The Saint Paul globe., 1900-11-12

so much intermixed With tie Saxon
strain, so muddled up with the 'rotur-
ier element, that it is good for nothing
why, that very list of marriages that
you read just now, was enough to go to
ones heart-O' Briens and O'Moores, and
OTooles and McCarthy's allying thc M
selves with Bradys, and Robinsons, and
B1rches. The old names have no mean
ing in them now--as for blood It's my be-
lief that with the exception of what
flows in my veins, there is not dep Of
undiluted blood in Ireland
After this modest announcement Miss
ONeill returned to her seat, but suffered
her work to lie on her knee " bile her
hands were folded idly On the top of it.
This is a subject that I have very
much at heart" she resumed, looking
suddenly at Molly and detecting the ghost
of smilc on her face, 'in fact l may say
that [ have devoted my life to the
consideration of it.
fThe country is going to ruin. Old Gus
toms are forgotten. old relations broken,
the old stock rapidly vanishing from the
iand; new wants and new grievances have
arlSed before the old ones were redressed,
and with all this there seems to be a
revolutionary tide spreading over the
country which threatens to sweep away
our few remaining landmarks. What
though the fate of the nation depenGei on
her response. 1T seems to me that the
only thing to save Ireland now is for the
remnant OF her ancient nobility to make
a stand, to rally round their country, to
conquer existing evils, and restore former
good. If there are grievances to be re-
dressed, who so fit to inquire into them
as these, whose ancestors have lived and
died for Erin? If the people require lead
ers, let them be led by the descendants
Of the chiefs who marched their fore
fathers to battle! Let these, their law
full rulers, live amongst them, and inter-
est themselves in them and teach them -
Yes, but will they asked Molly, as
ne me old lady paused for breath, her
cheeks flushed. her eyes FLASHING" her del
icate nostrils dilated with excitement
All, there you have touched the root
OF them will not. They are foolish, care
less, degenerate-they dc not see things
in the light that I do. Even my own
father, though in him there was no alien
element to interfere with the traditions
of our race, even he spent nearly all his
life abroad, and cared little for either
people or property: But when succeed
ed to the estates, ] sWore l would devote
my life to them, and l did I resolved
only to marry one who, with a name as
noble as my own, was imbued with like
principles. None such coming forward
behold me-a SpinSter to this day NV
life has been full--however, and indeed
| have been glad many time not to be
hampered with family cares 1 have
been unusually lucky, too. l must own,
for a year or two after I inherited the
property | was left a large fortune by
L married.
had he been my equal in rank. With this
money cleared Off the membranes,
improved the condition of the people, and,
in fact, was enabled to carry out my ia
Vorite plans. You will judge for yourself
Of the working of them. As you NAV
see, L live in certain style''-glancing
around S1II9Ul the luXurious room" perhaps too
much so, you may say, for a single old
woman; but have q two-fold object In
view. Not only do 7 keep up the state
necessary TO uphold my position and add
weight to my influence and authority
but L give employment and benefit the
community at large. Nothing comes in
side my doors but what is of Irish man
ufacture, or at least procured from an
Irish firm. ] have taught my people to
apply to me in all their difficulties, to
refer to me in all their disputes; 1 make
myself acquainted with the circumstances
! Of the very poorest among them. I sift
their grievances, ] inquire into their wo1 s.
| and l entertain largely, that my fellow
country folk of higher rank, encouraged
by my success and led on by my example
may be induced to put plans Ike rnine
into execution
Nelly pondered much over her new ex-
perience during the evening; and, even
after retiring TO her four poster, could
not rid herself of the impression pro-
duced by the strange. vivid. puzzling per-
sonality OF her hostess. So much in
deco, vas she under this influence that
en- az last failing asleep, Miss O'Neill, in
the gulse of queen, peivaded her dreams
with a gold crown on her silver locks
and wearing regal mantle CT red fan
mel.