University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Bog-land Studies

By J. Barlow: 3rd ed
Barlow, Jane (1857?-1917)

collapse section 
[section]
collapse section 
TH' OULD MASTER
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V
 VI. 
VI
 VII. 
VII
 VIII. 
VIII
 IX. 
IX
 X. 
X
 XI. 
XI
 XII. 
XII
 XIII. 
XIII
 XIV. 
XIV
 XV. 
XV
 XVI. 
XVI
 XVII. 
XVII
expand section 
WALLED OUT
expand section 
LAST TIME AT M'GURK'S
expand section 
BY THE BOG-HOLE
expand section 
PAST PRAYING FOR OR, THE SOUPER'S WIDOW
expand section 
MISS HONOR'S WEDDING
  
A CURLEW'S CALL

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section Bog-land Studies
next section
12

VI

But it come cruel hard on th' ould master, for, livin' so lonesome an' quite,
He'd got naught to be takin' his mind off the throuble by day or by night.
An' he wouldn't let on he thought bad o' the matter; an' yet all the same,
He'd be off wid himself in the boat to the town every mornin' that came,
Like enough wid no chance in the world o' the mail bein' in, as he knew;
But he'd set Widdy Doyle at the office a-sortin' the letter-bags thro',
An' stan' watchin' as if one 'ud make all the differ 'twixt Heaven and Hell;
An' it never was Heaven; for always there'd be the same story to tell:
13

‘No, there's nought for your Honor this day.’ An' he stopped himself goin' at last,
And 'ud send the boys over, but, och, ere ye'd think they'd ha' fairly got past
Inish Greine, half ways back, he'd be thrampin' the pier lookin' out for the boat,
In a down-pour, mayhap, wid the win' fit to blusther the nap off his coat;
An' 'twas: ‘Sorra a thing for your Honor.’— Ochone, every sowl in the place
Would be heart-vexed to see him creep home be himself wid that news in his face.
previous section Bog-land Studies
next section