it; the public, and her mother, and herself, I hear; she's in luck, whatever he may be.' The father and mother looked daggers at poor Mary, who sate at her sewing, without either making a false stitch or breaking her thread at the intelligence. She grew neither red or white after the manner of heroines. "What are you working at, Mary?" he asked, as he advanced towards the window at which she sate; "preparing for the christening I hope." "No, sir; only hemming my father's cravats that my mother bought for him last week." He took a chair that stood by her side, and then for the first time her colour began to rise. "Remember you are engaged to me for first dance," he said in a low tone to her, so as not to be heard by the old couple. "Surely, Sir, if you please," was the reply. 66 If I please, Mary; you cannot doubt that my whole soul " Hush, Sir, not here, for God's sake! the old people will hear you," she said, interrupting the young man in his lover-like speech, she then arose and changed her tone. "Five, six," she said lightly, counting the pieces of muslin she had been working at. "Now, father, kiss me, there are your cravats finished;-long may you wear and soon may you tear; and now, mother, I'll turn the cake for you, it's fairly broiled you are over it." "And I'll wet the tea," said the matron, "and may be Mr. Patrick would stop and take a cup with us?" "The very thing I came for," replied the young man; "to tell you the truth, I feel so lonely, so solitary at home, that I am glad to get any one to ask me, and I know no where I am so happy as here,-your tea is so good, and your company so like it, Mrs. Dacey." Many thanks to you Mr. Patrick." said the good dame, laughing;" you wouldn't be your father's son if you hadn't the soft side of your tongue for a fayınale." And the rejoinder brought on its fellow, and the tea was made, and the cake buttered, and the young and handsome landlord drank of the one, and eat of the other, amidst a shower of jokes and compliments;-the latter dealt openly by him towards Mrs. Dacey's excellent house management, and her husband's skill in cattle, (a gift he was proverbial for, and took pride in,) but more covertly towards their daughter, and with an air of passion and gallantry learned in the saloons of Paris. At his professions, Mary blushed, muttered, and moved irresolutely on her seat, and tho' she laughed at the general merriment, still to the nice and curious observer, who sat by rather to remark than enjoy, (and there are thousands of such,) her laugh fell short of that which our national poet has immortalized as a hearty one. Then her laugh, Oh! 'twas sportive as ever took wing With a burst from the heart like the wild bird in spring; Tho' where it first lightened no glance could discover, In lip, cheek, or eyes, for she brightened all over. Like any fair lake that the breeze is upon When it breaks into dimples, and laughs in the sun. That there was an understanding of some sort or other between her and the young gentleman who sat opposite to her, as if to feast on the varying beauties of her countenance, was evident; altho', on her part at least, it seemed to be an oppressive as well as a mysterious one. She seemed to bear his glance rather than to return it; to accept his attentions with a sort of reproachful respect, to wince beneath the confidence of his bye play, as we may call it, and in fact, to put on the character of one who plays a part which either her feelings or her conscience tells her is wrong. Meantime, the old folk saw or thought nothing of this. A jest, a laugh, or a compliment were things their daughter was accustomed to receive from men of all ranks who came within the sphere of her fascinating influence; and from Mr. Patrick, whom she had known for years and years, it was taken as a matter of course; of the nice shades, and finer subdivisions of manner by which passion throws a meaning into the simplest word, or the lightest action, they were happily ignorant; and so thoroughly had the whole tenor of her former life convinced them of her prudence, and strictness of principle, that they would as soon have thought it possible for the sun to stand still, as for her to be tempted into an act unworthy of them, or of herself. Indeed such was the reputation she enjoyed far and near, and therefore it was that the mysterious connexion between her and an admirer so much and decidedly above her, was at least strange, if not alarming. "A fine little fellow, indeed," said Father Frank, the curate of the parish, the next evening, as robed in his stole, with book in hand—a basin of blessed water, and a lighted candle beside him, he was introduced to the heir of the Keerans for the first time, and "Who is to be godfather?" demanded Father Frank. "O, Mr. Patrick, is it you? stand on this side if you please; and now the godmother-this way, if you please, young lady; and be good enough to take my young friend in your arms; that will do perfectly well, thank you." awaited the appearance of the sponsors, in | had began to deal hardly with her name, and order to make him a Christian. in thus openly directing his devoirs to her, the wisest heads in the room shook in sympathy, with pity, or may be contempt at Denny's want of prudence. Nay, he had overstepped his instructions, for while his gallantry towards her was of the most glaring and palpable character, his conduct towards Mary Dacey was rude and brusque to a degree. Like all warm-hearted and good-natured men, he found it difficult, even in appearance, to sustain a medium