ity. In fact, Owen's presence communicated a holiday spirit to the
family; a spirit, too, which declined not for a moment during the period
of his visit.

"Frank," said Owen, "to tell you the thruth, I'm not half plased wid you
this mornin'. I think you didn't thrate me as I ought to expect to be
thrated."

"Musha, Owen M'Carthy, how is that?"

"Why, you said nothin' about widow Murray raisin' a head-stone over our
child. You kept me in the dark there, Frank, an' sich a start I never
got as I did this mornin', in the grave-yard beyant."

"Upon my sowl, Owen, it wasn't my fau't, nor any of our fau'ts; for,
to tell you the thruth, we had so much to think and discoorse of last
night, that it never sthruck me, good or bad. Indeed it was Bridget that
put it first in my head, afther you wint out, an' thin it was too late.
Ay, poor woman, the dacent strain was ever in her, the heaven's be her
bed."

"Frank, if any one of her family was to abuse me till the dogs wouldn't
lick my blood, I'd only give them back good for evil afther that.
Oh, Frank, that goes to my heart! To put a head-stone over my weeny
goolden-haired darlin', for the sake of the little thrifles I sarved
thim in! Well! may none belongin' to her ever know poverty or hardship!
but if they do, an' that I have it----How-an'-iver, no matther. God
bless thim! God bless thim! Wait till Kathleen hears it!"

"An' the best of it was, Owen, that she never expected to see one of
your faces. But, Owen, you think too much about that child. Let us talk
about something else. You've seen Tubber Derg wanst more?"

"I did; an' I love it still, in spite of the state it's in."

"Ah! it's different from what it was in your happy days. I was spakin'
to Bridget about the farm, an' she advises us to go, widout losin' a
minute, an' take it if we can."

"It's near this place I'll die, Frank. I'd not rest in my grave if I
wasn't berrid among my own; so we'll take the farm if possible."

"Well, then, Bridget, hurry the breakfast, avourneen; an' in the name o'
goodness, we'll set out, an' clinch the business this very day."

Owen, as we said, was prompt in following up his determinations. After
breakfast they saw the agent and his father, for both lived together.
Old Rogerson had been intimately acquainted with the M'Carthys, and, as
Frank had anticipated, used his influence with the agent in procuring
for the son of his old friend and acquaintance the farm which he sought.

"J