57

THE DREAM.

"AND ye love him still, Kathleen?" "Faix and I do; sore against my will, too, sometimes but troth, mavourneen, for the life of me I can't help it."

'Yet, sure, haven't ye tould me, that he's as cross as may be, when he hasn't the dhrop of dhrink, and as cross as can be, when he has it, that he neglicts the childer, and snaps his fingers in ye'r face, when you want to keep him from the Dun Cow; and afther all this ye love him? Well, for my part, I'm but a lone woman, to be sure, and never knew what it was-God be praised!—to have a man on my own floor, houlding out against me, ever since I lost my poor father-pace be to his sowl!-last Christmas was eleven years; but I think I could no

more bear with such traitment as you put up with, Kathleen, then I could fly."

Aragh cuisla machree; it is because you 've been a lone woman, and have not been used to have a man on your floor, houlding out against you, that it seems so hard to bear. One gets used to every thing in the course of time; and many is the thing that seemed disagreeable enough at first, that has come so pleasant at last, that sure one has got to like it."

"That's what my poor ould granny used to say, in regard to the snuff. • When I used to take a snisheen at first,' said she, (may the heavens be her bed this blessed night!) I didn't like it much; but afther I had taken it for some time, faix I got used to it, and liked it; and many's the lonesome hour it has helped me over.'

"Well, thin, so it is with a husband's ways; one feels a saucy word, or an impudent shake of the head, just ready to answer him, but if one has the luck to keep in both, faix 'twill be a great blessing."

"But how did ye find out the craft to keep 'em in, Kathleen? For, troth, they come so quick to me, whinever I'm vexed, that off they go, whether I will or no."

"Well, then, Pegg asthore, I'll tell you how it all happened. Though as 'twas only a dhream, a simple dhream, mayhap you'll not think so seriously of it as I did. But dhreams come direct from heaven! bekase, as they appear to us when we are asleep, and can't help ourselves, it's clear that God, who always purtects the helpless, sends 'em to us."

"Then faix, Kathleen, it's yerself that's the quare woman to be believing in dhreams? But tell me what it was you dhreamt, avourneen."

""Twas a fine summer evening, Peggy, as ever shone out of the heavens. The bees were flitting about from flower to flower, and saying, with their playsant voices, What a sweet life we lade!' The birds were singing such music, that those who had once listened to it with the ears of their hearts, wants no better. And the red sun was going to bed, behind purple curtains, fringed with goold, richer than any king's, when I sat at the open window,that same window, Peggy, that you now see. The sweet smell of the flowers came to me; the brown cuckoo hopped over the field, and repeated his cry as clear as could be; the cows lowed in the distance, and every bird and baste,―ay, and the little tiny crathurs, that are

smaller than the birds, might be heard tooall was so still and calm. Oh! in such summer-nights, one may hear the voice of Heaven, if one keeps one's mind quiet, and looks up to God! But my mind-God forgive me!—was'nt quiet, for I was vexed and angry. Well,' says I to myself, here I am, this beautiful night, and Andy promised he would come home before the sun had gone to bed, and there he has drawn his purple curtains, and put out his blessed light, and yet the man of the house does not come to me! Sure, 'tis to the Dun Cow he's gone, to dhrink with them limbs of the devil; and this is the way that a poor woman is kept, like a mhoodaun,* watching the long hours, while he's spending the trifle he's airn'd!' With that, up gets the anger in my breast, and the heart of me began to bait, and my cheeks got as hot as a lime-kiln. I'll go after him,' says I, 'to the Dun Cow, and give him a bit of my mind, that I will!' But then I begun to remember that Biddy Phelan used to go after Mick, her husband, until he got so used to it, that he would say he couldn't go till Biddy came for him; and I said to myself, 'It shall never be said, that I, a dacent girl, wint afther my

. A fool.

husband to a shibeen shop.' But, thin, 'twould sarve him right, and may be teach him bether,' whispered the Evil Spirit in my ears, if you were to spake to him afore the wild boys he's dhrinking with;' and I up, and threw the tail of my gound over my shoulders, and crossed the treshold. If he should speak crossly to you, Kathleen, before all them chaps, would'nt it be a terrible downfal to ye?' said a little voice in my heart, no louder than the humming of a bee. Faith, 'tis yerself that's right enough,' said I; and I let down the tail of my gound, and begun to cry like a child. Well, I cried till I fell fast asleep; for, though people say that sleep seldomer comes to the eyes that have been shedding tears, I have always found the contrary; and I remember the last thought I had afore I slept was, What a baste my husband was to lave me alone, while he was spending his airnings at the Dun Cow! I slept, and I dhreamt that I was so angry with him, that I prayed to God to take him to himself, for that I'd rather lave him intirely, than have him laving me to go to the Dun Cow to throw away his money. 'Well, you shall have your will, honest woman,' says Death to me; but remember, that once I have granted your prayer,