sure of your young and manly heart, for wishin' to see you taken
from her eyes--and for wishing to see the eyes that,never looked upon
us all but with love and kindness, closed on us forever. Oh," said she,
putting her hands to her forehead, "an' is it--is it come to this--that
I that was dearer to him than his own life a thousand times, should now
be glad to see him die--be glad to see him die! Oh! they are here,"
she shrieked, "before the door--you may hear their horses' feet!
Hugh O'Regan," and her voice became louder and more energetic--"the
white-skinned--the fair of hair, the strong of hand, and the true of
heart--as you ever loved me that was once your happy bride--as you ever
loved the religion of our holy church--as you hope for happiness and
mercy, hasten from me--from our orphan--from all--oh, hasten to the arms
of your God!"

During this scene there was a solemn silence in the house, the priest
and Harman having both been struck mute at the solemnity of the scene.

"They are here--they are here!" she screamed. "Oh, sun of my heart,
think not now of me, nor of the children of your love, for we will
follow you in time--but think of the happy country you're going to,--to
live in the sunshine of heaven, among saints and angels for ever! Oh,
sun of my heart, think too of what you lave behind you! What is it?
Oh! what is it to you--but poverty, and misery, and hardship--the cowld
cabin and the damp bed--the frost of the sky--the frown of power, and
the scourge of law--all this, oh, right hand of my affection, with the
hard labor and the scanty food, do you fly from! Sure we had no friend
in this world to protect or defend us against them that, would trample
us under their feet! No friend for us because we are poor, and no friend
for our religion because it is despised. Then hasten, hasten, O light of
my heart--and take refuge in the mercy of your God!"

"Mary," said the priest, who had his eyes fixed upon the sick man, "Give
God thanks, he is dead--and beyond the reach of human enmity forever."

She immediately prostrated herself on the floor in token of humility and
thanksgiving--then raising her eyes to heaven, she said, "may the heart
of the woeful widow be grateful to the God who has taken him to his
mercy before they came upon him! But here they are, and now I am not
afraid of them. They can't insult my blessed husband now, nor murdher
him, as his father's villains did our dyin' son, on the cowld Esker of