The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIX, Issue 29, 27 July 1922, Page 3

The Storyteller

(By Mrs. J. Sadlier.)

-AJiee Riordan

CHAPTER IV.—ALICE EMBARKS ON THE SEA OP LIFE.

The following day was one of deep, deep sorrow to Alice Riordan and her father, for in the evening they were to separate;to separate for the first time. Father Smith had called about noon* to' announce that a certain Mrs. Dempsey would send for Alice about six o'clock; and although Cormac employed all the intervening hours in reasoning with his daughter, explaining to her the necessity which urged him to consent to such a measure, and representing to her that it was all for her own advantage, yet still Alice could not bring herself to leave her father with any sort of cheerfulness. Malone and his wife were highly indignant at the proposed change, looking upon it •as a direct insult offered to themselves. It was bad enough when she hoard of Alice going to serve her time to a dressmaker; but their anger knew no bounds when they found that Cormac was going to the Gray Nunnery, There's for you, Harry Malone!".cried his gentle helpmate, who, forgetful of her sprained arm; was helping her servant girl to wash bottles and decanters, working away as though no such thing as a sprain had ever been heard of. "There's for youthere's what it is to be drawing priests about the house; you see the notions they have got into their heads. Well, it's just what we deserve from them; that's all I'll say; for really I have no patience with people that put on airs and forget themselves. Some people are in need of a cooling, and they'll get it, or I'm much mistaken. Go on with your work, Sally; what are you gaping at? One would think I had two heads on me."

'■'Well, indeed, Lizzie dear," said her husband, "you're not much wrong this time. .Upon my ered/ti, it'll be many a, long day before I bother my head about anyone in the same way. So say no more about it, and you may take your oath unon it that you'll never be troubled with any of my people again. Let all these good Christians stay at home in Ireland and eat potatoes and point for me."

Meanwhile Alice was sitting in another room on a low seat beside her father, her head resting on his knee, and her pretty' eyes swelled with weeping. But she was listening attentively to the words that her father was speaking, and answered from time to time in a low, hesitating voice.

"You know, Alice dear," said Cormac, that you're jist like one goin' out on the ocean, an' gettin' into the clanger of storms an' tempests. It's true you're in a good stout ship—the holy Church of Christ—an' the priests are good pilots; but the world an' tho devil are very powerful, an' they'll be for- drawin' you away from your religion, an' makin' you slight tho advice of them that's sent by our Father in Heaven to guide us homo lo Him. When anyone tries to put proud, sinful thoughts in your head,*' remember what your poor old-father told you, an' ever an' always bear it in mind that you're lost— both ... body and soul, if you turn your back on religion. As long' as you make a father of the priest, an' ask his advice when you'ro in any doubt or danger, then you may be sure that you'll do well, for the advice that he'll give you will be from God, an' when you follow it, you'll be doin' His holy will. Now, won't you promise mo to mind that, Alice?"

"Indeed I will, Father; I'll be sure to do what you tell me." «■

"With Cod's help, Alice; always say "with God's help," for you know of ourselves we can do nothing that's good. There's one thing more that I want you, to promise me afore we part — go regularly to the Catechism every Sunday, let what will come or go; an' when you have a little spare time you'll read the books that I'll ask Father Smith to buy for you." '■'■- , . ,; : :

"Well, I will, Father, I will," murmured Alice through her tears, which began to fall as the hour approached when she was to leave her father; then she -added quickly, "that is, with God's help. Didn't I say it right this time, father?". '•. ' ':> - T -'> -1 ■; . ••',,.: :>■■■;>." '■,'-•.- -•"> .";.

"You did, ma colleen banV said Cormac, tenderly, and he smoothed down his daughter's silken tresses with the hand which rested on her head, "you did. God give you grace always to do and say what's right!"

"But, father," said Alice, suddenly starting up ; "what'll you do at all without me—who'll lead you about, or do any little thing for you ?" She could go no farther, for the thought of her father's loneliness and Ins almost childish helplessness was too much for her, and she could not say another word.

