THE FAMILY OF o'ltOltl . 



And fool he was indeed, you must agree 

 'With me in the opinion, when you hear 



That Norah and Sheelah were his favourites he 

 Slighted poor Kathleen, since a most severe 



Attack of smallpox had unhappily 

 So pitted as to make her face appear, 



I must say, any thing but prepossessing ; 



And so he meant to will her just his blessing ; 



But all his wealth (no rich bequest) to leave 

 To Norah and her sister, for, he said 



That no young spark could offer to receive 

 So great a fright as partner to his bed. 



'Twas cruel to speak thus it made her grieve 

 Maidens don't like to hear they must not wed ; 



Yet she was patient still, and strove to keep 



Her tears a secret, when he made her weep. 



Hers was a hard fate ! for her sisters, too, 

 As they grew up began to domineer 



Over the maiden, and to make her do 



Their bidding, as though she were not their peer, 



But very slave : the poor young creature knew 

 That her complaining would but make them jeer, 



So let herself become what one might call, 



In fact, the Cinderella of them all. 



I know not if they made her riddle cinders, 

 But this I know, and feel my best blood boil at 



(And, if you don't, I cannot tell what hinders), 

 They made her wait upon them at their toilette, 



And then went out, while she was left within rfoor.v. 

 With some unpleasant duty to turmoil at ; 



They made her sweep the kitchen, clean their shoes, 



And be content to wear their cast-off clothes. 



'Twas weak 'twas barbarous in the old knight, 

 To let the hussies use their sister so ; 



What ! if he thought the girl a very fright, 

 Did that excuse such conduct ? I say, no ! 



He should have pitied her unhappy plight 

 Rather, and strove to alleviate her woe : 



Such treatment now-a-days would furnish scope 



To justify one's daughter to elope. 



Had he lived at a later day, no doubt 

 His cruelty had met a fit reward 



The neighbourhood would have supplied some stout 

 Young gallant who would very soon have Jower'd 



His pride a peg or two, else "call'd him out," 

 And his old carcase with a bullet bcred, 



For Ireland is the place where little fuss 



Is made about " arranging" matters thus. 



And he might have been challeng'd even then, 

 Were it not that his mansion stood alone 

 "Remote," as bards say, "from the ways of men;" 



No chimney sent up smoke except its own 

 M.M. No.2. M 



