Page:Darby O'Gill and the Good People by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh (1903).djvu/97

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
CONVARSION OF FATHER CASSIDY

a mortial sin he’d committed by the bad example he was giving Darby.

“I wisht I could do something for yez,” he says, putting on his cloak, “but I have only pity and kind wishes to give you!”

He turned agin when his hand was on the doorknob, and was going to say something else, but changed his mind, and wint out to where Darby was houlding the horse.

Manewhile, the Little People were consultin’ eager in a knot beside the fireplace, until the King broke away an’ follyed Father Cassidy out.

“Wait a minute!” the fairy says. “There’s somethin’ important your Riverence should know about,” he says. “There’s two speckled hins that sthrayed away from your own door over to the black pond, an’ they’ve been there this twelvemonth. I’m loathe to say it, but in yer own mind your honour a-ccused Bothered Bill Donahue, the tinker, with takin’ thim. Well, they’ve raised two great clutches of chickens an’ they’re all yours. We thought we’d tell ye,” he says.

“An’ last Chewsday night Nancy Burke bate her husband Dicky for being ’toxicated. I think she

[ 83 ]