quarthermaster-sergint, whin he pl'ases to give
you the job out av charity; but a privit's wife ye shall be to the end,
an' ivry sorrow of a privit's wife ye shall know, an' niver a joy but
wan, that shall go from you like the tide from a rock. The pain of
bearin' ye shall know, but niver the pleasure of givin' the breast; an'
you shall put away a man-child into the common ground wid niver a
priest to say a prayer over him, an' on that man-child ye shall think
ivry day av your life. Think long, Dinah Shadd, for you'll niver have
another tho' you pray till your knees are bleedin'. The mothers av
children shall mock you behind your back whin you're wringin' over the
wash-tub. You shall know what ut is to take a dhrunken husband home
an' see him go to the gyard-room. Will that pl'ase you, Dinah Shadd,
that won't be seen talkin' to my daughter? You shall talk to worse
than Judy before all's over. The sergint's wives shall look down on
you, contemptuous daughter av a sergint, an' you shall cover ut all up
wid a smilin' face whin your heart's burstin'. Stand aff him, Dinah
Shadd, for I've put the Black Curse of Shielygh upon him, an' his own
mouth shall make ut good.'

"She pitched forward on her head an' began foamin' at the mouth. Dinah
Shadd ran out with water, an' Judy dhragged the ould woman into the
veranda till she sat up.

"'I'm old an' forlorn,' she sez, tremblin' an' cryin', 'an' 'tis like I
say a dale more than I mane.'

"'When you're able to walk--go,' says ould Mother Shadd. 'This house
has no place for the likes av you, that have cursed my daughter.'

"Eyah!' said the ould woman. 'Hard words break no bones, an' Dinah
Shadd'll kape the love av her husband till my bones are green corn.
Judy, darlin', I misremember what I came here for. Can you lend us the
bottom av a taycup av tay, Mrs. Shadd?'

"But Judy dhragged her off, cryin' as tho' her heart wud break. An'
Dinah Shadd an' I, in ten minutes we had forgot ut all."

"Then why do you remember it now?" said I.

"Is ut like I'd forgit? Ivry word that wicked ould woman spoke fell
thrue in my life afterward; an' I cud ha' stud ut all--stud ut all,
except fwhen little Shadd was born. That was on the line av march
three months afther the regiment was taken wid cholera. We were betune
Umballa an' Kalka thin, an' I was on picket. When I came off, the
women showed me the child, an' ut turned on uts side an' died as I
looked. We buried him by the