The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-06
lucky God-Child.

.AolInSlAy 50 acOmmOn among the lr1SN
peasantry. Far back in the local his
tory Of Ballycarney, it was said, an
O'Farrel had betrayed a Malone to
the English. A second version of the
vendetta's origin was that, genera tons
before a Malone had been suspected of
purloining certain hens, ducks and
other poultry from the O'Farrell farm
yard. Whichever accouns was the true
one, the fact remained that, beyond the
memory of the oldest inhaIbitant, the
O'Farrells and Malones had been at
odds Indeed, but for the humorous
schemes, and kindly withal, of the Rev.
Peter Walsh, the families might have
continued foes to this day.
1t came to pass that the head Of the
Malone household was one Shaemus
Veg, or little James" wiry, argu-
mentative old farmer, who still wore
the antiquated knee breeches and
buckled shoon Of the early century. At
the same period the opposition faction
was headed by Maurya O'Farrell, an
/. elderly widow; who, being an O'Far-
rell, both by birth and marriage, natur-
ally cherished double dislike for the
Malones. Her hatred was fully re-
s ciprocated by old Shaemus Veg
For years Father Walsh, the village
pastor, labored earnestly to make
peace between the warning households,
but in vain Shaemus Veg positively
declined to meet Mrs. O'Farrell half
way in the negotiations for peace;
while the widow was equally de-
termined on the opposite side. Father
y Walsh would have given up the at
tempt in despair had not fate come to
his rescue by introducing Kathy Ryan
upon the scene.
Kathy Ryan was a baby-and a re-
markably plump and vociferous baby
at that. Her father and mother were
well-to-do farmer folk; but newcomers
to Ballycarney. For the latter reason
they had no ties Of relationship with
the people-truly a singular fact in
Ballycarney district, where almost
every family is related or connected in
some way, near or distant, with every
other. The Ryans, having no kin in
the parish, asked Father Walsh to
choose for them suitable sponsors to
act at the christening Of their daughter.
At this the good priest smiled hap
PLY: and proposed the names of Shae-
mus Veg Malone and the Widow O'Far-
rell
5a olialSllWdy4 10 fonaeHluS ana the
widow went Farmer Ryan It was
quite compliment in Ballycarney to
be asked to STAND as godfather or
godmother; so that, since neither was
told the name Of the other sponsor,
both leaders in the O'Farrell- Malone
feud consented to be present at the
baptismal font Of Baby Kathy When
the truth did leak out, they were too
proud to withdraw their promises, be-
ing fearful withal that such a with
drawal might be regarded as cow
ardice.
The christening day arrived, and half
Ballycarney assembled to witness the
meeting between Shaemus Veg and the,
widow. But if Ballycarney expected
any undue display of temper or the
like, Ballycarney must have been bit
terly " disappointed. Little Kathy
Ryan's sponsors bore themselves with
the utmost dignity. Not single glance
did they exchange throughout the cere-
money; and when, in the churchyard
afterward, Father Walsh tried to use
the joint sponsorship as an excuse for
making peace, they merely declined his
kind offices with thanks and went their
several ways.
Years passed, and Kathy Ryan grew
out of the stage of babyhood into that
Of flower-picking and blackberry hunt
ing.
One day when the sun looked down
with his kindliest smile upon the young
corn in the valley, Kathy's mother tied
sheltering bonnet about the child's
head and sent her across the meadows
toward the farm house Of the Widow
0'Farrell
Not finding the widow at home,
Kathy went on to her godfather's, and
be was absent also. She marched off
more intent upon explorations Of her
own.
Into the fragrant fields she went; and
the -raptures there were more alluring
than ever; so much so, indeed, that she
strayed out of the beaten track into the
Kileesha woods, and even across the
boundaries Of Castle Carney Park
The Widow O'Farrell came back
srom marketing about noon; and a
veXed woman she was when she
learned that Kathy had left the farm
without seeing her.
"An' me bringin' her sweets from
Ba1lycarney fair, too!' she com
planned. After dinner I'll put on my
cloak and go across the fields to Mrs.
Ryan's"
After the MONDAY meal, accordingly,
the widow dOnned her heavy black
cloak, and, carrying sundry delicacies
for her godchild, set forth towards the
y Ryan farm.
1T happened that long before Shae-
anus Veg had returned from his mead
owing t. hear of Kathy'; fruitless
visit.
"Afther dinner he said, "Pll take
my stick an walk down to Kyan's.''
The two sponsors arrived at Farmer
Ryan's yard gate about the same
time, and great was their consterna-
ton when they discovered that Kathy
& had not returned from her journey.
Z. 'lyirra! Wirra, walled Mrs O-Far-
rell. tits lost the child is-lost or
carried off by gipsiesr
Z. I'll go out an search for her. ex-
claimed Shaemus Veg, starting off at a
round pace down the boreen.
Faith an il he searches for her,
Ill search for her, too cried the wild
ow. tits me she came to see, any
how. not that thief o. the world