er, my heart was in the very
one you took--but I thank you, O God! May she rest in pace, now and for
ever, Amin!"

He then rose up, and slowly wiping the tears from his eyes, departed.

"Let me hould your arm, Frank, dear," said he, "I'm weak and tired wid
a long journey. Och, an' can it be that she's gone--the fair-haired
colleen! When I was lavin' home, an' had kissed them all--'twas the
first time we ever parted, Kathleen and I, since our marriage--the
blessed child came over an' held up her mouth, sayin', 'Kiss me agin,
father;' an' this was afther herself an' all of them had kissed me
afore. But, och! oh! blessed Mother! Frank, where's my Kathleen and the
rest?--and why are they out of their own poor place?"

"Owen, I tould you awhile agone, that you must be a man. I gave you the
worst news first, an' what's to come doesn't signify much. It was too
dear; for if any man could live upon it you could:--you have neither
house nor home, Owen, nor land. An ordher came from the Agint; your last
cow was taken, so was all you had in the world--hem--barrin' a thrifle.
No,--bad manners to it! no,--you're not widout a home anyway. The
family's in my barn, brave and comfortable, compared to what your own
house was, that let in the wather through the roof like a sieve; and,
while the same barn's to the fore, never say you want a home."

"God bless you, Frank, for that goodness to them and me; if you're not
rewarded for it here you will in a betther place. Och, I long to see
Kathleen and the childher! But I'm fairly broken down, Frank, and hardly
able to mark the ground; and, indeed, no wondher, if you knew but all:
still, let God's will be done! Poor Kathleen, I must bear up afore her,
or she'll break her heart; for I know how she loved the golden-haired
darlin' that's gone from us. Och, and how did she go, Frank, for I left
her betther?"

"Why, the poor girsha took a relapse, and wasn't strong enough to bear
up aginst the last attack; but it's one comfort that you know she's
happy."

Owen stood for a moment, and, looking solemnly in his neighbor's face,
exclaimed, in a deep and exhausted voice, "Frank!"

"What are you goin' to say, Owen?"

"The heart widin me's broke--broke!"

The large tears rolled down his weather-beaten cheeks, and he proceeded
in silence to the house of his friend. There was, however, a feeling
of sorrow in his words and manner which Frank could not withstand. He
grasped Owen's hand, and, in a lo