However, it was Julia that ruled the roast at Caffreys’ the time I speak of, and the rest of them had just to make the best of it. And it’s a true saying, “Money makes the mare to go!” Of course every one had to give in to Julia on account of the fortune she had.
Peetcheen stood it out pretty well, as long as there was a penny at all left in the old stocking. But when the baby came, the money had to be handed out very free. Before he knew where he was, the stocking was empty; and Peetcheen, as usual, without a job. Not that that was any great heart-break to him.
He was stravaguing along the road one evening by himself, with the pipe in his mouth. It was lovely weather; the birds all singing, and the grass getting long and green on every side. He was turning over in his mind about the potato-patch he had; how would he get to pay for the seed? and weren’t the weeds very high in it? and would he have to go work in it himself? when he saw Dark Moll, sitting by the side of the road, very comfortably. Of course he stopped and began to pass the time of day with her.
“How’s all wid ye, Peetcheen?” asks Moll; “and above all, the woman that owns ye? And the young son? and a darling fine boy he must be, by all I can hear!”
“They’re well, I thank you and God,” answered Peetcheen; “and me mother, that proud out of the child! You’d think no one ever had a child before, and she after rairing ten of her own! And this minute, she’s leppin’ mad to begin again!”
“Ay! there’s the way!” said Moll.
Peetcheen smoked on a bit; and then says he, “A terrible expense this is, on a man!”
“You may say that, agra!” said Moll; though well she knew in her heart that there had been no christening worth mentioning at Caffreys’. The old woman was all for a bit of a spree, but Julia would not hear of it; “spending the money on foolishness that could be put to better use!” was what she said. The neighbours knew well how it was. But Moll didn’t want to pass any remarks about the thing, seeing she might be looking for help to the Caffreys, any day; and it wouldn’t answer to be offensive. So she only went on to say, “Sure the likes of you needn’t mind a few shillings, here nor there, when it’s the first, and a son! And you with them fine bastes at grass.... I hear they’re the talk of the town, and a fine price they’d go at the fair to-morrow, if it was a thing you’d have a mind to go sell them there.”
Moll said all this, because she felt vexed with Julia, not being asked to the christening, such as it was. Besides, from the start, Julia let her see very plain that she didn’t want her coming about the house whenever she fancied, and taking up a seat in the chimney-corner, as she had the fashion of doing. And Moll did not like getting the cold shoulder that way, no more than any of us would; and she missed Caffreys’, having been so used to it. Still, she had no meaning in what she had said about the fair and the stock, and all that. But see what came of that word!
Peetcheen bid Moll the time of day, and went on. It was to Big Cusack’s he was making his way, thinking he might happen on a job there, or settle something about help to do his own work. But the Big Man was from home. Peetcheen could have found that out, without going there, only he never thought of inquiring. So then he wavered off to Melia’s, thinking that he might meet some one there that would give him an advice about the thing.