The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-01-07
HE CANE AT LAST.

HE CAME AT LAST.
How Brave "Masther Shane" Re-
turned to Patient, Watt
ing Kathleen.
Picture to yourself q neat little figure,
habited in a rustling brown silk gown, point
lace cap n collar, and black mittens; a
elderly lady with mild, wandering
blue eyes, n a tremulous mouth, whose
uncertain glance and shrinking manner
spoke Of some terrible shock sustained by
b nervous system in days gone by. Such
was Miss Moonshee when I first made her
acquaintance.
was the daughter Of q Melbourne mer-
chant, and born and brought up in THAT city;
but at the date of my story (1S72) we had
removed to Richmond, a suburb of the Vic
tor1an capital. A strong, active girl of sew
enteen, I was daily In the habit of walking
up to town to attend classes at a school in
- Street. During my walk to and fro
from Melbourne I was more thai once
struck By. the appearance of n of the cot
teges which passed. It was a neat little
place, painted white, with green veranda
posts. b windows which faced the road
were full OF rare geraniums and ferns; and
with an manner Of fragrant oId-fashioned
dowers and herbs. It was the lady of the
cottage, however, who, even more than her
pleasant surroundings, interested me.
When the sun shone she was always to be
seen. dressed In the fashion / have already
described, seated under the veranda in q
low chair busily engaged in netting. Like
Penelope's web, her task seemed endless,
she seldom raised her eyes from her
work, which engrossed all her attention.
An old Irishwoman, who was continually
lowering about, either wedding or watering
the garden, appeared to be her only domes-
tic, but / was soon to become better &C
qusinted with both lady and servant.
One hot January afternoon I was plod-
ding slowly homeward, my mind full Of q
certain stiff German exercise required by
Herr H on the morrow. In nv pre-oc-
cupation I was in the act of passing the
white cottage with the green veranda
see If the old lady was in her accustomed
place, when Q cry of unmistakable anguish
from the interior arrested my steps. To
uniatch the garden gate and hurry up to
the 'front.' door was the work of a moment.
whether to knock and offer nv services. or
retrace my steps. While I hesitated the
door WA opened from within, and the old
irishwoman presented herself, reckoning
me to enter. Silently. I followed her into a
TWILL, OllSAU WILL
pictures, books and flowers. This much 1
took In at the frst glance; my second rested
on the evident cause Of the old Irish
woman's dtstress-the pale, inanimatef form
c o. nsr mistress nss which lay Stretched on a
was in q dead faint, a phase of indispo-
sit,on sufficiently alarming to her faithful
DOMESTIC, who, II an agony of tears, asked
II Il was any use to send for the doctor.
Now ! had had considerable experience in
Tho GrRQtmQnf nf fainfin0 Afc ~r r41fha,.
being ~unhappily subject to frequent lapses
INTO inconsistencies, from which, acting
under the doctors orders, I had generally
been successful In recovering her. 1 there
Tore spoke reassuringly to old Mally-she
had told me her name-and at once set
about applying the restoratives to the in
valid that / had found SO useful on former
occasions. In q shorttime we had the salts
faction. 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 a puzzled
"You have been ill., 1 explained, gently,
and Aally and have been trying to make
ut is very good Of you to take SO much
trouble with q foolish old woman, my
dear, she replied, in a weak voice; and the
ghost Of q smile fitted over her pallid face.
AOuid n foolish i' Indignantly repeated
Mally, furtively. drying her eyes on her
apron, and turning a beaming face towards
her mistress. ssSnre, it's Joking YOU are,
Miss Kathleen. n what would Masther
shane say, did he hear you miscalllng his
sweet Kerry rosei"
wonderful effect on the invalid. A faint
pink q suffused her cheeks, her eyes
shone, SO that for the moment she looked
almost pretty. The change, however, was
but feeting. The color quickly faded, her
eyes resumed their usual expression, and
murmuring something to the effect hat one
is always fair to those who love one, she
closed her eyes, as if to shut out some dis
agreeable recollection. Presently she said
ing, why do you Iinger! Old age is creeping
on, and 1 am weary of w~aiting-oh, so
wearyn And as she spoke, the tears
trickled slowly down her thin cheeks.
Twas glad when the entrance of the maid
Mally to place the tray On a small table
beside her, the little lady sat up, Inc in
sisted on pouring out a cup of tea for me,
apologizing,. while handing me the bread
and butter, for what she called her rude.
ness. II was overcome with old memories,
my dear, so I hope you will excuse me-
The tea was strong, and under its stimu.
Eating influence my hostess became quite
telkative. She told me her name was
Kathleen M~oonshee; that she was by birth
been for more than thirty years resident in
Victoria. "But 1 have never quite liked
the colony, my DEAR" she said in her gentle
way; sand Mally and 1 would have left il
long ago, but for a reason of our own
There is q friend. a very dear friend, whc
has promised to join US some day soon, il
may be to-day" and her eyes frightened
81 can not tell for certain, however. But
when he does come we shall all go home
together to the cool, green Kerry meadow
and its beautiful lakes. You have heard,
dare say, of the lakes of Killarneym
I admitted I had read of them, but begged
her to describe them, which she did in
rather rambling fashion, stopping fire
quently to inquire if she were wearying me
At last the clock warned me that it wa;
getting late, and I rose to go.
"Am I to have the pleasure of seeing you
again2" asked Miss Moonshee, as she tool
my proffered hand. "Mally and l are no
very entertaining, but we should be de
lighted to see you if you care to come
~ shall be very pleased to GOMEZ" ] re
Piled; and shaking her hand heartily, tool
my leave, being followed to the gate by thu
old Irishwoman, calling down blessings OF
when / told the story of my adventur,
ut home, at the same time declaring m,
intention of paying Miss Moonshee al
early visit, my father laughed, and pattet
me ON the cheek. "Pleasey yourself, Polly,
he said; ssbut I am inclined to think you
new friend is neither more nor less than
harmless lunatic."
Ny fathers opinion of Miss Moonshee dit
not greatly astonish me: There wa
decidedly something peculiar about her
but, argued /, that is no reason why
should not fulfill my promise. SO it cam'
about that two days later l again fount
myself in the littls lady's parlor. This vlsi
proved the foregppner OF nse4E more
hatsl, frpp y ee41EeDsl caller . ~ WHIT