Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1886-11-10
neither more nor less than harmless

shee did nQtA ggeatiy astonish me
There was decidedly something pecul
lar about hers but, argued ], that is
no reason why should not fulfill my
promise. So it came about that two
| days later | again found myself in the
little lady's parlor. This visit proved
the forerunner of many more, until
from an occasional caller at the white
cottage with the green veranda posts
/ became the daily visitor and init
mate friend of its mistress. l had
learned to love poor little Miss Moon,
shee with a protecting fondness such
as the young and strong sometimes
entertain for the old and weak. More
over, to me she seemed the embodi-
ment of that old world refinement
that, assertive young colonial as
was, could thoroughly appreciate,
Irish lady, looking eagerly for my com
ing, and following me with wistful
glances when ! took my leave. She
spoke but seldom of her past, and al
though advertlng at times to her long
expected friend, seemed, on the whole.
to prefer drawing me on to talk Of my
school friends and studies. Then, on
a Saturday afternoon, she would war
BILE plaintive Irish ballads to her harp
in a wonderfully clear, true voice, the
sound of which always drew old Nal
ly from the kitchen. l was accustom-
ed on these occasions to sing "The
Wearin' O. the Green" to a piano ac-
compartment; and when Mally's ha-
tional enthusiasm was sufficiently
stirred by its irresistible passion and
pathos to dash into q Jig, thereby set
ting the old lady to caperlng like a
true daughter OF Erin.
Mally Invariably apologiZed to her
mistress for Shaking her loot, as she
termed the antics she INDUCED in; then
bestowing an admiring glance on me,
usually added insinuatingly: Sure,
Miss. nobody as hadn't drop of the
real ould blood could lift the tune as
you do"
You think she has Kerry blood in
her veins, Mally2" Miss Moonshee
would say, with smile.
"Sorra doubt of it; and if Masther
Shane heard her play The Rocky
Roads to Dublin, he'd say the same"
The little lady's face always REDEEM
ed at the mention of the foregoing
name. and noticed that Immediately
afterwards she became restless, max.
ing frequent excursions to the window,
from viii h she returned signing heavi-
ly. l had long ago identified
''Masther Shane" with the dear
friend whose advent she anticipated.
Some old lover" | said to myself,
knocking about the world, but still
confidently expected by the faithful
heart, that believed in VOWS long since
forgotten by the wanderer." Was
this how matters stood, or was the
much -talked-of friend a phantom OF
poor little Miss Moonshee's weak
brain?
l put the question rather abruptly
to old Mally one day when engaged in
interviewing her parrot in the kitchen:
"Who is Mr.. Shane? and do you real
ly expect him2'
The old Irishwoman's face went as
white as the table napkin she was
ironing. What put it into your pref
ty head to ask?" she inquired, coax
ingy, but with suspicious glance.
We'll, Mally, have thought more
than once that, as the Scotch say, he
is lang IN comm"
You may we'll say long Miss" re-
turned old Mally, tearfully. "Tisn't
in this world Miss Kathleen will ever
set eyes on him.
"You dom mean to say heis dead?"
exclaimed.
The old woman nodded mournfully,
then asked in a whisper If l was quite
sure her mistress was asleep. Yes. !
was quite sure; she had dozed off while
| was playing one of my simple lula
had fallen into profound slumber.
''The saints send her dreamsof Mas
ther Shane" piously calculated Mally,
who, like her mistress, belonged to the
"ould religion" "for tits the only COM
fort she has, poor darling"
But Mr. Shane, who was he?" II
put in, eagerly.
Zone OF the ould O'Connells, of
course. Kings they were before the
conquest, Miss, and from the first to
last al open-handed race. And by
reason OF that same generosity
Masther Shane when he came OF
age found that, saving the ould hall |
and 200 acres OF bog, sorra foot |
Of the great estates of his ancestors |
belonged to him. And now, Miss, I'll |
tell you the whole story, for it's Won |
deserves o be treated like a friend of |
the family. SO kind you We been to my |
poor lady" There was solemn |
ook on her wrinklnd face as she made
the promise, and without further pre-.
amble, old Mally related her tale,
as follows:
Miss Kathleen and Masther Shane !
we're cousins, and reared together at |
The Hall by Miss O'Connell, their aunt,
or they were orphans. Fine children
hey were, and they grew up among
The kindly Kerry folks, who loved
hem for their own saKes as we'll as
or the good blood that showed itself
20 plainly in both. For hadn't
Miss Kathleen the bloom of the
'ose, the eye of the dove,
Ind the sweetest temper in
And WASH Masther Shane
all and handsome, with curley black
lair, the eye of the hawk, and the
'Oblu OCdL IiS Vi UilC " SOIlilbllS! cure |
hey were made for each other, every
,ody said, and SO they seemed to think,
he young master being barely FL and
lis cousin Ii when they were betroth-
d. Wirra! but sorrow was at hand.
Hiss O'Connell, the aunt, died, and
Ter income, that had kept them all
omfortable, died with her; SO, as l
aid before, except the ould Hall, q bit
# wet bog and trifie OF money in the
ank, Masther Shane was left penni-
Esq. As for Miss Kathleen, her sweet
ice was her fortune.
"Well, Miss, thepoor young masther
'as nigh desperate; he couldn't tear
imself away from his cousin; and if
e married her, there was little but
before them. Twas
lighty hard on the young crea-
ures; but the darker things look
i, the closer they chung to one
mother; and however Respondent he (
hight be, the masther had always a
nile for Miss Kathleen; while she,
cd bless her, loved the very ground {
9 walked on. / had nursed them +,
9TH ~ n,,ito ,