character, and therefore when he addressed her, he did so in a hasty, hard, impetuous tone, the effect of which was at first to make her stare at him, and then, as if content with her survey, to take no further notice of him than the rules of the dance in which they were now engaged demanded. The ceremony commenced and ended, and the young hope of the house was drafted off, in order to have his room taken up with long tables, on which tea (and coffee too,) was served, and sent round, while cakes of all sorts, home made, but of the most appetizing variety, short cake, slim cake, potato cake, white cake-in short, Tom's heart never lay in his pocket; the blessings of life flowed upon him, and now that the crowning blessing of all had arrived, he was determined that friend and fellow should share in his joy, and feed to the full on the fat of his land. One drawback there was to him; the woman in the straw was not able to join him, and his only consolation was, in the unusual separation, "that she was better employed, thanks be to goodness." Betty, Dan, Judy!-stir now, and help me to remove the tay things-bother on them for fine cheney, there's another of them cups gone; what'll the mistress say when she sees it? And where's Phil Brechawn? Here Phil, where's your chanter, man? Stir up your wind now, for bare life, my man, and put your best bag forward. Now, Mr. Patrick, if you please; where's your partner, sir? Ah! I see; 'pon my sowkins when partners were going, it's not the ugliest he set his eye upon-I can tell you that, Mary Dacey. Who comes next? next to Mr. Patrick? Denny, if you please, and Mary and Ellen Niall will keep each other company there side by side, like them two bright blessed stars that's shining yonder thro' the window-only brighter they are, ha, ha!" And joining in the smile occasioned by his extravagant compliment, he proceeded to marshal and arrange the ready groups, and the dance commenced. From the commencement of the evening, Denny Dolan had followed his friend's lead, and selected Ellen Niall as the object of his special attention, while she, nothing loath, had accepted them, if not with an eager good will, at least with an excellent imitation of it. But Ellen was known to have a talent for flirtation, which had at times been carried so far, that Rumour, that moral mosquito, whose stings penetrate beneath our best defences, "Won't you ask Mary Dacey to dance a set, Denny ?" suggested the host, who knew Denny's worth, and wished his old friend's daughter a protector worthy of her. No, thank you, Tom, I'm engaged, and so is she, I dare say," said the friend with an attempt at dash. "And you say right, too," said a gentle and good-humoured voice at his elbow, the sound of which made him leap rather than turn round. "You're very right, Denny; I am engaged for the next dance, but not for the one after, that I know of." "By dad, Denny, that's a fair challenge all the world over," said honest Tom Keeran in high glee. "And who would a woman challenge either to dance with her or fight for her, if it wasn't one that she knew wished her well ?” said the same gentle but dangerous voice as before, addressing itself to the host rather than to Denny. "Why, faix, we are no strangers, Miss Dacey, at any rate," answered Denny, for want of something else to say. "Indeed we are not, Denny, and I hope we never will be either-God forbid !" "You don't say that from your heart within, may be ?" suggested the failing lover, in a small thin voice, very unlike his usual bold unhesitating tones. "I'm not used to say anything but what I think and believe to be the truth," said Mary quietly, "and as to your friendship I never doubted it—no, not from the day you climbed the big tree to put back the poor little woodquest that I asked you; it was so good-natured: do you remember the day I mean, Denny ?" "Do I? just as well as I remember the drink of sweet milk you gave me after it, and I think the taste of that is on my mouth ever since." "And then that weary bull that frightened me in the paddock below; dear knows I ought to think you a friend, for it's my life you saved that time, Denny, at the risk of your own." pies, and orange and rice puddings, with dumplings interspersed, while in the very centre was a bowl-what do I say—a basin, and a large basin too, of calves' feet jelly, as red as blood, as thick as glue, and as tenacious as the sucker of an air-pump. Wine there was none, but in one corner of the room was a cask of ale, and in another a keg of whiskey; and therefore, as honest Tom said, when his health was drunk from the chair, "any man that went away either dry or hungry, had only to thank himself, thanks be to goodness! "Tut! not a bit of it; nought was never in danger, and as to that balyhoure of a baste, sure if you took his tricks rightly, it was only to pay his compliments to you he intended, only you mistook his meaning, and then he got angry at your want of manners in But supper was over and the jig that folrunning away from him. Sure not even the lowed it, and then came Sir Roger De beasts of the field could bear a cold look-Coverly, and then the bustle of bonnets and not to say the cold showlder from you, Mary dear. May be now you're not engaged for this dance, are you?" queried the re-conquered and now prostrate Denny Dolan. "Indeed I am, and so are you too," said the maiden," but I'll dance the next set with you if you ask me." cloaks, and so forth. Denny Dolan was, in the ceremonial that ensued, deputed, as a matter of course, to attend Ellen Niall, while