The Irish standard., 1886-12-04
Sui Dhuv,
THE COINER.
BY GERALD GRIFFIN ,
author of 'The Collegians,' ae.
CHAPTER II.-{ContinQed.)

CHAPTER II.--{Contin Qed.)
ssAp' the legs! You'd imagine the
acaives O. them got hungry, an went
down about the ankles, seeing would
there be wisp O. hay in the brognes at
all.'7
Paddy Moran needn't ak a better
bow to his fiddle at dance in the par
ish, any way
'sHeaven bless your workl'' said the
eldest of the travellers, in strong Ger
man accent, not nn1ningled with de-
gree of the broad. drawing patois OF
the people he was addressing, as turn
in the road brought both parties within
hail.
can you likewise!' was returned by
a few voices while some (such is the in
fuence of wealth. conquered their con-
tempt for the race of usurpers SO far as
to touch their hats.
"The village Of Court-Mattress is ff-
teen long miles from you yet, - said an
elderly laborer, IN answer to an inquiry
made at him by the old Palantine
.sWho can them be, now?" he continued.
as, after short consultation, the two
strangers put spurs to the steeds. aud
uuickened their pace from al equiyocal
kind OF canter to a jolting, bone. break
ing trot-'An' the sarvint after 'em,
tool Gondoutha! It's easy for ye! But
stir-stlr, Jerry; what bizniz is it of
ours? am Paddy Barret six sads ahead
of uz. an the master coming over the
gap, see.'
We will follow the travellers. The
evening was bright, still and sunny
The air was quiet, the sky cloudless, the
calm SO profound that the voices OF
some sportsmen on the distant hills
were heard almost as plainly by the
wayfarers as if they had been speaking
in the adjacent fields, and the sound of
the Race. though many miles distant
from them, came with faint, but deep
and perceptible influence upon their
hearing. 1t was already far into the
season of ear and blossom, and the
country side over which they rode pre-
sented scene Of beauty and abundance
which, had shey passed the same way in
few months after, would have formed
Il wonderful contrast to the general ap-
pearance OF want and misery which,
then as we'll as now, the great encour-
ment held out to exporters OF provision
occasioned in the winter season in Ire
land. Here q wide plain covered with
barley yet green in car undulated like
summer lake, and there the potato
spread its dark green covering over
many an acre, one particle Of the pro-
d,1ae OF which was doomed never, per-
haps, to supply days s11stenaz.ce to
the wretch by whose labor they had
been cultivated. On one hand the
sober wheat contrasted it's grave and
wealthy air with The light rustliug OF the
oatfe}d that adjoined it; while further in
the distance many g field of rape, al
ready in blossom, showed like broad
sheets Of sold, }nlaid, as il to impart ad
ditional splenaor to the gigantic mosaic
of nature.
After they had passed out OF the hear
ing of che group of the peasants, the two
foremost of the travellers resumed con-
versation which appeared TO have been
only interrupted for the purpose of OBJ
tanning information as to the progress
of their route.
"Indeet, Mr.. Shine,'' said the old
man, after he had compressed his lips
and given vent to Il heavy sigh-"the
cause is more than I gan tell you; that
some change must have taken place, /
am perfectly certain, and ZONE unpleas~
ant one, too, for poor Sarah was one of
the most dutif1,l children that ever par~
ent blessed. 1T is very true that [ sus-
pected something when she mentioned
in one OF her latest letters the appear
apce of that young rrtfian about the
village, and my heart burned within me
when the poor deluded creature limited
the possibility Of his becoming reform
ed and graceful member She might as
well talk of the Evil One becoming a re-
formed and graceful member; for except
what amendment the gallows will work
in him, Dionysius will never be anything
better than al migrate and proagate.
'sHe that can ingraft strange branches
on the tree may surely at his pleasure
revive the old and discovered" said his
companion. ''But the common acci-
dents of life may have caused an inter
mission in your correspondence without
any failure of duty on the part Of your
child, whom bless in my soul-remem-
bering we'll her comeliness, and her do
ciity Oh the occasion of my sojourning
an evening at her aunt's, to whose care,
r he1ieve Won committed her. on leav-