The Lost Trail | Page 9

a little orphan girl, whose father had gone to Ameriky and
whose mother was dead, that was found one night, years before, in
front of old Mrs. McGuire's door. She was about the same age as Kitty,
and the owld woman took her out of kindness and brought them up
together. She got to be jist as ugly a looking a gal as Tom was a man.
Her hair was redder than his, and her face was just that freckled that
yees couldn't tell which was the freckle and which was the skin itself.
And her nose had a twist, on the ind of it, that made one think it had
been made for a corkscrew, or some machine that you bore holes with.
"This gal, Molly Mulligan, used to encourage Tom to come to the

house, and was always so mighty kind to him that he used to kiss and
shpark her by way of compinsating her for her trouble. She used to take
this all very well, for she was a great admirer of Tom's, and always
spoke his praise. But Tom didn't make much headway with Kitty. It
wasn't often that he could saa her, and when he did; she was mighty
offish, and was sure to have the owld woman present, like a
dumb-waiter, to be sure. She come to tell him at length that she didn't
admire his coming, and that he would greatly plaise her if he would
make his visits by staying away altogether. The next time Tom went he
found the door locked, and, after hammering a half-hour, and being
towld there was no admittance, he belaved it was meant as a kind hint
that his company was not agreeable. Be yees listening, ye riptile?
"Tom might have stood it very well, if another chap hadn't begun
calling on Kitty about this time. He used to go airly in the evening, and
not come out of the house till after midnight, so that one might belave
his visits were welcome. This made Tom feel mighty bad, and so he hid
behind the wall and waylaid the chap one night. He would have killed
the chap, his timper was so ruffled, if the man hadn't nearly killed him
afore he had the chance. He laid all night in the gutter, and was just
able to crawl home next day, while the fellow went a-courting the next
night, as if nothing had happened.
"Tom begun to git melancholy, and his mouth didn't appear quite as
broad as usual. Molly Mulligan thought he had taken slow poison and it
was gradually working through his system; but he could ate his pick of
praties the same as iver. But Tom felt mighty bad; that fact can't be
denied, and he went frequently to consult with a praist that lived near
this ind of Limerick, and who was knowed to cut up a trick or two
during his lifetime. When Tom came out one day looking bright and
cheery, iverybody belaved they had been conspiring togither, and had
hit on some thavish trick they was to play on little Kitty McGuire.
"When the moon was bright, Kitty used to walk to Limerick and back
again of an evening. Her beau most likely went with her, but sometimes
she preferred to go alone, as she knowed no one would hurt a bonny
little gal as herself. Tom knowed of these doings, as in days gone by he

had jined her once or twice. So one night he put a white sheet around
him as she was coming back from Limerick, and hid under the little
bridge over the brook. It was gitting quite late, and the moon was just
gone down, so, when she stepped on the bridge, and he came out afore
her, she gave one shriek, and like to have fainted intirely.
"'Make no noise, or I'll ate ye up alive,' said Tom, trying to talk like a
ghost.
"'What isht yees want?' she asked, shaking like a leaf, 'and who are
yees?'
"'I'm a shpirit, come to warn ye of your ill-doings.'
"'I know I'm a great sinner,' she cried, covering her face with her hands;
'but I try to do as well as I can.'
"'Do you know Tom O'Reilly?' he asked, loud enough to be heard in
Limerick. 'You have treated him ill.'
"'That I know I have,' she sobbed, 'and how can I do him justice?'
"'He loves you.'
"'I know he does!'
"'He is a shplendid man, and will make a much bitter husband than the
spalpeen that ye now looks on with favor.'
"'Shall I make him my husband?'
"'Yis; if ye wish to save yourself from purgatory. If the other man
marries yees, he'll murder yees the same night.'
"'Oh!' shrieked