The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-28

home. Earnin' money for yourself, be-
dadl Deed now what notion she had
ia her minds as plain TO see as the seeds
I'm a ripe gooseberry. Putin you out
of it was the way she'd have the chance
of gettin' young Dan for her own girl
and that's what she's after doin' on
YOU"
"She's welcome" said Rosanne des-
perately.
"Och. that's just talkin', Rosanne,"
said Martha, II was spalSin' about it to
your father on Tuesday. I'd ha' thought
he'd be none too well pleased, but he
said nothin' agin 1t. Isuppose she had
HIM persuaded, poor man. And Dams
mother was akin me had heard tell
anythin' about a young chap was coort-
in you up here. Mark my words, that's
the story your stepmother's been put
tin into their heads. But tould Mrs.
MCLEAN there wasn't a iotum of truth
In 1t as far as knew. And there isn't
in coorse?" Martha said, glancing agai'a
rather suspiciously at the grand hat.
maybe there is, and maybe there
isn't" said Rosanne defiantly. Its no
affair of anybody's. Let other people
mind their own business, and I'll mind
mine. And let them plase themselves
the pack of them-and they'll place me.
liar; but it's little / trouble meself
about them. And it's time for me to be
runnin' back, or else I'll be too late.
So good night to you kindly-och don't
be delayin' me, you ould tormint!"
Rosanne whisked the corner of her
shawl out of Martha's OBTAINING grasp,
and ran away down the field. AS she
went she struck up Norah Creina, and
sang it Justify as long as she thought
herself within hearing; but her mind
was not at all occupied with that gentle,
bashful heroine. The sun had disap-
peared behind the rounded tops of Dru-
maree Wood while she talked to Martha,
and the vivid lights had gone out among
the haycocks and hedges. Everything
had grown dimly green, soft and cool,
and when she left off singing, not q
sound was to be heard. But her
thoughts were travelling through the
scorching, kissing, whirling chaos into
which this thunder bolt of tidings had
shattered the world before her. Dan,
and the little house of her own, and love
and trust, and fine wedding and the
Aylesbury ducks Mrs. Conyoy promised
her, and her pride in old Tim Donagh's
remark that she had got the best lad
on the townland-all were swept away
from her, and in their places seethed a
food of jealousy, rage and despair. AS
its first rush subsidized, she recollected
several things that seemed like disre-
gartled warnings of Martha's news. She
had wondered now and again that Dan
had never managed to get over and see
her between this and Easter; and then
the last time old Biddy Doran from his
place was up ut the farm he hadn't
sent e'er n message by her at all. The
reason was plain enough now. And
with that, Rosapne bcthought her of
the letter which she had sent by John
Gahan, and which might be delivered
by this time. Perhaps Dan was at that
minute of time laughing with Maggie
should be wasting his evening street.
ing off to meet Rosanne Tiernsy at Kill
brackan. Cock her up. This possi-
bility was the cruel little barb OF morti.
fica,ion by which the crushing bulk of
her misfortune caught hold of her mind,
and she ragged herself for having igno.
Iantly wrought IL.
But circumstances seldom allow us to
rage long uninterrupted, and while
Rosanne walked on, the fields grew
DINNER, and the green grayer, and the
breeze chillier, and the grass wetter,
until at last she found that the thorny
briers which twitched her by the shawl
as she passed them, were beginning to
ask her where she was going. 1t was
n apuzzling question. To 60 home among
those false, scheming, triumphant
creatures, could not for a moment be
thought of. IL would he more tolerable
20 return and face the storm in the dairy
at Kilcrumlyn farm. and even that was
quite impossible. On such considera-
tion as she could give, only one answer
occurred 10 her. She would go to her
Aunt Lizzie Mahony, her mothers sis
ter. who had always been good natured
and friendly. The Mahonys, IL was
true, lived rather n long step Off, some
where beyond Hewitstown; still she
thought she could certainly coutriye 20
get there In the course OF the next day.
and she knew they would bc glad 10
see hes. After that, her future was all
drearlly vague. She supposed that she
could get field work 10 do, and some-
times she even thought wildly of turI.
ing ballad singer. Dan used 10 say that
she had voice fit TO make her fortune;
but of course that might only have been
one of his lies. for IL was evident you
could not believe word that came out
OF his head The further her feet and
her reflections travelled. the more at
tractive grew the picture O. the Ma.
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