Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-13
SELECTED STORY.
POOR LITTLE MSS x00NSHES'
lchamber's Journail

Picture 10 yourselt nee' ,,,.
6sure. hahited ia . rnstling browa si's !,
rovn, point lace cap and collar AUD
HACK mi,tens; . small elderly iaay
with mild. wandering blae eyes, ana .
tremulous month, whose. uncertain
Glance and shrinking manner spoke OF
acme terrible shock sustained by the
nervous system in days gone oy. quo"
vas Miss Moonshee when l iirst maze
her acquaintance. ,.u
vss the daughter Of Melbourne
merchant. and born and brought up IN
shst city. but at the date OF my story
0s-n ge had removed TO Richmond, q
suburb Of tho Victorian capital a
strong. active girl Of seventeen, was
dsilv in the habit Of walking up TO
town 10 attend classes at scnooi
IN = street. During my WALK 70
and from Melbourne | was more than
once struck by the appearance
If one OF .be cottages which l passed.
twas a neat little place, painted white
v;th green veranda posts. The win.
dovs which faced the road were full oil
rare ecraniums and ferns, and the trim
ly-kept garden plot was planted win
ali manner Of fragrant old-fsshionea
flowers and herbs. Il was the lazy oil
the cottage, however, who. even more
than her pleasant surroundings, n'er-
ested me. When the sun shone she was
always to be seen, dressed IN the iasn'
ion 1 have already described, seated un'
der the yeranda in a low chair eusiiy
env.red in netting. Like Penelope's
webs her task seemed endless, and she
seldom raised her eyes from her work,
which engrossed all her attention. An
old Irishwoman, who was continually
lowering about, either wedding or water
ing the garden, appeared to be her only
domestic. But ! was soon to become
better acquainted with both lady and
servant.
One hot January afternoon was
plodding slowly homeward, my mind
full of a certain stiff German exercise
required by Herr II. on the morrow.
In nv preoccupstion ! was in the act
of passing the white cottage with the
green veranda posts without looking, as
/ usually did, to see if the old lady was
in her accustomed place, when cry Of
anguish from the interior
arrested my steps. To unlatch the
garden gate and hurry up to the front
door was the work of moment.
There, however, paused, undecided
whether to knock and offer my services
or retrace my steps. While ! hesitated
the door was opened from within and
the old Irish woman presented herself,
beckoning me TO enter. Silently fol-
lowe her into a prettily-furnished sit
ting-room, bright with pictures, books,
and flowers. This much took in at
the first glance my second rested on
the evident cause of the old Irishwo-
mans distress-the pale, inanimate
form of her mistress, which lay stretched
on couch near the window. The poor
lady was in dead faint, phase of in
sufficiently alarming to her
faithful domestic, who, in an agony OF
tears, asked if it was any use to send
for Q doctor.
Now. | had had considerable expert
ence in the treatment of faintin9 fits, my
mother being unhappily subject to fire.
quent lapses into Inconsistencies, from
which. acting under the doctors orders,
had generally been successful in re-
her. / therefore spoke re-
assuringly to old Mally-she had told
me her name-and at once set about
apply ing the restoratives to the invalid
that / had found SO useful on former
occasions. In a short time We had the
satisfaction of seeing the poor lady open
her eyes and fix a bewildered look on
her maid, who was on her knees by the
couch. Her glance then rested on me
with Q puzzled expression.
"You have been ILL.," | explained
gently, "snd Mally and ! have been
trying to make you better"
at is very good Of you to take so
much trouble with foolish old woman,
nv dear" she replied in weak voice /;
and the ghost of smile fitted over her
pallid face.
"Ould and foolish :" Indignantly re-
peated Mally, furtively drying her eyes
on her apron and turning beaming
face toward her mistress. Sure, it's
Joking you are. Miss Kathleen. And
what would Masther Shane say did he
hear you miscalling his sweet Kerry
rose?"
The old Irishwoman's words had
wonderful effect on the invalid. A
faint pink flush suflused her cheeks
her eyes shone so that for the momen
she looked almost pretty. The change
however, was but Heeting. The colo
quickly faded, her eyes resumed thei
usual expression, and, murmurinl
something to the effect that one /
ALWAYS fair to those who love one, sh
closed her eyes, as if to shut out som
disagreeable recollection. Present..
she said in q low, entreating voice
"Oh, Shane, darling, why do you lie
gers Old age is creeping on, and l al
weary Of waiting-oh, so weary T.
And as she spoke the tears trickle
slowly down her thin cheeks. .
/ was glad when the entrance of tn
maid with the tea-things reused he
Desiring Mally 10 place the tray on
small table beside her, the little lad
sat up and insisted on pouring out
cup Of tea for me, apologizing viii
handing me the bread and butter Il
what she called her rudeness. 81 wi
overcome with old memories, my dea
80 1 hope you will excuse me-" III
teawas strong, and under its stimulatiI
influence my hostess became quite tall
alive. She told me her name was Kat
leen Moonshee that she was by Dir
. native Of County Kerry, Ireland, b
had been for moro than thirty yea
resident in Victoria. But l hs
never quite liked the colony, my dear
she said In her gentle way; ga
Mally and would have left it 10
ago but for q reason Of our ow
There is . friend, . very dear frier
who has promised TO join US some d
soon, il may be to-day" and her Q!
Frightened. "Icannot tell for certa
"a ~ Haas @osna