"M'Evoy," said the Colonel, "I am truly sorry for what you have suffered
through the villany of my agent; but I will give you redress, and allow
you for what you have lost by the transaction. It is true, as I
have been lately told by a person who pleaded your cause nobly and
eloquently, that I can never repay you for what you have suffered.
However, what we can, we will do. You are poor, I understand?"
"God he sees that, sir; and afflicted, too, plase your honor."
"Afflicted? How is that?"
"I had a son, sir--a blessed boy! a darlin' boy!--once our comfort, an'
once we thought he'd be our pride an' our staff, but"--
The poor man's tears here flowed fast; he took up the skirt of his
"Cotha More," or great-coat, and, after wiping his eyes, and clearing
his voice, proceeded:--
"He was always, as I said, a blessed boy, and we looked up to him
alwayrs, sir. He saw our poverty, your honor, an' he felt it, sir, keen
enough, indeed, God help him! How an'-iver, he took it on him to go
up to Munster, sir, undher hopes of risin' us--undher the hopes, poor
child--an' God knows, sir,--if--oh, Jemmy avourneen ma-chree!--doubt--I
doubt you sunk undher what proved too many for you!--I doubt my child's
dead, sir--him that all our hearts wor fixed upon; and if that 'ud
happen to be the case, nothin'--not even your kindness in doin' us
justice, could make us happy. We would rather beg wid him, sir, nor have
the best in the world widout him. His poor young heart, sir, was fixed
upon the place your honor is restorin' us to; an I'm afeard his mother,
sir, would break her heart if she thought he couldn't share our good
fortune! And we don't know whether he's livin' or dead! That, sir, is
what's afflictin' us.
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