David Conolly, so long despised as a drunken vagabond, had undergone
something of a change in his feelings too. He knew that, but for the
assistance of his good son, his garden would have been overrun with
weeds; and that, so often was he drunk, in the early part of the summer,
when every thing required so much care and attention, that if Patrick
had not turned in and helped, he would not have held up his head this
day. All this came full to his mind; and he was not slow in giving his
son this praise. Perhaps this was the most gratifying thing to Mr. Price
that had occurred. Here, by the little he had done, was a poor creature
restored to a moral sensibility, which had become almost extinct in his
bosom. Here, through his means, was a husband and a father restored to
the respect of his wife and child. “I am satisfied,” said Mr. Price,
inwardly, “and I humbly thank thee, oh, my God, for being the means of
saving this poor creature.”
Next came Larry, hitching and twisting himself into all manner of
shapes—he had sixty dollars—for by good luck, as he said, his
cauliflowers was bigger nor David’s; and a man had given a great price
for them, to take to York; and he had planted squashes in among his
potatoes, so that they took up no more room; and his little datters had
helped him weed; “and so, your honour,” said he, “you see that David’s
not behind me, any how, seeing he has no little datters to weed for
him.”
“Plase your honour,” said Bonny Betty, whose turn came next, “just pass
me by and let Jemmy Brady bring up; I’ll be better ready, being the
last.”
“Why, I thought that Sammy Oram had the next lot to you,” said Mr.
Price, “has Jemmy changed?”
“Yes, Sir,” said Jemmy, walking proudly up, with a decent smart dress
on; and, in his nervous anxiety to show himself to Mr. Price, he had his
hat on his head. His wife, however, twitched it off, and told him not to
forget where he was. “But he’s scared, like, your honour,” said Biddy,
dressed up as smart as her husband; “and I’ve brought you my little boy;
he’s a new comer, your honour, and if your honour would not be
affronted, we intend to call him Oliver Price.”
Mr. Price patted the chubby little thing on the cheek, and thanked the
mother for the compliment, saying, that when his little namesake was old
enough, he should be sent to school. Jemmy, with hat now in hand,
brought his account—alas, poor Jemmy, his account showed only forty
dollars—but eight children! “No, don’t feel ashamed,” said Mr. Price. “I
have heard that you were often obliged to remain at home to nurse your
wife—but what’s the matter, Bonny Betty, why do you look so amazed?”
“Why, sure, your honour, Jemmy’s fine clothes have crazed him. I kept
the money, and sure, Jemmy, there’s more; sure you had sixty dollars.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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