Part 19 (2/2)
”Won't we have time enough afther ma.s.s?” said Reillaghan.
”Why, man, sure you did hear ma.s.s once to-day. Weren't you at it last night? No, indeed, we won't be time enough afther it; for this bein'
Chris'mas day, we must be home at dinner-time; you know it's not lucky to be from the family upon set days. Hang-an-ounty, come: we'll have fine sport! I have c.o.c.ksticks * enough. The best part of the day 'll be gone if we wait for ma.s.s. Come, an' let us start.”
* A c.o.c.kstick was so called from being used on c.o.c.k- Monday, to throw at a cook tied to a stake, which was a game common among the people It was about the length of a common stick, but much heavier and thicker at one end.
”Well, well,” replied Reillaghan, ”the sorra hair I care; so let us go. I'd like myself to have a rap at the hares in the Black Hills, sure enough; but as it 'ud be remarkable for us to be seen lavin' ma.s.s, why let us cra.s.s the field here, an' get out upon the road above the bridge.”
To this his companion a.s.sented, and they both proceeded at a brisk pace, each apparently anxious for the sport, and resolved to exhibit such a frank cordiality of manner as might convince the other that all their past enmity was forgotten and forgiven.
The direct path to the mountains lay by M'Kenna's house, where it was necessary they should call, in order to furnish themselves with c.o.c.ksticks, and to bring dogs which young Frank kept for the purpose.
The inmates of the family were at ma.s.s, with the exception of Frank's mother, and Rody, the servant-man, whom they found sitting on his own bed in the barn, engaged at cards, the right hand against the left.
”Well, Rody,” said Frank, ”who's winnin'?”
”The left entirely,” replied his companion: ”the divil a game at all the right's gettin', whatever's the rason of it, an' I'm always turnin' up black. I hope none of my friends or acquaintances will die soon.”
”Throw them aside--quit of them,” said Prank, ”give them to me, I'll put them past; an' do you bring us out the gun. I've the powdher an' shot here; we may as well bring her, an' have a slap at them. One o' the officers in the barracks of ---- keeps me in powdher an' shot, besides givin' me an odd crown, an' I keep him in game.”
”Why, thin, boys,” observed Rody, ”what's the manin' o' this?--two o'
the biggest inimies in Europe last night an' this mornin' an' now as great as two thieves! How does that come?”
”Very asy, Rody,” replied Reillaghan; ”we made up the quarrel, shuck hands, an's good frinds as ever.”
”Bedad, that bates c.o.c.k-fightin',” said Body, as he went to bring in the gun.
In the mean time, Prank, with the cards in his hand, went to the eave of the barn, I thrust them up under the thatch, and took out of the same nook a flask of whiskey.
”We'll want this,” said he, putting it to his lips, and gulping down a portion. ”Come Mike, be tastin'; and aftherwards i put this in your pocket.”
Mike followed his example, and was corking the flask when Rody returned with the gun.
”She's charged,” said Frank; ”but we'd betther put in fresh primin' for 'fraid of her hangin' fire.”
He then primed the gun, and handed it to Reillaghan. ”Do you keep the gun, Mike,” he added, ”an' I'll keep the c.o.c.ksticks. Rody, I'll bet you a s.h.i.+llin' I kill more wid! the c.o.c.kstick, nor he will wid the gun, will you take me up?”
”I know a safer thrick,” replied Rody; ”you're a dead aim wid the c.o.c.kstick, sure enough, an' a deader with the gun, too; catch me at it.”
”You show some sinse, for a wondher,” observed Frank, as he and his companion left the barn, and turned towards the mountains, which rose frowning behind the house. Rody stood looking after them until they wound up slowly out of sight among the hills; he then shook his head two or three times, and exclaimed, ”By dad, there's somethin' in this, if one could make out: what it is. I know Frank.”
Christmas-day pa.s.sed among the peasantry, as it usually pa.s.ses in Ireland. Friends met before dinner in their own, in their neighbors', in shebeen or in public houses, where they drank, sang, or fought, according to their natural dispositions, or the quant.i.ty of liquor they had taken. The festivity of the day might be known by the unusual reek of smoke that danced from each chimney, by the number of persons who crowded the roads, by their bran-new dresses,--for if a young man or country girl can afford a dress at all, they provide it for Christmas,--and by the striking appearance of those who, having drunk a little too much, were staggering home in the purest happiness, singing, stopping their friends, shaking hands with them, or kissing them, without any regard to s.e.x. Many a time might be seen two Irishmen,' who had got drunk together, leaving a fair or market, their arms about each other's necks, from whence they only removed them to kiss and hug one another more lovingly. Notwithstanding this, there is nothing more probable than that these identical two will enjoy the luxury of a mutual battle, by way of episode, and again proceed on their way, kissing and hugging as if nothing had happened to interrupt their friends.h.i.+p. All the usual effects of jollity and violence, fun and fighting, love and liquor, were, of course, to be seen, felt, heard, and understood on this day, in a manner much more remarkable than on common occasions; for it maybe observed, that the national festivals of the Irish bring-out their strongest points of character with peculiar distinctness.
The family of Frank M'Kenna were sitting down to their Christmas dinner; the good man had besought a blessing upon the comfortable and abundant fare of which they were about to partake, and nothing was amiss, save the absence of their younger son.
”Musha, where on earth can this boy be stayin'?” said the father: ”I'm sure this, above all days in the year, is one he oughtn't to be from home an.”
The mother was about to inform him of the son's having gone to the mountains, when the latter returned, breathless, pale, and horror-struck.
Rody eyed him keenly, and laid down the bit he was conveying to his mouth.
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