The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-11-02

IueIllll NICldul was iOt III d puItitu-
iarly good humor as he strobe along
the rough moutain path whiStling n
faction tune between his teeth, and
cutting s~avagely at the wayside
brambles, that shivered In the sharp
east wind. which, appropriately
enough, was heralding the Lenten sea-
Judged from Mr.. McCaul's stand
point. the situation was Il tantalizing
one. Here he was Il a of thirty-four.
with a tidy bit put by. a snug farm
and no encumblance wl6tcvcr, actu-
ally unmarried this blessed ASH
Wednesday eve, and likely to remain
so during the coming twelve months,
ell owing to the unreasonableness of
II Thady O'Ratferty, whose daughter
Mollie Phelim sought in marriage the
negotiations having been broken off
that very evening for positively the
last time.
Had Phelim been a trifle older, or n
trl1e more philosophic, he would
have probably told himself the disap-
pointment was simply a blessing in
disguise, but being still young, and not
at all Il philosopher. he chafed t~iercely
at the broken match and heartily
cursed Mr.. O'Rafferty as he went.
Absorbed in bitter reflections, he did
not hear the approaching rattle of gig
wheels behind, and it was not until a
friendly voice had thrice shouted his
name from lungs rendered stentorian
by moutain air, that Phelim knew lie
had a fellow traveller on the road.
Thus challenged he faced around. and,
recognizing his interlocutor as an ac-
%quaintance named Lanigan, who
rented a farm Il mile or so from his
own place, came to a halt.
"Yerrah, Phelim, boy where are We
gOin' at that rate tlis hour O. night?'
asked the newcomer, accommodating
his horses pace to that of the young
man as they moved forward together
"Sure l thought It's down colloquing
with Mollie O'Rafferty ye'd be this
minnit instead of flynn all over tho
country like thistle-down-"
That's all off now" replied Phelim
snlkilv. not we'll pleased at Lanigan'S
observation, but too true an IrishmaI
to resist the temptation Of chatterins
about his own affairs; 'thc name little
blaggard of a father wouldn't give &
penny more than two hundred Quit
with the girl, and he, after as good as
promisin' three hundred 4 fortnight
Ago., an l KNOWN he had eight hun
dred lodged in the bank in Killarney!
is it truth we're tellin' me?'
ooh, divil recave the lie, an devi
recave the ha'penny mora he'd ar
vance; an l, after Swearin' to his fac,
I'd not marry any girl ULder five hun
dred!'
Right y'are. l like Your sperret-"
"Sure, if l did, i'd be disgraced Tor
ever-lavin' meeself down like that
an there's no fear me wife 'ud respec
ne, either"
"Oh, begob, I suppose he though
that as We were dacent ye'd the sof
vein in yc. too" commented the other
cracking his whip. Il suppose he be
feved that since Miss Mollie was a
the convent for Il year an could pla,
yer shoulders"
Faith. then he yer made n bigge
mistake in his life" retorted the nc
jected sutton, knitting his short
straight brows, there's not such
differ between wan girl an another a
all that. an 'twould take a kcener ma.
tlldl IHdu! lsdiiell! W l'ot IuO, "hS
way-hlmself an his daughter. til
cross-eyed-"
81 don't wonder at yer foclin' hurt,
i%nterposed Lanigan smoothly, rs h
refined up, for they had reached a spc
where the road branchel off in diffel
ent directions, but never say di'
there's as good fish in the say as eve
was caught, an if ye're willin', We ca
still be a married man this vel
Shrove!"
Phelim laughed bitterly; he was
no mood for wooing now.
81 have three daughters yonder
pursued the other. pointing in the d
rection of the undulating uplands rol
ing away to the heights beyond, whel