The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 21, 21 May 1903, Page 23

The Storyteller

• « THE OLD OIL PAINTING.

A wild October wind swept down the hillside and sent the withered leaves whirling around his horses head and feet as Mr. Crawford alighted from his high-w heeled dogcart and opened the gate of the little boreen that led to Thady lJonnellan's farmstead. The agent s kindly face was serious and troubled ; it was no welcome task that lav before him as he led the horse up Uio rough, boreen and looked about him, noting the evidence of thrift and industry of long years' standing— the neat well-kept cottage, with its windows even yet a blaze of bright blossoms, scarlet geraniums, blue lobelias, red and white fuchsias ; the haggard, with its little group of ricks huddled comfortably together and snugly thatched against the winter storms ; the substantial slated barns and outhouses, with the sturdy young calves peeping curiously over the halfl-doors at the newcomer — his heart grew sore within him. As he reached the little gravelled pathway in front of the hall door, he lifted his hat in kindly greeting to Mrs. Donnellan, the farmer's young wife, whose rosy face held a look of anxiety which no amount of politeness or desire to be hospitable could quite keep hidden. ' Good day to ye, kindly, Mr. Crawford," she said, in answer to his greeting ; ' won't you come in, sir? It's too bad entirely now, to say you had to got down and open the gate yourself. But the bo^s aic at school, and himself is laid up still, and, moreover, we never caught sight of ye till ye were half-way up the lane. Won't you come inside, Mr. Crawford,' leading the way into the little parlor, and placing a chair near the fire for him. ' I have a little bit of a fire lit for Thady, to keep the damp out of his bones. It must bo cool enough driving over the mountains this evening, sir, and the winter setting in so early. Here's Thadv himself, sitting in the corner. He's able to be out of bed this couple of days, thanks be to God ! ' Mr. Crawford shook hands warmly with the farmer, inquiring kindly after his health, and hoping that tho rheumatism would soon leave him. ' I hope so, plase God,' Thady answered, fervently. 1 It's too soon to be mak.in' an ould sick man of meseif, sitting in the corner by the fire side from morning till night, and plenty of work to be done outside.' Thady was quite a young man, .still on what ought to be the sunny side of 40, but an attack of rheumatic fever which he had had the previous winter had left him partially crippled and helpless. During the summer ho had grown almost well, but now the damp atmosphcie and the wet winds had set his poor bones aching again ' The house must be damp, Thadv,' Mr. Crawfoid said to him ' Those clm-tiees over the garden at tho back make the place cold and dark and keep away tho sunshine, and sinshine, plenty of it, is what \ou v\ ant ' ' Ay, sir, we were thinkin' ourseHes lately that the place might be better without them ould trees Wo do be terrible afraid on the wild nights that some- of them will come crashin' down atop of us, the Lord between us and all harm ! An' yet it makes wan lonesome-hko to think of cutting them down an' they there so long. But what use is it to be thinkin' of such ould foolishness now ! ' Thady looked sorrowfully into the firelight Suddenly he pulled himself together as with an effort ' I suppose you come to talk about the rent, sir,' he asked ' Yes, Donellan, that is my business,' Mr Crawford answered ; ' Js there a chance at all of your being able to o^eitake the arrears ? ' ' Not the laste, sir,' the other answered, dejectedly ' Not unless a miracle conies to pass. I can give you tho half-year's rent 1 ha\o every penny of that, but we can't give you any of the arrears, Mr. Crawford, not just >et, sir ' The landagent's fingers drummed restlessly on the little table beside him. ' You got the notice, of couise,' he asked quietly 'We did, sir ;oh yes, it came all right.' He looked pleadingly at his questioner. ' But sure we couldn't ♦hink his lordship oa er meant it, not, my God ! to turn us out for a matter of eight y pounds or so,' ho went on passionately. ' Us that has lived here, father nnd giandfather, and groat-frrandfather before us, for nearly 200 years. He could never mean to do it ' ' defiantly. ' I'm afiaid he does,' Mr. Crawfoid said. 'I have very emphatic orders to e\ict e\erv man on the estate who hasn't paid up, rent, arrears, and all, by next gale day' ' God forgive him,' exclaimed the farmer, bitterly ' Eighty pounds ' What is that to him ' ' ' You know sir.' ho went on. ' that if it wasn't for me being laid up the best part of last year that things wouldn't be like this with us now. You know that when I came into the farm there were hundreds of pounds due on it That was in the old lord's days, God lest his soul ' him that was good and kind and patient vith us all ' I paid off the proa tor part of that, all but this eighty-four pounds, and sure- you see for yourself, sir, that there's more than v\ill ro\er twice that in the place this minute, if he'll only fine us time Thoie's between forty and fifty tons of hay and straw, and that of the best, o|.it in the hnceiard there, let alone the bits of calves and three acre field of potatoes across the road. I should be taking them out of the ground now only for

