“What’s that you’re after saying to me? that me mother’s not in it?”
“Ora, Rosy alanna, don’t take it too hard! but you see, it was only worse she was getting, and a week ago we sent for the doctor. And he said it was no way for she to be left there with no one all day, only herself; that it was the best of care she needed ... and she with no use of herself, nor couldn’t even turn in the bed. And who was there, to mind her? I could only go an odd time ... and so ... and so ... they sent the sick-car and she was took off to the Union ... and....”
Kitty had to stop at that, for she and Dan had gone to help to lift the poor weakly old woman from her bed into the sick-car, and she remembered the white face of her, and the way she was shaken and rattled from side to side, as they drove off with her, and Dan locked the door, after they quenching the bit of fire upon the hearth....
“To the Union! Och, Mother! the Workhouse...!”
There’s all that Rosy said.
“She’ll be well minded there, Rosy ... by what they say!” said Kitty, crying down big tears.
But Rosy appeared to hear nothing, only that one word, “The Union!” and she jumped up, and off with her out of the door, and down the boreen, flying through the pours of rain.
“The Lord help us now!” said Kitty; “what at all will I do? And the child wakening up to cry!”
She ran to the cradle, and whipped up the poor little strange baby to comfort it; and then back with her to the door. Dan was just slingeing into sight, from the back of the turf-clamp.
“What came over you to stay away like that?” said Kitty to him; “and there she’s gone racing off, once she heard about the mother being took off ... and it raining buckets down out of the skies upon her ... and she wid a cough....”