ences of his malady, managed to hobble to the door in a few
seconds. "Oh! wirra, wirra! Owen, my son!" cried he, in Irish; "I hoped
I'd never see ye here again--my own darlin'."

"That's a dhroll welcome, anyhow, Larry, for a man coming back among his
own people."

"'Tis a thrue one, as sure as I live in sin. The Lord help us, this is
bad fortune."

"What do you mean, Larry? What did I ever do to disgrace my name, that I
wouldn't come back here?"

"'Tisn't what ye done, honey, but what's done upon ye. Oh, wirra, wirra;
'tis a black day that led ye home here."

It was some time before Owen could induce the old man to moderate his
sorrows, and relate the events which had occurred in his absence. I will
not weary my reader by retailing the old man's prolixity, but tell them
in the fewest words I am able, premising, that I must accompany the
narrative by such explanations as I may feel necessary.

Soon after Owen's departure for England, certain disturbances occurred
through the country. The houses of the gentry were broken open at
night and searched for arms by men with blackened faces and in various
disguises to escape recognition. Threatening notices were served on many
of the resident families, menacing them with the worst if they did not
speedily comply with certain conditions, either in the discharge of some
obnoxious individuals from their employment, or the restoration of some
plot of ground to its former holder. Awful denunciations were uttered
against any who should dare to occupy land from which a former tenant
was ejected; and so terrible was the vengeance exacted, and so sudden
its execution, that few dared to transgress the orders of these savage
denunciators. The law of the land seemed to stand still, justice
appeared appalled and affrighted, by acts which bespoke deep and
wide-spread conspiracy. The magistrates assembled to deliberate on what
was to be done; and the only one who ventured to propose a bold and
vigorous course of acting was murdered on his way homeward. Meanwhile,
Mr. Lucas, whose stern exactions had given great discontent, seemed
determined to carry through his measures at any risk. By influence with
the government he succeeded in obtaining a considerable police-force,
and, under cover of these, he issued his distress-warrants and
executions, distrained and sold, probably with a severity increased by
the very opposition he met with.

The measures undertaken by government to suppress o