the way I m crippled ; but next week, plase God, I'll l>e able to make a start with them. And you understand, sir you that is used to the like, that it's only a matter of time with the hay and straw too. It's a bit taydioas, of course carting it off two mornings a week to Dunlavin market, but the money is sure enough in the ' I know that Thady, quite well,' Mr. Crawford answered, sorrowfully, shaking his head. ' God knows it is not my wish to come troubling or rushing you when 1 know you are doing your best. But I have his lordship s orders lhady. It is not my wish, as I said. But 1 cant risk losing my position. I have already exulamcd things fairly to him, and Raid all I cot-Id for th o tenants, apparently to no use. Unless we can make up the arrears in some way, T'm afraid you must go.' ™ i , hel P " s all - then, if it comes to that,' cried Thady miserably. He looked anxiously towards Mollie his wile who stood near the window, idly picking a half withered leaf here and there from the geranium V a v ££ c Said nc ?thing, but her face had grown pale, and she bit nervously with her teeth a corner of the apron which she held before her quivering lips She brushed away one rebellious tear which would not be kept back ; then she turned a sunny April face to -r- W i ell> tis LlOL 10 " se fret *'ng now,' she said, cheerfully. God knows what good luck will turn up to us between this and next March. And first and foremost you have to think of getting well— that's the chief thing ; isn't it Mr. Crawford ? she added, bravely, stirring up the embers of the fire and sending pleasant shafts of light and warmth through the little room as she spoke. A merry, noisy group suddenly appeared, breathless at the kitchen door * ,J Vh 7' are y e home from school already?' she cried to the four sturdy boys who trooped in, cap in hand, shrinking back as quickly in shyness at the sight of the gentleman within. 6 ' Come in, boys ! Don't be afraid of me ! ' the agent said to them, kindly. ' Why, Patsy,' to the eldest, what a big man you've grown ! and is this little Larry, the baby I used to know a year or two ago ! ' Larry blushed rosy-red at being referred to as ' a baby ' and looked with shy apprehension at his bigger brothers oo 1 Oh, but Larry's the baby no longer, Mr. Crawford,' the mother cried, coming to tho rescue, and fondly carress.ng the golden head that sought sanctuary at her knee. Larry's a big man now, you know, since he got a little sister to take care of. Did you know we had a little girleen too, sir? the quietest 'little creature and no trouble at all. She's asleep the best part of the day.' Mr. Crawford's eyes were hungrily fixed on Patsy's ruddy, healthy beauty. You are proud of your sturdy sons, Mrs. Donnellan,' he said at last, with a heavy sigh. ' After all, you don't know how much you ha\e to be thankful for.' ' And how is Master Herbert himself,' Mrs. Donnellan said, with a sudden intuition of her visitor's thoughts. ' It's time for me to ask you, sir, but, in-doi-d, The trouble put everything else out of my head. I hoi c the little lad is getting fine and strong.' ' ITe is just the same, thank you ; no better, no worse lam taking him to London next week, to see a gicat doctor who is a specialist in such cases, and, if possible, will have an operation performed. The doctors think he is old enough to stand it now.' iV f r Ci aw fold's only child had been a cripple from infancy. No one quite knew what had happened the boy. who had been bom a sturdy, strong-limbed little fellow, but it was suspected that a careless nursemaid had been to blame for some injury to his spine. His illness and the pathetic little pale face had turned his father sad and old before his tune. It may have been this too, that made him so soft-hearted and kindly towaids his poorer neighbors, ready to sympathise in all their ioys and sorrows. He was not at all the typical, cold-blooded, heartless land agent of modern Irish life. Many a poor widow's blessing had followed him for kindly help gi\en in the time of her greatest need, and it was shrewdly suspected by the tenants that he himself had staved off eviction for some of them by paying up arrears himself, and waiting their time till they should be able to pay him bark. But the agent himself was a poor man, and his son's illness had been a constant drain on his slender income, so that it was only in a small way after all that he was able to help them. The Donnollans knew all this, and never thought of blaming him for the haishness of his employer. Now when he stood up to e;o, Mrs. Donnellan, who was busily employed cutting up great slices of home-made bread and jam for her boys, and helping them to little noggins of nnlk, suddenly became shamefacedly mindful of her want of hospitality. ' What's on me, for a woman ' ' she cried in impatient self-condemnation. 'To think of letting you go, sir, without as much as a cup of tea, and the kettle on the boil there this half-hour. Won't you wait a while, sir ° It won't take me- two minutes to get it ready.' Mr Crawfoid thanked her, but assured her he was gcmiir straight home to Coolnagiona to dinner. ' Well, then, sir, >ou mustn't go without a few newlaid eg-p-s for Master Herbert and a piece of home-made bread Not but what 1 know he has plenty of grand things at home to tempt his appetite, but the eggs are scarce e\ cry where this month, and I know the grand people's childer thinks more of a bit of griddle-cako than our own rough lads would do.'

