The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-03-17

n aid Mrs. QNeil, Tor me an
ould Father have fixed 1t up
betwixt us, an it'll be as soon rs liver
Lent is come an gone
Deed an I won't, thin said her
son, angrily, and to emphasize his
words he gave the peat fire such a
savage kick that a burning sod hoped
right into the middle of the earthen
floor.
Och, Hivin be good to mel viii We
be afther burnin' the place on me?"
AN We might know that me and
Norah Maloney has been spakin' this
long whites since, an for why should
I be afther givin' her the go-by?'
"Norah Maloneyt' said his mother
shrilly. Its pity help me! Is 1t at
me buryin' We was wantin' 10 be? An
sure it wont be long if ye marry the
likes of her, not hat / could rest aisy
In me grave If l knowed that Norall
Maloney, wild her quare, rough ways,
an the big fate of her was %travadin'
through the place, an not a bit of me
chimney would be left in a wake. No,
it's not me could Shape at all at all II
l knew me chimney was clatterin'
through her hands, an It belongin' to
me own mothers MOTHERHOOD rest her
SOUL"
1.-THE divil take the chiney-what
would we want with it at ALP
AN not a bit of it will We have.
Sure I'd sooner lave it to me cousin in
Belfast, an I'll not be sure but I'll
be goin' there meself to end me days
on ye.'
"Bedad, go aisy now" said Con,
scratching his curly head in much per-
turbation at the sight of his old moth
er's tears. There's no need to be fyini
out like an ould scoldin' hin. Sure, g
mans got a right to be afther choosin
his own wife,"
"Troth, an what do We know abou
the choosin', A bit of a sossoon lik'
y~eself-riddy to take the first fool tina
has the laugh at vel"
If we're manin' Norah--'
An who else? a great bean pole
wild the rid chakes of her and bould
black eyes rollin' in her hid like bead:
on the scramble"
"Hould your tongue said the in
censed lover, not relishing this realistic
description of his lady loves charms.
An hould yours said his equally
exasperated mother.
But the next moment she had pui
her hand wheedling upon his shoulder
and the frown on Cons brow cleared
a little.
Come, now, avic, sure it's bad-tim
pered ould woman | am to be spakin
cross to me bhoy. But ye won't &c
to be breakin' the illigent match I've
been making for yeself, an it's Bidd,
4 Mulrane Is the purity colleen, an oulG
Father is a warm man, an achin' t.
have We for his son. an there'n bt
swim pigs TO come wild her-not Il
spake of q couple of chairs and a CHS
of drawers that will be settin' gram il
that corner by the dure.'
If / marry at allan what wild til,
botheration of 1t I'm not afther wantin
to be married at all-it'll be Moral
Maloney."
eth not she said with a firmnes
that more than eqnaled his own. AN
there's no more to be said. for tl'
match is made, an yen Got be bringin
the disgrace on me hid wild YOU o
sense
Con funned and stormed, and anothel
piece OF burning sod was sent flying
by his needless foot, but in the ent
circumstances were too strong for him
He gave way sullenly, and sat SILENT,
smoking, while Mrs. O'Neil, restored Il
good huInor, chartered contentedl,
about the way that he and Biddy Null
rane were to manage the bits o
things" when she was gone
And the next day whe Con went VI
the borreen to see old Micky Doolil
about a bit of fresh thatching, he cam
full. upon his prospective bride, clatter
ing down with a couple of cans fol
water-the water in the barrels nevel
being to her fathers liking for hi
'tay."
Con knew Biddy Mulrane as well al
he knew his own face. They had beef
at hoo together, and the rough
haired and sh-arp-tongued little CIR
sheach a got the best of him man,
a time. She was not unlike a needle
thought Con disc~ontentedly, as he eye'
her tall. slender figure, as she cam,
down the borreen with her light an,
springy step. las thin as a darnin
nadle, an not a bit of rid in the fac
Of her. an eyes too big for her hid,
he went on, mentally contrasting he
with the ample charms of Norah Malo
ney-greatly to the latter's advantag
in every way.
When Biddy saw him she came to
full stop, and he could not complai
of her want of color then. for she de
clared war with a red flag in her cheek
and eyes that flashed defiance.
What are We afther wantin'? ?" sh
demanded fiercely. .If it's mesel
you've come the wrong road. I'm nc
goin' Ia take up wild the likes of yo,
and so I tell you
"Bedad, Tn not wantin' We at all,
said Con, ungailantly. ITS Micky tn
thatcher lin wantin'. not a sharp
tonguod wan like yourself. An til
roads none of YOU ownin' whin
comes to that"
The girl paused irresolutely, and he
, angry gaze travelled over him scorr
fully. She saw no comeliness in hi
tall, young figure, in the light brow
; curls mat showed beneath his old ha
the dark blue Of his eye. or the clea
brown of his skin, for beauty is in tn
eyes of the beholder, and Biddy ha
another in her mind at the moment.