"Oh, never you mind that, Alice," rejoined her father, with an effort to speak cheerfully; but the attempt was a miserable failure, and the tears which he could no. longer repress now trickled down his cheek. "God will take care of me, my daughter, an' my guardian angel will conduct me when I lose the little guide that God gave me till now. He's takin' you from me for awhile, Alice, but He'll lead me Himself till you come back again. Now, don't cry, Alice, don't; that's a good child. Don't you see how well I'm takin' it?"

"Why, you're cryin' yourself, father," said Alice, laughing in spite of her sorrow.

"An' more shame for me if I am," replied her father, hastily wiping away his tears. "Sure amn't I only givin' you into the hands of God, an' what needs I be frettin' about it, poor, foolish man that I am : J Go away, Alice, and get your little things ready, for I think it's not far from six now, and they'll soon be comin' for you. Go, alannal"

It was scarcely six o'clock when a pretty-looking young girl came for Alice, and requested her to make no delay, as they were very busy indeed, and Mrs. Dempsey desired her to hurry back.

—l'm just ready," said Alice, making a brave effort to keep in her tears; then she crossed to her father, who was sitting at the other side of the room, and, smoothing his hair with her hand as though he were a child, she bent down and whispered in his ear: "Now mind, father, I'll learn a-s fast as ever I can, till I get back to take care of you again; and' I'll go as often as I can to see you."

"God bless you, Alice, God bless you,'' said the blind man, with a quivering lip and a faint voice; "I didn't know the want of my sight while I had you, but I'll know it now. But no matter; don't be cast down about it, my own good child; -I'll be with good Christians, an' they'll take care of me for God's sake."

"But when will you go, father?"

"Well, I can't go till Father Smith comes; he said he'd either take me down to the nunnery himself or get someone else to do it. There'd be no use in asking Harry to send anyone with me, himself an' Mrs. Malone's so angry at me for goin'. But go on now, dear; you're keepin' the young woman waitin'."

"Why, yes," said the girl, "I'm all in a tremble for fear of Mrs. Dempsey being displeased. La! there's no need for so much crying, little girl, you're not going to leave your father forever; Mrs. Dempsey will let you go once in a while to see him. Come, come, I can't wait any longer. Say good-bye at once and let, us be off."

"Why, surely you ain't going to leave us, Alice?" cried Thompson, entering at the moment; "it's only just now that I heard anything of it. By Jove! you're a great fool if you leave your snug quarters here, where you might live a lady's lifeodd fish! your aunt is so mad about your going that she won't come to bid you good-bye. But, my eyes! what sweet little lass is this you've got here?" turning and fixing a bold look on the face of the girl, now covered with smiles 'and blushes.

"Mrs. Dempsey sent for me." said Alice, and her father again reminded her that it was time to go.

This time Mrs. Dempsey's messenger. did not second him, and her nervous dread of her absent principal seemed to have considerably diminished. Whether this was in any way connected with Thompson's rude compliment or his admiring stare is matter of small importance to our story, but 'it is certain that malgrc the patches about his brow and temples, and the sinister look imparted to his whole countenance by a pair of black eyes, his presence and his impudent regards seemed to have a sort of basilisk influence on the young seamstress, when he sidled \ up to her and asked, "Is Mrs. Dempsey always so fortunate in securing pretty faces for her establishment : has she many like you there?" ' ; ■ ,

She replied, with an affected toss of her head: "Oh, dear, yes, sir; there's some of our girls think themselves far handsomer than I am."

''Then, really, I must buy something to have sewed. I begin to think Mrs. Dempsey is an excellent woman and deserves to be encouraged. You must take great care of our little Alice here: she'll bo almost as handsome as yourself some of these days."

"Alice," said Cormae Riordan to his daughter, "you must go at once; don't stay another minute. There now, my child," and he slipped a half-crown into her hand; "go, in the name of God, an' under the protection of the Blessed Mother of Christ."

"Oh! I don't wish to hurry you too much," said the young woman—even if Mrs. Dempsey does say anything, she can't eat us: she can only scold!"

"Surely she wouldn't have the heart to scold you?" said Thompson, endeavoring to tune his voice to something like softness.

Before tho girl could answer, Alice, on a whispered command from her father, took her little bundle and approached the door; so there was nothing for her but to follow, and Thompson was left to practise his modulation to the walls; for no sooner had tho door closed on Alice than her father quietly groped his way into the passage, and thence to his room, to indulge for a little while the tears of which he was ashamed.