Mr. Patrick awaited upon Mary Dacey. Denny was anything but satisfied, but what could he do? and besides, his friend in a whisper insisted on it. One ingredient of "Ask her!" ah, woman, woman! how comfort, however, mixed with his sorrow. gently ought you to exercise the despotic" Won't I see you to-morrow, Denny ?" power, which, springing from your very weakness, fetters and folds us in chains to which adamant is soft, and only time itself less durable. What was Ellen Niall now to Denny Dolan? Still he was beneath the eye of his friend, Mr. Patrick, and was ashamed not to persist in something like a show of resolution. Altogether, such and so tantalizing were his sensations, that he was glad to hear supper announced, as it gave him a hope of escaping to solitude in order to disburthen himself of the feelings which he could not repress and dared not indulge in. Supper came accordingly-none of your scrap suppers as they are called, and which, bad as the name is, scarcely deserves it; neither was it a tray supper, nor a light supper, nor any of those doubtful matters tricked out like other remains, with festoons and flowers to make that look well which would otherwise bear the aspect of decay; there were no "tiny kickshaws"-to use Master Justice Shallow's phrase-but at the top was a noble buttock of beef reposing on its bed of greens, and steaming like the engine of the Urgent at her tip-top speed; and at the bottom was a roasted goose, hissing and fuming as if it were still the pride of the barley field; on one side was a magnificent boiled turkey, which, if not dead already, must have been choked in its own abundance, smothered in its own sauce, while opposite to it sate a baked hare, seated after the fashion she had rested in on her own form. Here and there were stupendous asked the soft low voice which he loved so well. Like Othello's handkerchief, the question" had magic in the web of it," and like the profits of the animal magnetic process to the patient, it converted pain into peace, and sent him to a couch which felt as soft as the rose leaves of the Sybarite. Meantime Mr. Patrick M'Neill and Mary Dacey were on their way home; though she had accepted his proffered escort, she did it with quiet reserve, and though she took his arm when they left the house, still, when in a few minutes after, he attempted to secure the small hand which lay within it, she at once and quietly but resolutely withdrew it. "You forget yourself, Mr. Patrick," she said in that tone which, coming from female lips, no libertine, even the most hardened of his class, dare laugh at or dispute. "Nay, Mary, it is you who forget what your kindness has permitted me to hope I may hereafter become." "You have said, sir, that you wish to make me your wife, and I have told you that in rank, fortune, or education I am not fit to become it." "That's my affair-is it not ?" "And mine too, sir; you have already said that you would wish to be married privately, and there can be but two reasons for that proceeding, the one is that you might deny the fact of our marriage afterwards— "Cruel, cruel girl!" "The other, that you would be ashamed to acknowledge so mean a connexion openly. I have thought over the matter you see, sir, and in my opinion you had better drop the subject now and for ever. It is not becoming to you, sir.' Drop it I will not, by Heaven! you insult me, wound me, madden me with your doubts of my honour. You know that the wish of a private marriage is to escape from the entreaties of my aunt, who would cut me off from her fine fortune." "There it is, sir; why would she be displeased ?" "Because she knows your pedigree, but has never seen your person, nor heard your dear voice" "There is another reason I have, sir," she said, interrupting him, although when she had got thus far she stopped short. "Another reason, for heaven's sake! what is it ?" "It would give great unhappiness to one that wishes me well, sir." "You mean Dolan? the clown! he is unworthy of you." "He has his feelings, nevertheless, Mr. Patrick, and wishes me well, and—and it may be I gave him a-kind word now and then, and it wouldn't be pleasant to meet him hereafter." "We could, nay, would leave the neighbourhood, at least for a time, besides you know his farm is almost out of lease ?" "True, sir; but he will renew for it." "Not with my good will. I have been offered money for it." "But you won't take it, sir ?" "But I will you mean. I dislike the fellow's impudent familiarity-his presumption towards you-and besides I want money. No, no, let him bring his improvements to America, or Australia, or the deuce, for what I care." "But you will allow him, no doubt, for all the heaps of money he has laid out on it ?" 'Why should I ?" "They say it is done in England." "More fools they if they can avoid it. We manage matters much better here, Mary. If he was stupid enough to lay out his money "On your good father's word I hear, sir." "Pooh! let's talk no more of the scoundrel, while we have a warmer, more delightful theme in your beautiful self.” "And yet Denny Dolan was always your own well-wisher and right hand man, and now you talk of robbing him." "Robbing, Mary ?" VOL. III. NO. XIX. "Yes surely, sir; for sure it wasn't your money he laid out on his farm, and yet you would take it from him. I never thought to think so hard of you, Mr. Patrick. It shews me the inside of your mind, sir, and I'm sorry for it." The young gentleman found he had confessed too much; but it was easy to retrace his steps-at least he thought so. "Well, well, Mary, as he is an admirer of yours" "It isn't for that, sir; injustice is injustice, whether done to a friend or a black stranger." 