Of course Mr. Crawford could not refuse a gift so kindly offered. As she bustled about, rolling the eggs in paper cases and packing them and the griddle-cake into a little basket, he stood looking on the pictures on the walls about him. These pictures had often arrested his attention before, because many of them were old, and so^ c -, of considerable value, as far as he could judge. ' T!he Village Festival,' ' The Fighting Horses,' ' The Jew s Harp ' ; these were the names of some of the engravings. On the wall opposite the fireplace hung an old time-obscured oil-painting, a portrait of a man Mr. Crawford stood looking fixedly at this, as he had often done beforp

' I wish, Thady,' he said at length, ' you would lend me this picture. 1 feel greatly interested in it, and can't help Thinking it is very valuable. Would you have any objection to parting with it ? I am going to London next week, and I will visit a picture dealer there, who will be able to tell me what it's worth. At the worst, if I do not sell it, 1 can at least have it cleaned and restored for you. Will you let mo take a loan of it ? ' ' Certainly, sir,' Thady answered readily. ' Sure the picture's of no value to me, except for ould time's sake, since it was here, like the trees outside, with my grandfather and great-grandfather before me. Take it, to bo sure, and may you have good luck with it, sir.' Mr. Crawford took down the picture from its place After Mrs. Donnellan had brushed off the dust with a clean cloth, he proceeded to carefully remove the cam as from its frame . He thought it would be the safer way to carry it rolled up cylinder-wise, but Thady and his wife said to themselves that whatever little value it may have possessed before, it was only a poor-looking rag enough now it was removed from its frame. But they didn't express this opinion to their visitor.

As Mr. Crawford was about to roll the canvas up ho took it to the window to have a better look at it in the now fading light ; he thought lie discerned a name half-illegibly inscribed in the left-hand corner where the frame had hitherto hidden it. As he peered through his glasses he gave a start of surprise, then looked moio carefully once again. At last he rolled it up, and turned to Mrs. Donnellan with a smile.

' Well, I'll take it with me and sec what I can do. These aro the eggs ; a thousand thanks. Herbert and his mother will be grateful to you. Good-bye now, and don't be disheartened. Pull yourself together, Donnellan, and get well ; but don't go out in wet wenthei I'll be back before Christmas and will tell you all about this,' tapping the roll of canvas he 'held carefully m his hand A moment later he had mounted the dog-cait and was gone. As he drove home over the mountain he whistled a tune and felt happy, hoping that at least the Donnellans were safe from eviction this year The name he thought he discerned on the cam as was 'Holbein.'

' God bless him, anyway ' 'Tis he is the kindl\spoken gentleman,' Mrs. Donnellan ejaculated, as she watched the dog-cart vanish out of sight ' Though he brought the trouble with him, 1 feel as if ho had taken it away with him again too ' She turned and busied herself, about the house, mending the fire and tid\mg up the noggins and plates after the bo.\s' simple repast

