A Story of Irish Life.

Otago Witness, Issue 1950, 4 April 1889, Page 38

A Story of Irish Life.

In a cabin on a sunny hill-side overlooking the Bay of Dublin dwelt a middle-aged brother and sister. The man was a helpless cripple, entirely dependent upon his sister's exertions ; and on her death a car was sent from the poorhouse to take him thither for shelter. The poor -wretch clung to the only home he had ever known, and utterly refused to leave it, crying that he would die if deprived of his " say-air and shut up within prison walls." His loud lamentations had brought the priest and some of the neighbours to his side, and one of the latter, Maggie O'Flynn, felt a deep impulse of pity towards the unfortunate man. She was a single woman of about 55, of weather-beaten, and certainly not attractive appearance. She acted as herd on the estate of a gentleman close by, to whom her. services were invaluable. " Hould hard," she said to the workhouse officials ;■.•.■ it's not Maggie O'Flynn that 'nil see a poof<craythur taken to the poorhouse when she -can give him a shelter. Its a corner and a welcome in me own cabin Mick Costilloe shall have." Bat; here his reverence interposed, ana vowed he would allow no such scandal in the parish as an unmarried man and woman sharing the same dwelling, cripples or no criDples. "Shur'e, Maggie, you won't go back ot your word 1 " implored poor Mick. Maggie hesitated a moment, then, turning to the priest, said : " If there's no other way to save him from 'the house/ your riverince, I'll marry him, an' sorra a haporth will anyone be able to cay agin it thin." It was in vain that his reverence pointed out the terrible burden Maggie *vas taking upon herself. <«It's for the love of God I'm marryin Him, an' not to pjase mys«lf," was the' answer she returned ; " an- shure the Blessed Virgin will Diver let me want for the bite an' the sup when she sees me sharin' it with the craythur that has naythur." , „' The marriage took place, and until his death, several years iater, the kind-hearted jjaggie O'Flynn carefully tended and sup-

ported the poor helpless cripple in her own cabin. The Mabquis and the Monkey. — The following story of a monkey is vouched for by good authority. A large ourang-outang was very much attached to his master and to the baby boy, who was the pet of the whole family. One day a fire suddenly broke out in the house, and everybody was running here and there to put it out, while the little boy in his nursery was almost forgotten, and when, they thought of him the staircase was all in flames. What could be done ? As they were looking up and wondering, a large hairy hand and arm opened the window, and ; presently the monkey appeared with the baby in his arms, and carefully climbed down over the perch, and brought the child safely to his nurse. Nobody else could have done it, for a man cannot climb like a monkey, and is not nearly so strong. You may imagine how the faithful creature was praised and petted after that. This is a true story, and the child who was saved was the young Marquis of Kildare.