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Carleton, William, 1794-1869

"Phelim Otoole's Courtship and Other Stories Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of William Carleton, Volume Three"

Owen, acushla, I feel that if
anything happened you, I'd break my heart."
"Arrah, what 'ud happen me, darlin', wid God to protect me? Now, God
be wid you, Kathleen dheelish, till I come back to you wid good news,
I hope. I'm not goin' in sickness an' misery, as I wint afore, to see a
man that wouldn't hear my appale to him; an' I'm lavin' you comfortable,
agrah, an' wantin' for nothin'. Sure it's only about five-an'-twenty
miles from this--a mere step. The good God bless an' take care of you,
my darlin' wife, till I come home to you!"
He kissed the tears that streamed from her eyes; and, hemming several
times, pressed her hand, his face rather averted, then grasped his
staff, and commenced his journey.
Scenes like this were important events to our humble couple. Life, when
untainted by the crimes and artificial manners which destroy its purity,
is a beautiful thing to contemplate among the virtuous poor; and, where
the current of affection runs deep and smooth, the slightest incident
will agitate it. So it was with Owen M'Carthy and his wife. Simplicity,
truth, and affection, constituted their character. In them there was no
complication of incongruous elements. The order of their virtues was not
broken, nor the purity of their affections violated, by the anomalous
blending together of opposing principles, such as are to be found in
those who are involuntarily contaminated by the corruption of human
society.


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