In spite of that, and a great deal more that the neighbours never knew, the mother doted on Larry. It’s often the case, and the worse a child behaves, the more anxious the mother is to make excuses for him; as if he was blind or deaf, or even had not right sense. God knows, maybe that is so, and they go wrong because they have not the wit to know the difference!
“Your poor mother that fretted for Larry!” said Moll, with a change of tune as she noticed how Marg spoke of the matter.
“She did so!” said Marg; “she got little and humpy, and poor-looking in herself, no matter what you’d try to do for her! She never would stir out of that chimney-corner, only spinning and knitting stockings to have ready for Larry, against he’d come home to her! God help her! and there they are yet, hanging by a cord across the chimney, the very way she had them, when she was took bad....”
“Ay! died off in the clap of your hand, so she did!” said Moll. “Well I remember it! The light of Heaven be with her soul, and the soul of your father, this day, I pray; and what was it ailed him, acushla?”
“A cold he took,” said Marg; “a cold that went in on him, and turned to a suggestion on the lungs. It was there, the doctor said, the whole demur was; and he lasted very short, only the week, and went off in the night-time, quiet and easy.”
“I’m proud to hear that,” said Moll; “and, moreover, so best, not to see him suffer long; for when a disease like that gets its hold on you, all the doctors from this to Jarminy won’t be of the least assistance! But sure, we all have to go, when our time comes round; and welcome be the will of God!”
“It leaves me terrible lonesome here this day!” said Margaret, wiping her eyes on her apron.
“Ay are ye lonesome,” said Moll, “and lonesome again, to the back of that! But God Almighty gives some people very quare treatment.... That’s a darling fine lot of little goslings you have there ... as well as a poor body like me can see ... I mean, can tell by the yeep! yeep! of them. They’ll be worth good money to you, one of these days! How many have you in the flock?”
“Six-and-twenty,” said Margaret, “but sure, I have no heart for them or anything, now! and don’t know where I can get a roof over my own head, let alone the hens and geese, and the poor cow, that’s after having twin calves, the finest that you could lay eyes upon!”
“Twin calves!” said Moll; “that always is for luck!”