Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-31

Poor Perdita has done her work, you see.
| Why don't you go?"
! And himself taking up my portmanteau.
which had fallen from the trap be ore its
headlong descent and lay uninjured close to
the line, he rushed after the departing en-
gine driver, and hurried me into the train:
1 arrived in Cork in time to escape d
reprimand from my chief, and in due time
we steamed for the East. 1t is not so very
long since Her Msjesty's ships, the Dis
aster, the Exploder, and the Blunderer. were
sent out OH their threatening mission, and
everyone remembers how ANONYMOUSLY
those threats had to be Withdrawn. There
is no need to recount that disgraceful story
| over again. We wasted several months
under a burning sun, and having encoun-
tered no other foes but pcstilence and priva-
ton, were called back again without auv
honor, fame or glory. Still, dlsheartened
and disappointed though was (or l have
always longed to prove my bravery, and
never had the chance of doing so), thought
l would nevertheless seek out mysweet Eva,
and tell her that had any laurels and honors
been mine, would have laid them at her
feet.
Accordingly, one stormy night in Febru-
ary 1 secured a berth in one of the North
Wall steamers (Which are considered the
safest), and crossed from Holyhead to Dub
lin. Over the horrors of that passage l will
not linger. Suffice it to say that the Bay of
Biscay is nothing TO it; and l think ought
10 know. Cold, weary and sick, and gen.
orally miserable, 1 reached dry land at last,
and arrived in Dublin in the dismay gray
dawn of a winters morning. l took the
train at once, and, alter several hours
! travelling, reached the house OF my friend,
lnnl- + l,ra rr1iSa h1Q nh Iaaf
| enough. Tom, who was looking partIcu-
larly prosperous and handsome, received
me with the utmost cordially, and. under
the influence of his cheerful hospitality, I
frightened up little.
"By the way" he observed, when he had
established me in an arm chair in front of
roaring fire, and offered me every con-
| ceivable beverage under the sun, 81 must
GO and tell my wife to hurry up luncheon.
You will be glad of something solid, old
fellow, after all you have gone through"
"Your wiieP' 1 exclaimed, "Why, 1
never knew you were married"
''Oh dear, yesl We have been married
four months. You remember Eva Marsac?
Ohl forgot! You were rather sweet upon
her at one time, were you not?'
1 was speechless. This blow was too
| much. The malicious fellow continued, with
a wicked twinkle in his eyes: ..
''lf L recollect rightly, 1 was rather glad
when the time for your departure came. 1
| determined that it should not be put off on
| any account. We had the narrowest escape
of missing the train that 1 ever knew.
thought By Jovel that was a near shavep'
did you tell Eva-Miss Marsac?" I
stammered.
"Oh, yes; should think so! ALPS fair in
love and war, you knowl How she did
laugh, to be sure, when 1 described to her
the blue funk you were in at Perdita's an
tics all the way. Poor PerditaP'
And here Tom sighed. He mad some
feeling for vicious brute, it appeared,
though he had none for his friend. Friendi
1 was his friend no longer! But resolved
not TO betray myself, so 1 bottled up my
feelings. 1 restrained myself even when
Eva came in, looking more lovely than
ever, and that traitorous scoundrel put his
arm round her and introduced her with
provoking smile as "Mrs. Coventry"
l stayed to luncheon, and was witness
OF his undeserved happiness for several
hours. But at the earliest possible oppor-
tunlty framed an excuse for getting away,
and, steadfastlv refusing all Toms offers of
conveyance, 1 drove to the station in a
rickety market Car, drawn by a peaceful
looking hack, which hired in the village.
As mounted this unaristocratic, but safe,
turnout, Tom stood in the doorway with
Eva to see the start. His parting words
before we logged down the drive were not Of
au encouraging nature.
"By tue by" he said carelessly, "old MUIR
ply Flanagan has somehow got it into his
head that you are to blame for poor Per-
dita's sad end. 1 told you, didn't i, about
poor Micky, and how he loved the creature?
The old man was devoted to the mare, for
his sons sake; and he has been vowing ven-
geance against you ever since her DEATH"
"You don't say sor' exclaimed, heartily
wishing that / had never returned to the
country of such an irrational people.
Tom laughed, as if he found something
amusing in the matter.
"He has been threatening all sorts of re-
venge, and he swears that it will be bad
day for you if ever he catches you. So per-
haps it is just as we'll that he should not
have the chance; in this short time should
think he will hardly have got wind of your
being here. Well, if you must go, goodby.
Make haste back to ireland again!'
But all my energies were bent upon has
tening out of Ireland as fast as possible, and
1 felt no incliDation to respond to Toms in
vitation. After his alarming disclosures, it
may be imagined that once more I had a
drive to the station that was anything but a
pleasant ordeal. 1 dreaded ut everv turn
lest some murderous Irish cut-throats should
be lying in wait in the shelter Of hedge.
ready to fire at me as 1 passed, or should
drop upon me from behind a wall, and 1
was haunted by tormenting suspicion that
my driver might possibly be an accomplice
| in the plot. was thankful when L reached
the station in safety and found myself in the
train speeding toward Dublin, and 1 was
more thankful still when I gazed from the
decks of the steamer on the last receding
coasts of the Emerald Isle.
Since then there has never been any occa-
sion for my risking my life in that dangerous
and barbarous country, and the reader may
rest assured that am not likely ever to set
foot unon its inhospItable shores again
Temple Bar.