n old rite, sacred to her heart and affections--she would
not hear of it for an instant. Again she was helped out between her
brother and brother-in-law; and, after stooping down, and doing as the
others had done--

"Now," said she, "I will sit here, and keep him under my eye as long as
I can--surely you won't blame me for it; you all know the kind husband
he was to me, and the good right I have to be sorry for him! Oh!" she
added, "is it thrue at all?--is he, my own Denis, the young husband of
my early--and my first love, in good airnest, dead, and going to leave
me here--me, Denis, that you loved so tindherly, and our childher, that
your brow was never clouded aginst? Can I believe myself or is it a
dhrame? Denis, _avick machree! avick machree!_* your hand was dreaded,
and a good right it had, for it was the manly hand, that was ever and
always raised in defence of them that wanted a friend; abroad, in
the faction-fight, against the oppressor, your name was ever feared,
acushla?--but at home--at home--where was your fellow Denis, agrah, do
you know the lips that's spaking to you?--your young bride--your heart's
light--Oh! I remimber the day you war married to me like yesterday. Oh!
avourneen, then and since wasn't the heart of your own Honor bound up
in you--yet not a word even to me. Well, agrah, machree, 'tisn't your
fault, it's the first time you ever refused to spake to your own Honor.
But you're dead, avourneen, or it wouldn't be so--you're dead before my
eyes--husband of my heart, and all my hopes and happiness goes into the
coffin and the grave along wid you, forever!"

* Son of my heart! Son of my heart!

All this time she was rocking herself from side to side, her complexion
pale and ghastly as could be conceived, and the tears streaming from her
eyes. When the coffin was about to be closed, she retired until it was
nailed down, after which she returned with her bonnet and cloak on her,
ready to accompany it to the grave. I was astonished--for I thought
she could not have walked two steps without assistance; but it was the
custom, and to neglect it, I found, would have thrown the imputation
of insincerity upon her grief. While they were preparing to bring the
coffin out, I could hear the chat and conversation of those who were
standing in crowds before the door, and occasionally a loud, vacant
laugh, and sometimes a volley of them, responsive to the jokes of some
rustic wit, probably the same person wh