Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1900-06-01
BILL DooDY's RENT

"Oh ullagone, uil igonel this Is
wide world but what win we do IN
1t or where will we got" muttered Bill
Doody, as he sat ON a rock by the
Lake Of Killarny. What will we do?
To-morrow's rent-llay, and Tim the
Driver swears If we don't pay up our
rent he'll cart every ha-pOrth we
have; and then, sure enough, there's
Judy and myself, and the poor little
grawls (children) will be turned out
to starve on the high road, for the
never n half-penny of rent have Il
Oh hone, that ] should live to see this
dayr
Thus did Bill Doody bemoan his
hard fate pouring his sorrows to the
reckless waves of the most beautiful
lakes which seemed to mock his mis-
cry, as they rejoiced beneath the
cloudless sky of a May morning, That
I lake, glittering In sunshine sprinkled
with fairy islands of rock and YER
dure. and bounded by giant hills of
ever-varying hues, might, with its
magic beauty, charm all sadness but
despair; for alas,
How i'll the scene that offers rest
And hearth that cannot rest agreer
Yet Bill Doody was not so desOlate
as he supposed: there was one listen
ing to him he little thought of; help
was at hand from a quarter he could
not have expected.
whats the matter with you. my
poor mani" said a tall, portly-lOoking
gentleman, at the same time stepping
out Of n furze-brake. Now Bill was
seated on a rock that commanded the
view OF a large field Nothing in the
field could be concealed from him eX-
cept this furze- brake. which grew in n
hollow near the margin of the lake.
He was, therefore, not little sur
prised at the gentleman's sudden ap-
Dearance. and began to question
whether the parsonage before him be-
longed to this world or not He, how
ever, soon mustered courage sufficient
to tell him how his crops had failed
how some bad member had charmed
away his butter, and how Tim the
driver, threatened to turn him out Of
the farm if he didn't pay up every
penny of the rent by twelve o'clock
next day.
"a sad story, indeed said the
stranger; "but surely, If you represen-
ted the case to your landlords agent,
he won't have the heart to turn you
out"
Heart, your honor! where would
an agent get hearth exclaimed Bill
81 see your honor does not know him;
besides, he has an eye on the farm
this long time for a fOsterer of his
own; so l expect no mercy at all, at
all, only to be turned out"
"Take this, my poor fellow, take
this" said the stranger, pouring n
purse full of gold into Bill's old hat,
which in his grief he had flung on
the ground "Pay the fellow your rent
but I'll take care 1t shall do him no
good. ! remember the time when
things went otherwise in this cOun-
! try, when l would have hung up such
a fellow in the twinkling of an eyer
These words were lost upon Bill
who was insensible to everything but
the sight of gold and before he could
uufix his gaze, and lift up his head to
pour out his hundred thousand bless
| ings, the stranger was gone The be-
wildered peasant looked around in
search of his benefactor, and at last
he thought he saw him riding on a
white horse long way off on the
lake.
"O'DonOghue, O'DonOghuep' shout
ed Bill; "the good, the blessed O'Don-
/ oghue"' and he ran capering like n
madman to show Judy the gold, and
/ to rejoice her heart with the prospect
| of wealth and happiness.
| The next day Bill proceeded to the
1 agents; not sneakingly, with his hat
/ i'm his hand his eyes fixed ON the
! ground and his knees bending under
| him; but bold and upright, like a man
conscious of his independence.
"Why don't you take off your hat
/ fellow? don't you know you are speak
/ ing to magistrate?" said the agent
| 81 know I'm not speaking to the
king sir" said Bill; land l never
take off my hat but to them can res
pect and love. The Eye that sees all
knows l have no right either to res
/ pect or love an agent!'
"YOu scoundrelr' retOrted the man
in the office, biting his lips with rage
{ at such an unusual and unexpected
opposition. "Tll teach you how to be
insolent again-I have the power, re-
member"
ITO the cost of the country, | know
! you have" said Bill who still re-
manned with his head as firmly COW
/ cred as If he was the Lord Kingsale
himself
"But, come" said the magistrate;
have you got the money for me?-this
is rent-day If there's one penny of 1t
wanting, or the running gale that's
/ due, prepare to turn out before night,
! for you shall not remain another hour
in possession.
"There is your rent" said Bill. with
an unmoved expression of tone and
eountenance; you'd better count It,,
and give me a receipt In full for the
running gale and all.
The agent gave a look Of amazement
at the gold; for 1t was gold-real gum
eas! and not bits of dirty ragged small
notes, that are only fit to light ones
pipe with. However willing the agent
may have been to ruin, as he thought,
the unfortunate tenant, he took up the
gold, and handed the receipt to Bill
who strutted off with It, as proud as
a cat of her whiskers.
The agent, going to his desk shortly
after, was COMPOUNDED at beholding a
heap of gingerbread cakes instead of
the money he had deposited there. He
raved and swore, but all to no pur-
pose; the gold had become ginger
bread cakes; just marked like the
guineas, with the kings head. and Bill
had the receipt in his pocket; so he
saw there was no use in saying any
thing about the affair. as he would on
ly get laughed at for his pains.
From that hour Bin Doody grew
rich; all his undertakings prospered;
and he often blesses the day that he
met with ODOn0ghue. the great
prince that lives down under the Lake
Of Killarney.
Danger AVerted.
I'm late downtown everyday now. "
What detains your"