“Bud maybe yer too tired to go home now all the ways, Nanny, so iv you’ll come home wid me, I’m sure my father won’t be angry, an’ will”—­

“Go home wid you!” wildly reiterated the old woman, her eyes blazing so fearfully, that the child shrunk instinctively back—­“crass your father’s flure!—­inther the man’s house who sint my son—­my only son!—­my heart’s blood!—­from his native land, wid disgrace upon his name, and the heavy hand ov power crushin’ him to the earth!  Never!—­these eyes, that once could laugh wid happiness, will burn in their sockets first, and this withered heart, once so warm and joyful, will burst afore I ever think ov id!”

“Nanny,” tremblingly said Minny, “you spake so wild you make me afeard—­I hope I haven’t done anything to vex you!”

“You!  Oh! no, no—­you force me to love you!  I couldn’t hate you, although yer father—­bud no matther.  Minny, good bye—­may the Almighty guard you.”

The day passed away as Summer days are wont, in softness and languor, and the sun descended in gold and crimson, leaving a bright halo in the west to mark his resting place.  Night came on serene and still, and the quiet moon ascended her heavenly throne, while the refreshing dews fell upon the flowers, whose leaves opened to receive them, parched, as they were with the burning lustre of the mid-day sun.  Midnight had already passed; and all was as silent as if no living or created thing existed upon the earth to mar its splendid beauty with the wild indulgence of its fiercer passions.  A strong light was gleaming from the interior of Nanny’s cabin, which we have already said was situated on the mountain side; and the noisy sounds of revelry were heard proceeding from within.  Could any of the superstitious have summoned courage to approach sufficiently near, and listen for a moment, the idea of spirits would soon be dissipated in the bluff, hoarse voices which were laughing and grumbling, and singing, sometimes alternately, and sometimes all together.  But we had better introduce the reader to the interior, and then he will be a better judge of the nature of the orgies carried on.

The cabin consisted of but one small apartment, in the centre of which blazed a, huge fire (summer though it was) of dried peat.  The smoke sought egress where it might, but still left a sufficient canopy over the heads of the occupants, as completely to hide the dingy and charred rafters, and did not seem in the slightest degree to annoy the optical powers of any one, so accustomed where they to this kind of atmosphere.  Round this fire about ten were seated or squatted down, and were all at the time busily employed in some noisy and apparently angry disputation.  However, this did not prevent the bottle from being freely passed amongst them; and so cordial were they in embracing it, that Nanny, who sat a little apart, was often called on to replenish it with mountain-dew.  On a table or dresser that stood by the wall, were