The Heir of Kilfinnan | Page 6

mother's hut he begged leave to accompany her and
Lady Nora, in order that he might see them across the downs. He had
discovered during his visits to the castle that the young Lady Nora was

the Earl of Kilfinnan's only daughter. He had a son also; a noble little
boy he had heard. He was away at school in England; his father being
fully conscious that an Irish castle in those days was not a place
favourable to education. The Earl had a great affection for his boy, the
heir to his title and estates. The former, indeed, should the young Lord
Fitz Barry die without male descendants, would pass away, though the
Lady Nora would inherit the chief part of his estate.
Lady Sophy was a relation of his late wife's, for he was a widower, and
she remained with him as a companion to his young daughter, though
considerably older than she was. The rest of the persons seen at the
castle were guests, with the exception of a lady of middle age, a Mrs
Rollings, who acted as governess and chaperone to the young ladies.
Dermot continued his visits to the castle. Sometimes the Earl saw him,
and seemed amused at the interest taken in him by his young niece and
daughter. He observed also, that the boy was somewhat out of the
common way, and he suggested that after they had left the west of
Ireland, he should be sent to obtain instruction from a neighbouring
clergyman, a friend of his, and the only person capable of imparting it.
At that time schools and missions were not known in the west of
Ireland. The priests, almost as ignorant as their flocks, had unbounded
sway among the population. Often the Protestant clergyman was the
only person for miles round who possessed any education whatever.
The peasantry were consequently ignorant and superstitious, and easily
imposed upon by any one who chose to go among them with that
object.
Lady Sophy was delighted with the suggestion made by the Earl, and
insisted on at once carrying out the arrangement.
"Yes, indeed it is a pity that so intelligent a boy should be left in
ignorance," remarked the Earl. "Here is a five-pound note; do you take
it from me to Mr Jamieson, and beg that he will do his best to instil
some knowledge into the mind of the fisher-boy."
There was a dash of romance, it must be owned, in the Earl's

composition, and he was besides a kind-hearted and liberal man.
Dermot O'Neil might well have considered himself fortunate in having
fallen among such friends.
Lady Sophy and Lady Nora instantly set off to call upon Mr Jamieson,
whose vicarage was about three miles distant from the castle, though
somewhat nearer to Dermot's abode. The clergyman was rather amused
at first with the account given him by the young ladies. He promised,
however, to follow out the Earl's wishes, and begged that Dermot might
come to him directly they left the country; "And I shall be ready to
undertake his education at once, Lady Sophy," he said.
"No, no!" was the answer; "we cannot give him up yet; it is quite a
pleasure teaching him. He already reads English with tolerable fluency,
though we have not attempted yet to teach him to write. We must leave
that to you."
Dermot, with a grief he had not expected to feel, saw the party take
their departure from the castle. The young ladies kindly nodded to him
as their carriage rolled past the spot where he stood.
"There's a bright light gone from amongst us," he said to himself. "Did
I ever before dream that such creatures existed on earth."
He returned to his home in a mood totally strange to him. His mother,
however, had reason to congratulate herself on the Earl's visit, for it
enabled her, from the payment she received for her fish, to provide in a
way she had never before done for the coming winter. This made her
the more willingly consent that Dermot should go over every day to
obtain instruction from Mr Jamieson, the good clergyman, who was so
pleased with the fisher-boy, that he took particular pains in instructing
him, and not only was Dermot in a short time able to read any book that
was put into his hands, but he also learned to write with considerable
ease. His mind naturally expanded with the books given him to study,
and as he obtained information, he became greedy for more.
Although Mr Jamieson had at first only intended teaching him the
simple rudiments of reading and writing, he became so interested in the

progress made by his pupil, that he felt desirous of imparting all the
knowledge Dermot was capable of acquiring.
Thus