The Irish standard., 1886-12-25

very considerable portion of the land
lords revenue, and the distance at
which it stood from anything deserving
the appellation of the word neighbour
hood.'' seemed to form sufficient grounds
for supposing that the permanent Gus
toners could not be very numerous
either-the appearance, nevertheless,
which the interior presented was not
such as to estimate any lack Of company
It was abundantly though plainly sup
Piled with articles Of furniture, such as
suggan chairs, table, settle e-bed,
wooden dresser, the shelves OF which
were we'll stocked with pewter dishes,
plates and wooden p1ggins, or drinking
vessels. The rafters. we'll seasoned by
the influence of settled cloud Of smoke,
were graced with Sunday hitches, hams,
and other departments of bacon which
were visible through the blush mist,
and from the many fresh indentures OBJ
seryable to the glance, gave the most
direct negative that could be wished to
the sueer of the apostate Goldsmith-or
proved, at least, that this was not one OF
the t'Irish houses whele things are So
So" BY the confused and rakish man
ner in which all the furniture, however,
was tossed about-a chair lying pros
trate in one corner-the table pushed
awry, and strewed with drinking vessels,
which appeared not to have been med
died with since they had fallen from the
ilnpotent and infrm grasp Of the last
toper-it would seem that the apart
ment had been made, very short while
before, the scene of riottous merry
making, The fire yet lay mingled with
the ashes into which it had been raked
on the previous evening. a miserable
half burnt cat sat near the hearth,
vainly employed in an endeavor to i'm
part degree Of conneliness to her face
by washing it with her feet, and some
times castings g sleepy blinking stare ON
the dull embers before her. The shut
ters OF the window being yet closed, adj
n1itted scarcely enough Of the midday
light to enable the drowsy inmates to
distinguish the lateness of the hour, a
female figure, slipshod and in undress,
gliaed into the apartment trcn on inner
and still darker room, and often stum-
bling against various articles Of furni-
ture which were scattered GU Che earthen
floor, and opening the yindow-shutter,
used q gesture of as5onisll1nent as the
bright noon-tide glory rushed in upon
and around her. Raising her hand
quickly to her eyes to protect and shade
them from the effect of the dazzling
light, and retiring from the spot, she
proceeded, in so ne appearance of haste
and anxiety, to re-establish y degree Of
order in the house. The woman was of
a slight and perhaps graceful figure, al
though her hard disco]ored skin, and
bony wasted arms forbade the conject-
ure that she could, under any circum-
stances, lay claim to the praise Of femin-
inc loveliness--yet there was something
both in her manner and appearance
which was calculated to attract the at-
teution, if not to excite the interest, Of
the spectator. Her countenance was
wasted and yellow-apparently rather
from the influence Of i'll health, than of
age or toll. Her long, dry, light
colored hair, dabbed in dust and asles,
and hanging neglected about her sunken
cheeks, and over her thin sinewy neck,
would have given her an air altogether
hideous. if it's effect were not met and
contradicted. by the expression OF a full,
soft, clear eye, which, the instant that it
met the observation OF the spectator, en-
crossed all his attention, and altogether
abstracted it from the remainder of her
person. A soiled white muslin wrapper
buttoued up in front, and pair of brown
ish, asby, light slippers, constituted
nearly all the visible portion of her cos
tune.
While she was occupied in regulating
the furniture, and brushing off the coat
OF turf ashes with which every article
was covered. with the wing of goose,
q man made his appearance at the same
inner room from which she had entered,
and stood for q few moments lazily
stretching himself on the threshold.
From the way in which his
dress hung about him-his neck
cloth turned awry-his coat covered
with feathers and ashes. his knees un-
buttoned, and his coarse gray woolen
stockings "down gyved to his ankle
it evidently appeared that he had re-
tanned the same habiliments during his
nocturnal repose which he had worn on
the previous day. The woman gazed at
him for moment with slight emotion
of disgust which the f'green and sober"
look Of the companion of an unlimited