
neck piece Of country as any In Con
naught, with north wind in our
t,elh. only hope 1t will not snow
At least not I'LL We get 10 the cross
roads
AT what time do you hope TO reach
hone: Henry asked.
All being we'll, about half past five.
Hold on while We 90 down this hill ;
it's rather trying TO stranger; and a
bang heal foremost against that granite
wall wouldn't improve your appear
ance, Master Henry"
We were fairly of at last, after
several delays: for | had some busi-
ness 10 transact in Glenfynn. For thc
first time in nv experience, | fancIed
the people looked coldly on me and
returned my greetings sulIenly and
caught more than one mutlercd eIcia
nation III fresh of anything but a
complimentary nature, the meaning {
of which puzzled me not little. How
ever, the people were no tenants of
mine: most OF them dwelt on the
Montmartyn property, and every one
knew their tempers and manners wers
none Of the best. For few miles
after We got clear of the little town
~e bo~led along pleasantly-not very
swiftly tie road was too bad for haste
Henry sat on one side of the JauntIng
car. | on the other, driving, his port
manteau, gun case, fishing rod aud
other st-esterds being piled up between
us.
Suddenly it began to snow. First
came iew great vasrant flakes that
passed by laziIy, then u low whistling
rush Of cold air, a swift ominous lower
ing Of the clouds, and then such a
binding, driving, bowildering snow
storm as il bad never been my fortune
to experience before. lorick, spirited
young horse that had purchased
lately. seemed frightened, and shield
at everything; he was not well broken
to harness, and it required all my
efforts to hold him up. Henry but
toned his ulster closer, pulled his hat
we'll over his eyes, and whistled DIS
NAL accompaniment to the winds that
came down from the mountains, drlv.
/ ing the snow in great sheets before it.
A twilight worse than darkness closed
| in. I'm few moments Iorick became
more and more restiye, and | began TO
grow uneasy myself rs | noticed how,
one by one, the landmarks that out
lined the srraggling i'll made road
were being obliteratej. How was | to
distinguish the stunted old black thorn,
with its fluttering fragment Of red
rag that marked holy well, and also
sudden dangerous curve in the road
when every shrub was draped alike in
soft fleecy garments-how see the
heap of stones that marked a great
rut, when stones, weeds, mounds, were
alike showed over? AS the darkness
closed, there were really nothirg to
prevent me from driving off the track
altogether | might 60 over a sheer
precipice Of hundred feet, or into an
unprotected turnip field or deep sullen
pool-such things were on either side
and more than once | blamed myself
soundly for not having taken old
French, patient plodding beast, slow
but perfectly sure, who knew every
yard of the road, and could, in all
probability, find his way alone and
blindlold from Glenfynn to Rathbar
snow storm or no snow storm, instead
of lively, high spirited, half broken
and, began to think, very i'll temper.
ed animal.
But | kept my doubts and fears to
myself. Henry whistled his melan.
choly refrain, 'and the snow came
down like blanket as we still push.
ed on. | was giving Yorick his head
little more, but | was no longer in the
least sure whittier we were going
Presently my ear caught familiar
sound, and pulled up as quickly az
could. In the distance, but still
distinctly, | heard the roar of falling