In many other
points of view, the confirmed and hackneyed mendicants of Ireland are a
great evil to the morals of the people. We could easily detail them, but
such not being our object at present, we will now dismiss the subject of
poor-laws, and resume our narrative.
Far--far different from this description of impostors, were Owen
M'Carthy and his family. Their misfortunes were not the consequences
of negligence or misconduct on their own part. They struggled long but
unavailingly against high rents and low markets; against neglect on the
part of the landlord and his agent; against sickness, famine, and death.
They had no alternative but to beg or starve. Owen was willing to
work, but he could not procure employment: and provided he could, the
miserable sum of sixpence a day, when food was scarce and dear, would
not support him, his wife, and six little ones. He became a pauper,
therefore, only to avoid starvation.
Heavy and black was his heart, to use the strong expression of the
people, on the bitter morning when he set out to encounter the dismal
task of seeking alms, in order to keep life in himself and his family.
The plan was devised on the preceding night, but to no mortal, except
his wife, was it communicated. The honest pride of a man whose mind was
above committing a mean action, would not permit him to reveal what he
considered the first stain that ever was known to rest upon the name of
M'Carthy; he therefore sallied out under the beating of the storm,
and proceeded, without caring much whither he went, until he got
considerably beyond the bounds of his own parish.
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