Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-04-22
A LITTLE irish GIRL.
ny "The Duchess.''
CHAPTER ].
What is lovel IT'S not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter
INhnflo 20 10 am

.DrlQget! BrlQgct.' cries BflQSet
young mistress, in a clear, sweet tone.
There is something OF anxiety in it
enough to make the old woman to
whom the name belongs hobble more
swiftly from the kitchen to the sitting
room than is her usual custom.
"An' what is it. agrap" says she,
stepping over the threshold, and look
ing up the big, bare room to where. in
the third window, tall, slight,
childish figure is standing.
Something dreadful, I'm certain.
Come here! Come herep' reckoning
hurriedly to the old woman, without
taking her eyes of tho window.
Hurry, can't youp Look out over
there"-pointing. what is thatp A
man, ehp-a man hurt, woundedP"
''Faix, tbs like THAR says the old
woman, laying her hand to her brow,
and staring into the growing dark
ness OF the November evening.
"What can be the matter with him,
Bridget"
II don't know, me dear. But he do
look bad. whatever it isl"
HE shouldn't have come this way"
says Miss McDermot, anxiously.
"YOu know those boys down there,
and thoseAOh Bridget! did you see!
He was nearly in them!'
MAY the devil carry him" says
Bridget, wrathfully, whoever he is,
for throublin' We like this! An may
the heavens sind him hinse, to kape
him for the future from searchin' for
cowld mud baths at this SEASON of the
year"
You never care a pin about any
thing, Bridget" says her young mis-
tress, glancing angrily at her over her
shoulder, except
You, me dear!' retorts the old
woman promptly; whereupon both
mistress and maid laugh in u subdued
sort of way, as if little afraid of be-
ing heard
"'Pon me conscience! he'll be there
all night If the morning doesn't see
him in the other world" says the old
woman presently, who again has re-
turned to her watching of the distant
figure that is trying in an uncertain
fashion to cross the mOrass. She is IL
rather handsome old woman, with
masses OF snow-whlte hair, that are
but partly hidden beneath her still
more snowy cap. Her dress is that of
the ordinary Irish peasant, with Il big
white apron flowing over the skirt of
the gown.
whoever he is" says Miss McDer-
mot, peering over the old servant
shoulder through the parlor window,
"he certainly knows nothing of the
neighborhood. Ours is about the most
dangerous bog about here. Don't you
think. Bridget, we ought to send some
one to help himp'
unless We name me-" says Mrs.
Driscoll. whose Christian name is
Bridget, II don't know who We can
sind; us We know well enough yerself,
miss Gam faix It's you We had cause to
know iD, the master niver lets Patsy
out ov his sight from mornin' till
night. 'Twould be ridiculous to count
on him. An besides-Glory be. miss!
did We see thatp For Il winged bird,
he's IL wonderful Topper"
Indeed the man in the bog below
seems lin spite of the fact that he is
battling with an injured ARM extra
ordioarily full of life. The i'll luck that
has led him into this dangerous mass
of water and spongy soil is not strong
enough TO destroy him. even us the
Two women, watching him breathlessly
In the window of the gaunt old house,
have almost given way to despair, he
makes last effort, and, landing on a
firm bit of turf, jumps from that
again to the firm land beyond.
That last effort seems, however to
have exhausted him. He staggers
Ipnt ban fh,,n al.
AS he nears it, the girl, watching him,
can see how CHASTITY is his face; and,
flinging open the d-fashioned case
ment with an abrupt gesture, she
springs down to the soft grass beneath.
regardless of the old servants remon-
strances.
A few minutes brings her to the
strangers side.
"You are hurt, sir. You are faint.
Lean on me- Oh! we watched yor
crossing that terrible bog, and at one
time we feared But you are safe
now. You will come in? Your arm,
fear, isl
Broken" says the young man, with
a nervous smile.
''Oh! l hope not. Sprained, per.
hoo OlohcI. lnIte. -urc
you easier nowp Lean heavier on me-
! don't mind it bit; and-.Oh, dom,
faint! oh, Patsy! Patsy!'-to the
groom, gardener, bootcleaner. man-of.
all-work, who comes hurrying up to
her. Catch him! He's awful heavy. y
Patsy catches him.
''ls he dead entirely, dye think,
missn'
mo; only tainted. There! Be care
full! His arm, he says, is broken
There, now! Oh is that you
Bridget% (to the old woman, who ha.
hObbled out to her in II very angry
frame of mind: "where can we pu
him. do you think? In the north
roOmp"
The hall will do him, I'm thinkin'
till the docther tell us where to sine
him." says the old woman Jelly. With
open unwillingness she lends hand t.
convey the fainting man into the house
Two or three chairs arranged in tn
hall make an improvised stretcher
but the unconscious man lying OF
them looks so miserably uncomfort
able that the girls heart dies within
her.
HE can't stay there! Take him t.
the north ROOM" she says sharply.
miss Dulcnea, don do thatr' say