There he was soon sought by Harry, who, entering abruptly, made him first aware" of his presence by a slap on the shoulder. His frank, honest nature could not retain anger, particularly when he could not help acknowledging to himself that Cormae had done him no wrong, and was, perhaps, doing what was right. "Why, what on earth makes you sit here all alone, man alive?" he cried, in his lively,, bustling way:"sure, if you did send Alice away on a wildgoose chase after a trade which she might very well have done without, that's no reason you'd put yourself in gaol. Come down, Cormac, come down; while we are in the one house let us bo good friends!" and he took him by the arm to lead him along.

"But-Mrs. Malone, Harry?" asked Cormac, still holding back.

"Pooh, pooh! Mrs. Malone; why, what the sorra need you care about her?—she'll hot bite your nose off, will she? Come along, I tell you; let us have no more of such nonsense. Besides, it'll soon be supper time, and I thought I'd just.come myself to fetch you, now that Alice is gone; —and, by-the-by, I'm sorry for it, in troth,' I am," and his coarse voice faltered a little. "Alice is a good little girl, and what's more, she looks like them that's in dust now." This remembrance seemed to affect him more than a. little, for he did not speak another word till they got to the room where his wife was busy arranging the table for tea. "Cormae, too, was touched, deeply touched, and that fully as much by his brother-in-law's unexpected kindness as by the abstract associations of his last words. But his heart was too full for speech, so he merely grasped his hand and said: "Thank you, Harry, thank you most kindly!" and then he, too, was silent, until Mrs. Malone's shrill voice disturbed the reflections of both, as she reprimanded her husband for , not coming sooner. "It's a pretty how d'ye do, indeed, to keep people waiting this way!—it's worse you're, growing every day, Harry Malone, instead of better. Sit down at once and let us 'get the tea over."

"Is Alice gone?" was her next word.

"She is, ma'am," said Cormac, in a deprecating tone; "we thought it was best for her to go at once, so long as she was going at all, as she'd be only losin' her time."

"Oh,, indeed, Mr. Riordan, you needn't trouble yourself telling me anything about it; 'of course you didn't consult me—l'm nobody; so there's no use talking to me; and, besides, I didn't ask, only just to know whether Ave were to wait for her too. With all my faults, Mr. Riordan; I'm not a bit curious about other people's business; I've enough to do to mind my own. Come over, Sam, and sit down. My stars! what a man you are, to be sure. Why, what's the reason you don't bless yourself? Don't you see even Harry Malone blesses himself these last days when he's sitting down to table. What a poor thing it is to be a Protestant, isn't it, Sam?" and according to her old custom she pointed her observation by, a knowing wink of her right eye, which organ seemed to < have acquired a wonderful facility in performing said act. '• v v '£'■, / : ' "There's no time one feels ? that, Mrs. ' Malone, so much as on a Friday, or on any other fast day," replied Thompson, as he thrust a huge mouthful of cold ham into

the cavity for which he had designed it, and then,, resting his wrists against the table, with the knife and fork sticking up erect, as though he meant to act on the defensive: "It makes me always love my religion when I find myself , feasting on a goody beefsteak or joint of mutton, while others around mo are keeping the fast on some dried codfiish or salt mackerel; it's then that I bless the memory of that jolly dog, Luther, who declared against fasting and all such tomfooleries, in the name of all sensible peoplo who were to come after himyou and I amongst others. Mrs. Malone." This sally was rewarded with a gracious smile, and so the matter rested. Cormac did not feel himself called uoon to take it up for discussion, and for Harry it had little interest, for ho never troubled himself about such things. Meanwhile Alice walked with her companion to her new home, and by tho time she arrived there she was perfectly acquainted with Mrs. Dempsey's domestic arrangements, the names and qualities of the four girls who were to be her companions,- a due proportion of good being assigned to the narrator's self. If Alice had been better acquainted with fabulary lore, she would have considered Margaret Hanlon as taking to herself the lion's share in the distribution of the virtues of the household; but she knew nothing of the royal beast's recorded monopoly, so she innocently thought to herself, "What a good girl she must be, when she puts up with such ill-treatment from the'others!"

(To be continued.)