Hopeless as things seemed, Mollie would notguimble even now. She had come there ten or twH\e \eais before, a happy, laughing girl, and at heait she was a happy, laughing girl still. The tidy dowry oi £2o<i which had come to her on her wedding da v had been given shortly after, as was the custom, to ' loriuno oft" ' Thady 's elder sister Kate, who got maiiied soon after they did Molly did not grudge it to her Thady was good and kind,' and made, her wvy happy and the little boys, and now the precious baby gul, coming one I>\ one, made her even happier still 1 had\ \s cott.igo with its homely interests and pleasures, its piettv, well-tended garden stretching down to the shady load and the orchard of fruit trees securely sheltered behind the house, made a simple earthly paiadise to her, lendeied moie heavenly by her own happy, cheerful natuie She would not be downhearted now, she told herseli detei nnnedly Thady must get well first ; she would ha\e to take great caie of him. The potatoes and the hay and stiaw could be looked to afterwards. Surely the landlord would wait

But Thady did not get well. The weather continued to be (Limy) and unwholesome, and kept him gieath indoors Whenever he ventured out, e\en for a little while, he paid for it afterwards with da\s and nights of racking pain Finally he had to lemam indoors altogether. The doctor said it might be fatal to him to attempt to do any farming in tho state of health he was in. So Mollie hiz~ed a few men to dig out and trench the potatoes for them. This was easily enough done, but the men's wages made a big hole in the slender profits of tho crop And the hay and straw lav still intouched and unmnikelod in the haggard under the winter's rain and snow Mollie was m gioat trouble

Christmas was now almost upon them, and it piomised to be a sorrowful Christmas enough All ihe little pleasures and surprises she bad planned long- aao for Thady and the children must be given up E\ en tho trifling little delicacies which were mcessaiy foi Thad\ in his illness seemed each to put them one step further from any chance they had of remaining on at the faim So the smiles and dimples one by one died out in Mollies face and her cheeks grew pale and wan.

Meanwhile the Crawfords had gone away, taking their crippled boy to see the great T ondon doctor who, it was hoped, might be able to lestore the <hild to health and strength again Week after week went by, and no message came from them. For a time, it is to be feared, Mr. Crawford had

completely forgotten the picture, as was only natural results gUIt ° sdu » ume as to good and lasting nxl^huZ 1 aS nn ° W noarly c °nvalescent; the peaked, the PvnvV^- tac VVV Va ' S R rowi »K PI"J"P and almost rosy a w^flnTnTt C i f consta "t P a n had 'almost disappeared irtaft? m ° nlhs since tho operation had been Sr^F~"*-^ ts fcrS, t^ t^a'n 1 % ()ne Ca hrL^ lm ° St b ° yishly J'Kht-heartedanS cheery ' One bright morning m tne first d f Decen Jv er when the wmtcr's sunshine had pierced through l eve™ the hf wMndoTwh ° f MOIM O1 Y k)n ' and Shono ff in through rhvSSTA l \ c r ifully , vp k he took jt off KST; nv,PH n'ti VGV G x \ Mlbmitted for inspection by an expert in the value of such things mnn-: tt n niJ * iy be /T" 1?'1 ?' or :t nia *' not >' *as the great mans first Aerdict. ' It is a little hard to mdeo in iU when n it d i rt 'T &t f °' !° Ut ° ne Can S^ ak defiStely m nbor R^h"° d a ? d rcstowi ' On « « lin X «c must rl mtmbei Holbein seldom put his name to his works though ho did occasionally. This may be a forgery : but even if it „, lt is o f consumable \aluc, for both wor^iwT i i ntd i^^VnSter ai of t S So S a°nXng So£ ffaJ-^ aC^' ntod *' th »"™™ The auctioneer interrupted him. ' I think we'd be \ery safe in putting a reserve price of a hundred guineas on it,' he said .quietly Mr. Crawford's face showed his surprise U's T have no doubt at all that it's worth that ' the- auctioneer repeated. 'It may be worth a great deal mo i c B

Mr Crawford felt quite elated as he went home He was thoroughly glad for the Donnellans' sake • now at least there was no fear of e\iction for them this year and if Thady would only get well and strong ! r lhroe weeks later, the Crawfotds were at homo again in Coolnag,rena (Coolnagrcna, the ' Sunny Corner ), which now, please Cod, would be to them a sunny, happy spot indeed

Almost his nrst duty was to drive over to see the Donnellans and acquaint them with their good fortune the extent of which they as vet knew nothing about and which e\en he could hardly lonna himself to bohe\e'in He recenod, as usual, a kindly Irish welcome when he entered the little faimhou.se, now looking ghastly and bewitchod-like under its thick ccnenng of snow It was Chnstnias E\e, and the whole country side lav white and cold The faces of the farmer and" his wifo weie pale and ttoubled, m contrast with the bright eves and meuy-iuddy fares of the children, glowing in the firelight Mollie. s tl t nursing tic sleeping baby on her

