"
"All I ask is," said Quincy, "that before you destroy that letter, you
will let me read to you once more what is written upon the envelope."
"Why, certainly," said Alice, "how could I refuse so harmless a request
as that?"
"I am greatly obliged for your kindness," said Quincy to her; but he
thought to himself, "I will find out what is in that envelope, if there
is any honorable way of doing so."
Hiram came over to see Mandy that evening, and Mrs. Crowley, who was in
the best of spirits, sang several old-time Irish songs to them, Hiram
and Mandy joining in the choruses. They were roasting big red apples on
the top of the stove and chestnuts in the oven. Quincy, attracted by the
singing, came downstairs to the kitchen, and was invited to join in the
simple feast. He then asked Mrs. Crowley to sing for him, which she did,
and he repaid her by singing, "The Harp That Once Thro' Tara's Halls" so
sweetly that tears coursed down the old woman's cheeks, and she said,
"My poor boy Tom, that was killed in the charge at Balaklava, used to
sing just like that."
Then the poor woman began weeping so violently that Mandy coaxed her off
to bed and left the room with her.
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