Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-04-19
!; AT THE BEND OF
!. THE STREAM
By j. p. C0UGHLAN
''PWiJ'' hoo' nv d. II '""g'"d"
9<.$341o9 o9esa< <.A.H1o@%a%1,
"Och. Pat. ye are me dariin':
Yc ar. me hearts delight"

| S2VSSSTcVcSSN&
| och. Pat. ye are me darfin';
Yc ar. me hearts de.Sht!''
Pat Casey stroled down the
q / street OF unit klcloouey,
IL, liking and sinain. us he went.
he smiled broadly On the
| wL..d and ill,. World. or III least Xii
c.aonry. smiled bac!: nj i'a..
When about TO turn down the lane
lhat led TO his own snHg farmhouse
r..;'s soH.; was interrupted by voice
byIlind him. Turning and seeing Fa-
| Tier Matt DAILY standing in the road
way. he respectfully lifted his cap.
saying:
"GOod evenin'. yer reverence"
Good evening TO you, Pat" replied
Father Matt Ills u happy man you
seem to be this day"
Faith, then. happy | am, yer river
ence. an It's | that have the good
| cause"
Good cause. Pat! And what is it,
may ask"
An who's the better right to? Why.
but it's sacret yet an mustn't go far
| thcr than yerSelf. but | thiEk I'll have
Il nate job for yer reverence very soon"
I'm glad to learn ii. Pat Jobs are
scarce just now. and they are hard
| times for thr clergy. And what may it
be-" asked Father Matt. with know
ing twinkle in his eye.
Pat looked cautiously around and.
putting his hand Sideways to his
mouth. whispered loudly:
Nora Condon has taken me for her
husband. yer reverence"
That's the secret. is it," laughed the
priest. Then. with serious face. he
added:
Nora Condor is a good girl, and in
deed must say you're not bad boy
yourself. Pat; but. remember, don't
dare to come to me before The altar un-
til you've given me your firm promise
to give up your Illegal ways. The
church commands us to obey the laws"
"Ah. yer reverence. sure it's the hard
thing 10 be drivin' the drop of the era
tur' ont of the country altogether, but
before I'm married III make ye the
promise
I'm sincerely glad to hear it. Pat
Good evening. and God bless you"
Thank ye kindly. yer reverence: good
evenin'."
Dn of ha fn
homeward walk complacent smile
crossed his handsome. good natured
face. "Faix. an suppose his reverence
is right" he unused to himself. We'll
have one good flow tonight. an with
the help of God twill he the last Ould
Gauger Nicholas would give somethin'
TO be able to discover on me. but after
tonight | can snap me fingers at him.
He's a terrible villain entirely, an |
have no doubt he has sweet spot in
the corner of his withered ould heart
for me own Nora: but. faith. won't he
grind his ugly ould teeth when he sees
me l'adin' Nora up to the altar as If she
was a queen in her own right an me
the king of Munster?"
That night lights burned brightly in
the Casey household, and from the
kitchen chimney the blue smoke CURED
up into the midnight air, but if friend
of the family came, doubtless, after
passing the time of night with those in
the kitchen, he would find his way
down to the little stream that skirted
the bounds Of Pat Casey's farm.
At one spot down by this picturesque
stream the water, passing through a
barren, rocky patch, made V shaped
loop around knot Of powders. Near
to these was sort of natural cave
known only to the Caseys and their i'm
mediate friends and formed by them
into neat distillery. where from time
immcmoral the mountain dew" was
turned out in considerable quantities
and in almost perfect immunity from
disturbance.
On this particular night Pat Casey mt.
tended to the still. Ned Ilanlon took
charge Of the precious fluid as it i'll
tered slowly through the worm, and
Jerry Casey stirred the wash" out in
10 the stream that flowed beyond. Not
Il vestige of smoke appeared in the cave
or went up from above it. From the
fire under the still pipe ran under
the ground for hundred yards or so
until, reaching the house, it stealthily
Joined the capacious and respectable
chimney of the farmhouse, the two
smokes mingling innocently as they
mounted skyward.
The three men were shortly Joined
by another.
"Pat," said he, "ye want to be very
cautious tonight, tell ye. was in
Cahircoolen today, an Ould Nicholas
seemed to be very busy between the
magistrates and the police barracks.
only hope he hasn't his eye on u.s.
Did ye hear that he bought the Widow
Bryan's over the sthrame there next
to this?'
"Oh, we heard that fortnight agone,
Thady," said Pat Casey, IAN, what's
more we know he'd like to be able to
add this one to it, but he won't do 1t
while Pat Casey is alive"
flush Hush! hear noise over
head" cried Jerry.
Suddenly head came through hole
h tine roof.
Quick, boys, for the love Of heaven!
1ackeen Dooley, who has been watchin'
up at the cross of the four roads, says
That the pleece are stealin' down, an
Duld Nicholas is at the head Of 'em."
Without a word the lights were put
but and the fire was pitched bodily in
10 the stream and with 1t the contents
Of every vessel in the cave except one
- ~