



Produced by Al Haines









[Frontispiece: "I'm comin' home from a feeneral," Honeybird called out
cheerfully.]






THE WEANS AT ROWALLAN


BY

KATHLEEN FITZPATRICK




WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS BY A. GUY SMITH




METHUEN & CO.

36 ESSEX STREET W.C.

LONDON




_First Published in 1905_

_Second Edition 1905_




CONTENTS

CHAPTER

    I.  WHY MRS M'REA RETURNED TO THE FAITH OF HER FATHERS
   II.  UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAINS
  III.  JANE'S CONVERSION
   IV.  A DAY OF GROWTH
    V.  THE CHILD SAMUEL
   VI.  THE BEST FINDER
  VII.  A STOCKING FULL OF GOLD
 VIII.  THE BANTAM HEN
   IX.  THE DORCAS SOCIETY
    X.  THE CRUEL HARM
   XI.  A CHIEF MOURNER
  XII.  A SAFEGUARD FOR HAPPINESS
 XIII.  JIMMIE BURKE'S WEDDING
  XIV.  JANE AT MISS COURTNEY'S SCHOOL
   XV.  AN ENGLISH AUNT




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"I'M COMIN' HOME FROM A FEENERAL," HONEYBIRD CALLED OUT
  CHEERFULLY............ _Frontispiece_

WHEN FLY LOOKED IN UNDER THE WHIN THERE WAS HONEYBIRD FAST ASLEEP

"MICHAEL DARRAGH!  IS THAT WHO YE ARE?  MOTHER A' GOD!  AN' YER
  FATHER'S GUN IN HIS HAN'"

"WHIST, SAMMY; BE QUIET, MAN, TILL SHE COMES," SAID MICK




THE WEANS AT ROWALLAN


CHAPTER I

WHY MRS M'REA RETURNED TO THE FAITH OF HER FATHERS

One soaking wet day in September Patsy was sitting by the kitchen fire
eating bread and sugar for want of better amusement when he was cheered
by the sight of a tall figure in a green plaid shawl hurrying past the
window in the driving rain.  He got up from his creepie stool to go for
the other children, who were playing in the schoolroom, when Lull,
sprinkling clothes at the table, exclaimed:

"Bad luck to it, here's that ould runner again."

Patsy quietly moved his stool back into the shadow of the chimney
corner.  In that mood Lull, if she saw him, would chase him from the
kitchen when the news began; and clearly Teressa was bringing news
worth hearing.  As far back as Patsy or any of the children could
remember, Teressa had brought the village gossip to Rowallan.  Neither
rain nor storm could keep the old woman back when there was news to
tell.  One thing only--a dog in her path--had power to turn her aside.
The quietest dog sent her running like a hare, and the most obviously
imitated bark made her cry.

She came in, shaking the rain from her shawl.

"Woman, dear, but that's the saft day.  I'm dreepin' to the marrow
bone."

"What an' iver brought ye out?" said Lull shortly.

Teressa sank into a chair, and wiped her wet face with the corner of
her apron.  "'Deed, ye may weel ast me.  My grandson was for stoppin'
me, but says I to myself, says I, the mistress be to hear this before
night."

"She'll hear no word of it, then," said Lull.  "She's sleepin' sound,
an' I'd cut aff my han' afore I'd wake her for any ould clash."

Teressa paid no heed.  "Such carryin's-on, Lull, I niver seen.  Mrs
M'Rea, the woman, she bates Banagher.  She's drunk as much whiskey
these two days as would destroy a rigiment, an' now she has the whole
village up with her talk."

"Andy was tellin' me she was at it again," said Lull.

"Och, I wisht ye'd see her," said Teressa.  "She was neither to bind
nor to stay.  An' the tongue of her.  Callin' us a lock a' papishes an'
fenians!  Sure, she was sittin' on Father Ryan's dour-step till past
twelve o'clock wavin' an or'nge scarf, an' singin' 'Clitter Clatter,
Holy Watter.'"

"Dear help us," said Lull.

"'Deed, I'm sayin' it," said Teressa.  "An when his riverence come out
to her it was nothin' but a hape of abuse, an' to hell wid the