'Well, thank (,'od ' Mr Crawford said to them 'I ha\o good news for you at last. 1 did not like to' tell ,\oii till I was quite sine '

they answeied. 'we were glad to hear the good news about Master Herbert, CJod bless the child ! M o think,' Mis Donnellan went on, 'of that poor lamb getting the use of buns-elf after all these >eais To be sine the ua\s of God aie wonderful, blessed bo His Holy Name ' I'm told now he's able to walk about a little, and is getting stronger e\ery day We are so pleased, sir, for his own sake and the poor lady his mother, not forgetting yourself either, Mr Crawford ' 'I he speaker's eyes and those of her husband shone now in glad RMiipathv Their own sorrows were forgotten in this gioat joy that had come to others fe ULlnn

Yes i jos ■ !Ur. Ciawford assured them with a happy smile 'My boy is better now than wg e \ er darod hope ho would j. c With rest and caie he will soon be almost as strong as other 1.0,\s of his age, the doctor telis us Why, \on may soon expect to see him wilk o\ei to see jon all ' ' with a happy laugh 'But that is ijot what I came about You remember the picturo I took off with me '> ' l

'A\o sir, 1 Thady answered; 'the ould wall seemed onesome 1,1 c nftoi it went away, but wo had nearly ioigotten it lately '

'Well,' Mi. Ciawfoid went on, ' ha\ ing- \ our permission to dispose o! it if necessary . I puf it into the hands of a man in London who understands such things It was sold l,,st week, and I ha\e a cheque hero for the amount it fetched Could you guess the figure Thadv ? ' he asked with a smile Thadv answoiod that lie could not

' Well, what would you say to eight hundred guineas?' Mollie, forgetting- the baby, almost jumped off the sent in her astonsthment , hut 'Thady remained impassive •You're ,iokm' us, i\l> Ctawfor'd, sir,' he said with a ropro\ ing shake of his bond

I'm not. Thadv. I assure you. Hero's your cheque for \ou, drawn on the Bank of England " Fay to Thaddeus Donnellan, Esquire, the sum of eight hundred and forty pounds sterling.' Look at it now, and don't doubt me. It comes exactly ton times the amount

of the arrears. Why you don't know what fortune may be lying hidden in those discolored old pictures you have hanging around the house. Well, 1 congratulate you both with all my heart. Now that you're a rich man, you can afford to take care of yourself. Make him nurse himself up for this winter, Mrs. Donnellan. He can get someone else to cart the hay and straw and look after the farm till he's able to do it himself Dr Fletcher says he'll be all riirht with a little care. By the bye, Mrs. Crawford said I was to thank you for the splendid Christmas turkey you sent up. It does credit to your feeding , but it it. much too good of you I'm sure. Goodr-bye now, and 1 wish you all a happy Christmas Oh, I had almost forgotten the basket ' He went out to the dog-cart and returned in a moment carrying two baskets — one a tiny one in which Mrs. Donnellan had packed the eggs and griddle-cake on the occasion of his last visit. The other was a great brown hamper.

• This is a little present from Herbert to you all,' he said. 'We thought you might not have time to get in your Christmas provisions, with this good man laid up on your hand 9. Good-bye now. Don't thank me I'm ofl.'

A few moments later the hamper was unpacked and the snowy kitchen table spread over with its contents. What riches, and what a merry Christmas they would have '—a huge ham, a piece of roasting beef, a bottle of wine, a plum pudding, mince pies, boxes of sweets, dried fruits, Christinas crackers, and sugar plums for tho children.

Mrs. Ponnelltfin sat down again and cried for joy. ' Musha, ye foolish woman ' ' cried Thndy : 'is it crying you are, when 3011 ought to be so happy? ' ' And so I am, Thady dear,' she answered, wiping away her tears. ' Only I can't help crying. To think how good God has been to us through everything ! Praised be His Holy Name ! And may He pour down His blessings on Mr. Crawford and the little boy and his poor mo tho r. Sure it will be tho happiest Christmas ever wo spent ! '

And we may be pretty certain that it was.—' Freeman's Journal.'