We will
go to America; but, in the mean time, I'll see what I can do for you."
"Bryan, dear," she said in a voice of entreaty, "don't think of it.
Oh, stay in your own country. Sure what other country could you like as
well?"
"I grant you that, Dora; but the truth is, there seems to be a curse
over it; whatever's the raison of it, nothing goes right in it. The
landlords in general care little about the state and condition of their
tenantry. All they trouble themselves about is their rents. Look at my
own case, an' that's but one out of thousands that's happenin' every
day in the country. Grantin' that he didn't sarve me with this notice
to quit, an' supposin' he let me stay in the farm, he'd rise it on me in
sich a way as that I could hardly live in it; an' you know, Dora, that
to be merely strugglin' an' toilin' all one's life is anything but a
comfortable prospect. Then, in consequence of the people depondin upon
nothing but the potato for food, whenever that fails, which, in general,
it does every seventh or eighth year, there's a famine, an' then the
famine is followed by fever an' all kinds of contagious diseases,
in sich a way that the kingdom is turned into one great hospital and
grave-yard. It's these things that's sendin' so many thousands out of
the country; and if we're to go at all, let us go like the rest, while
we're able to go, an' not wait till we become too poor either to go or
stay with comfort.
Pages:
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388