The Emigrants Of Ahadarra: The Works of William Carleton, Volume TwoCarleton, William
General
The Emigrants Of Ahadarra: The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
The scene at which our friends arrived was indeed a striking and
impressive one. The majority of the crowd consisted of those who
belonged either to the Protestant or Presbyterian forms of worship; and
it might be with truth asserted, that nothing could surpass the clear
unquestionable character of independent intelligence which prevailed
among them. Along with this, however, there was an obvious spirit
of dissatisfaction, partial, it is true, as to numbers, but yet
sufficiently marked as to satisfy an observer that such a people, if
united upon any particular subject or occasion, were not for a moment to
be trifled with or cajoled. Their feelings upon the day in question were
stirred into more than usual warmth. A friend, a neighbor, a man of
an old and respectable family, frugal, industrious, and loyal, as
they said, both to king and country, was now forced from want of due
encouragement from his landlord, to disturb all his old associations
of friendship and kindred, and at rather an advanced state of life
to encounter the perils of a long voyage, and subject himself and his
family to the changes and chances which he must encounter in a new
world, and in a different state of society. Indeed, the feeling which
prompted the expression of these sentiments might be easily gathered
from the character that pervaded the crowd. Not to such an extent,
however, with respect to Wallace himself or any portion of his family,
There might be observed upon him and them a quiet but resolute spirit,
firm, collected, and cheerful; but still, while there were visible no
traces of dejection or grief, it was easy to perceive that under this
decent composure there existed a calm consciousness of strong stern
feeling, whose dignity, if not so touching, was quite as impressive as
the exhibition of louder and more clamorous grief.
“Bryan,” said M'Mahon to his son, as the auction was proceeding, “I'll
slip up to the agent's, and do you see if them sheep goes for a fair
value--if they do, give a bid or two any how. I'm speakin' of that lot
we wor lookin' at, next the wall there.”
“I'll pay attention to it,” said Bryan; “I know you'll find the agent at
home now, for I seen him goin' in a while ago; so hurry up, an' ax him
if he can say how soon we may expect the leases.”
“Never fear, I will.”
On entering Fethertonge's Hall, M'Mahon was treated with very marked
respect by the servant, who told him to walk into the parlor, and he
would let his master know.
“He entertains a high opinion of you, Mister M'Mahon,” said he; “and I
heard him speak strongly about you the other day to some gentlemen that
dined with us--friends of the landlord's. Walk into the parlor.”
In a few minutes M'Mahon was shown into Fethertonge's office, the walls
of which were, to a considerable height, lined with tin boxes, labelled
with the names of those whose title-deeds and other valuable papers they
contained.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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