“Then, over all, she hed a proud, shy, dainty way ’bout her which war exquisite.

“We had a jolly evenin’ together.  I told ’em ’bout America; they told me all ’bout Ireland from ther time of ther Irish kings.  They fired jokes at each other that would sell for forty dollars apiece in Texas, and they war ez thick ez though jokes growed on trees.

“At last ther boy wanted his sister to sing, but she got rosy red, ’nd told him ter be quiet.  I told her ef she’d sing I’d make her a present, ’nd finally she giv in.  Her brother played ther flute, ’nd she sung ‘Tara’s Harp,’ not scientific, but jest nateral ’nd sweet as iver a bobolink sang.

“When she finished I gin her a new guinea.  She didn’t want ter take it, but I flung it inter her lap, ’nd then it war passed from hand ter hand ez a curiosity.  Ther mother war last.  She looked it over and then sed:  ’It’s a beauty, shore, ‘nd now, Nora, give it back ter ther gentleman.’  I sed:  ‘I don’t want it.  I want Nora ter have it.’

“‘Shore nuff?’ sed ther mother.

“‘Shore,’ sed I.

“‘Then, Nora,’ sed ther mother, ‘kiss the gentleman for the gift.’  Would yer believe it, Jim, thet shy girl come and put her arms around my neck and kissed me.

“Blast me, but it took me back, but I rallied ’nd said: 

“‘Nora, I’d give another guinea for another kiss like thet,’ ’nd then she come back agin a-sayin’:  ‘Yo ken hev another without any mo’ guinea,’ ’nd kissed me agin, ’nd ther whole family laffed.

“Next mornin’ when I come outer my room I found Nora alone.  Ther father and brother hed gone ter ther field, and ther mother war cookin’ my breakfast.

“Nora greeted me cordial like, ’nd I sed:  ’Nora, ef I war young agin I’d camp right here ‘nd make love ter yo’.’

“‘Out wid yer,’ she answered.  ’It’s a cousin I hev in America, ’nd she writes me how foine the land war, but says ivery American is a mortal liar when he talks ter ther girls.’

“‘The cousin slanders us,’ said I.

“‘She does not,’ said Nora.

“‘And how can I prove it?’ said I.

“‘Yez might make love ter me,’ she said

“‘I’m too old, Nora,’ I answered.

“‘Couldn’t yez wait and let me tell yez thet?’ she asked.

“‘I’d rether own it then ter hev yo’ tell me,’ I answered.

“‘O, it’s makin’ fun of me yez are,’ said she.  ’I know how far away yez are from the loikes of me and will forgit me to-morry, but I’m glad yez come, for it gave me a breath of the joy of the great world outside.  Here hearts be breaking continually, for our lives are narrowed down to a mere fight for food.  It’s jist slavery from the cradle ter ther grave, and slavery over which there shines no star of hope.’

“Jest then ther mother called us to breakfast.  After breakfast I went ter my room and put ten L10 notes in a envelope, wrote a line thet it war to take the whole family ter America; told ’em ter go ter Texas, and find the old neighbors, given’ ’em a lot ’o names; told ’em not ter stay a minit in ther cities; then went out and handin’ Nora the letter ez I bid her good-bye, told her it war a real love letter, shore nuff, which she must not read till I war out o’ sight; thet she might give me ther answer when I cum back, and then I started straight for England.