posed bride's amiable brother. The medium through which he first heard it was not one likely to add to his good humour. Jacky, the fool, had for many years bee

y following him through the street, and being continually found at the house-door when he went out. Jack's attendance was certainly dictated by affection rather than any mercenary views,

was riding out of the gate, about three i

ure you won't forget Jacky to-day. You'

appeal, but only looked at the poor ragged fello

en yer honour's hand, when Miss Anty, God bless her, is afthe

mean, you

n't it be a great thing for Miss Anty, to be sib to a lord

ynch?" said Barry, his attention somewhat a

s him! Ah! there'll be fine times at Dunmore, then. He's not the boy to rattle a poor divil out

ead; and the idea that there was any truth in it, nearly knocked him off his horse. He rode on, however, trying to

the news I've brought yer? Well, hard as ye a

he very village in which he lived, was more than he could bear. He could never hold up his head in the county again. And then, he thought of his debts, and tried to calculate whether he might get over to France without paying them, and be able to carry his share of the property with him; and so he went on, pu

uth in the story; and, if there should be,-for he felt confident she would not be able to deceive him,-to frighten her

her. He went into the stable, and abused the groom; into the kitchen, and swore at the maid; and then into the garden. It was a nasty, cold, February day, and he walked up and down the damp muddy walks till he was too tired and cold to walk longer, and then turned into the parlour, and

to hate those whom he should have loved-cursing those who were nearest to him-fearing her, whom he had ill-treated all his life-and striving to pluck up courage to take such measures as might entirely quell her. Money was to him the only source of gratification. He had looked forward, when a boy, to his manhood, as a period when he might indu

hless, with the steaming jug, he threatened to turn him out of the house at once, if he was not quicker in obeying the orders given him. He then made a tumbler of punch, filling the glass half full of spirits, and drinking it so hot as to scald his throat; and when that was done he again rang the bell, and desired the servant to tell Miss Anty that he wanted to speak to her. When the door was shut, he mixed more drink, to support his courage during the interview, and made up his mind that nothing should daunt him from preventing the marriage, in one way or another. When Anty opened

Barry?" said Anty, who

pen?" replied her brother, "d' you think I wa

door; "but they'll hear just as well now av'

he banged open; finding no victim outside on whom to exercise his wr

osite the fireplace, and Barry remained for a minute,

cheme have you got in your head?-

chame,

ame, if you li

-" and then Anty blushed. It would evidently be eas

go on-a

rry. Av' you're going to be bad

. I'm your brother, and have a right to know. What's this you're going to do?' He didn't like to ask her at once whether she was going to get marri

he property yo

d, I warn you beforehand. You're not able-that is, you're too foolish and weak-headed to manage it yourself; and I mean, as your guardian, to put it into the hands of those that shall manage it for you. I'm no

de herself with fear-for Barry's face was very red, and

out of you. I'm not going to be bamboozled by such an idiot as you. You got an old man, when he was dying, to make a will that has robbed me of what was my own, and now you think you'll play your own low g

?" sobbed forth the poor creature, wh

have what you call yours. Tell me, at once, will

ng, but continued

man! Are you going to answer me, Anty?" And he walked away from the fire, and came and stood opposite to

re always-bullying me because father divided the property." And Anty continued sobbing more

lock, and put the key in his pocket; and then he caught her arm, a

such an idiot as you be caught up by the first sharper that tried to rob you of your money? Now, look here," and he sat down beside her, and laid his hand violently on her arm, as he spoke,

r her own. But when he said she shouldn't leave the room alive, she jumped from the sofa, and shrieked, at t

pause, that the servants had not heard, or had not heeded his sister, he determined to carry on his game, now that he had pr

rdian, my advice should be asked for before you throw away your money on a low ruffian. You're more fit for a mad-house than to be any man's

nearly drunk now, and she felt that he was so,-and he looked so hot and so fierce-so re

-indeed I will-and I'll thry to do all you'd have me; indeed, an

ing along the roads, I suppose, with Martin Kelly, before the mornin

ay let me go-pray, pray, for the lo

rk me-so help me-I'll set off with you this night, and have you there in the m

she saw her brother's scowling face so near her own, and heard him threatening to drag her to a mad-house, she put her

e raised his fist, and struck her on the face, with all his force. The blow fell upon her hands, as they were crossed over her face;

l! What the d––––l shall I do now? Anty, get up!-get up, will you!-What ails you?"-and then again to

the door; and though they could see nothing, and did not succeed in hearing much, were not the less fully aware that the conversation was of a somewhat stormy nature on the part of the

d the woman,-"Knock, man, and g

blood! He'll not murdher her-but, faix, he's afther doing something now! Knoc

or, without further parleying, she rapped her knuckles loudly agai

raising his sister to the

alled out loudly;

Miss Anty's wantin

come at present; she'

ke, Miss Anty; in God's name, spake thin. Ah! Mr.

, after a moment's consideration, he went and unlocked the doo

e house, to think over what he had done, and what he'd better do

marked her; but she was for a long time so flurried that she did not know where she was, and, in answer to all Biddy's tender inquiries as to the cau

to have escaped alive from that drunken face,

e remorse he was beginning to feel for what he had done-or rather, not remorse, but the feeling of fear that every one would know how he had treated Anty, and that they would side with her against him. Whichever way he looked, all was misery and disappointment to

ook her shoulder, and shook it as gently as his drunkenness would let him. This did not wake her, so he put the candle down on the table, close beside the bed, and, steadying himself against the bedstead, he shook her again and again. "Anty", he whispered, "Anty"; and, at last, she opened her eyes. Directly she saw his face, she closed the