'Well, then, even for your good word I'll see what can be done for him.' "It is easy seen, Mr. Patrick; give him a new lease or a promise of one-and do it, sir, if you please, before you talk to me again about being your wife. He that defrauds an honest man would never stick at doing the same by a trusting woman. You have put hard thoughts into my head about you have only to blame yourself." you, and "But Mary, my own love, consider"We're near home, sir, yonder's the light, and I have but just one word to say more on the subject: Denny Dolan is a decent and an industrious man, and you know it. What God gave him strength to earn he has a right to be allowed to keep. I have the feeling that it is through my means he has lost your favor; and I hope, sir, before we meet again, you will see it right to make him sure of his own, both for my sake and for his, and far more than all, for your own, Mr. Patrick. It's me, mother dear, open the door. A good night to you, sir, and many thanks to you for your kindness in coming out of your way so late to see me home." "I'll think over what you have said, Mary, and see you to-morrow. Mary replied not, but went in, and the door closed behind her. "Curse him and his lease both!" was the ejaculation of Mr. Patrick, as he turned from the gate of the neat garden into the high road. "Have her I must and will, and on my own terms too. Marriage, private marriage!-Ha, ha! A proud aunt is a convenient appendage at times, too. The ambitious baggage to think so highly of her pretty pair of eyes as to suppose it possible I would marry her. But she has scruples about ceremony-likes grace before meat; so she must be indulged-and she shall. But she has determination-aye, and principle, no less. Suppose I grant her the promise-it would look well, and insure her gratitude; but, then, the sacrifice!-there's BB the devil! I want money; my creditors, both The issue of his night's reflections were two-fold- -a letter to his friend Crawford, sating his inability to comply with his wishes regarding Dolan's farm, and giving every reason but the right one, and that done, a resolution to visit the farm itself, and its owner. And Denny received him with open arms. Alas! poor blind human nature! "By the powers, Dick, it can't rain but it powers on me this blessed and holy day," was the joyous exclamation of the happy husbandman, as he entered the presence of his ladye-love and her father, at a late hour of that, to him, auspicious day. "I'm glad from my heart to hear you say so, for no man deserves luck better; but what is it, Denny, dear ?" asked his ready well-wisher. "In the first place, both Tess and the Bracket have calved to my heart's content, man. I wouldn't take ten pounds for the produce this moment as they stand; and the brown filly is sold." "Sold, Denny!" said Dick. "And what did you get? and who bought her?" asked Mrs. Dacey. "A real gentleman, 'faith-the colonel below at the big house; the groom said it was for the Lord Lieutenant." "Now! and the price?" "What would you think of eighty, and she only three years off ?" "I wish you joy, and you know it. Mistress, is there never a drop in the house ?" not as yet spoken, but now and at once her quietude forsook her. She came eagerly forward, took the paper from Denny's willing hand, who looked upon her evident anxiety as a fair omen; read it aloud, and then reperused it to herself, convinced herself, apparently, that it was a genuine promise, given under his landlord's hand, and signed with his name in full, of a renewal of the lease of his holding for a certain consideration of £200 as renewal fine. "Which he has in his pocket this minute in hard gold, Mary. He said it would be a convenience to him, and one might as well help a friend, you know." "A friend-hem! have you his receipt for the money?" "I wouldn't pay my father a penny without one, Mary dear. I have always a plenty of stamps in the house, and every thing else that's dacent, thanks be to God for all things!" "Then you are safe, Denny dear, and I give you joy,-aye, a hundred thousand times, so I do." And in the fulness of her heart she stretched out both her hands to him, and a tear came to her bright and beautiful eye, and thousands of blush roses spread their soft tints over her cheek, neck, and bosom. It was a trying moment to the adoring lover, (as it might well have been to a more indifferent person). He kept the small hands that had imprisoned themselves in his grasp, and while he gazed on her, half emboldened by her evident emotion, he sighed, as he said: "And yet, now that I have got it, Mary, what use is an empty house to a man like me ?" "It isn't empty, Denny." "To me it is; for what fills every glance of my eye, and every pulse of my heart, is not to be found in it. Ah! Mary Dacey, Mary Dacey, what's the use in talking! the life's not in me as it used to be, nor the strength, nor the spirit-nor it won't be, nor it can't be." He stopped, as if ashamed to betray himself further. And why can't it be ?" said Mary in her gentlest tone." "You refuse me your love; you refuse me your heart; you look cold upon me, and then I go my ways, and think there's not another glimpse of sunshine in all the world.” "But Denny, you mistake me, may be." "Do I? did I? mistake you! Do I? do I?" gasped forth the expectant Denny. "You do and did, Denny dear; for I never refused you my heart." "But your love, Mary, your love?" |