The folk of Furry Farm

by K. F. Purdon

But Almighty God doesn’t ever bring back the past. Of course, He could, if He chose; but all we know is, that He never does. Marg was often heart-sick, going over what had been said, between herself and Ratigan, that evening in the pasture-field. And it was long enough before she gave up fancying that if only she looked down the boreen at dusk, she would see Ratigan going along home from his work, with his coat thrown loosely across his shoulders, and he whistling, and jigging a step now and then. Patsy was as lovely a dancer of a reel as you need ask to see. Margaret then did her best to stop thinking about him at all.

“I’ll not expect to hear a word afore Hollintide!” she would say to herself, and begin maybe counting eggs she would be about bringing to Melia’s shop. Then it was, “afore the Chrisemas”; and then “Shrove Tuesday.” So she wore the time away, measuring it by the Saints’-days and holidays. But not a sign did Ratigan make.

Not long after, the mother died; and with this new loss, the sharpness of the pain round her heart about Patsy began to wear off, by degrees. One consolation she had; not one but herself and Ratigan ever knew that they had been “speaking”; as far as she could tell.

So the years rolled on, and Marg Molally was getting to be what you might call a “settled girl”; quieter and more retired on herself than ever. She seemed to have no wish for doing anything, except minding the old father and their little place. And she was beginning to grow more contented, every day that passed over her head. She had plenty to keep her going, from dawn till dark; and, moreover, her heart was in her work, for she was kind to every living thing under her care.

“It’s pets Marg makes, out of even the ducks she rears!” the neighbours would say. “Blue ribbons you’ll see next, tied round the lambs’ necks! sich nonsense to be getting on with! as if she wouldn’t have enough to do, without that foolishness!”

Whether she ever went so far as that or not, I can’t say; but whatever she had, throve ahead. And as for the young lambs that she would rear on the cup, wouldn’t any one be fond of them! To see how they’ll run races with one another, a whole flock of them! and play up and down a sunny bank! Any one would feel delighted to be watching them.

And a lone woman like Marg has her feelings, just the same as one that has a houseful of children. If you try to stop spring water from running its own course, won’t it take and bubble out by some other vent? And so by Marg. She had to be caring for something. And she did it well; and, signs on it, there was a look of comfort and order about her little home, that every one noticed. And money’s worth had gathered there, too; though of course the old stocking that Larry had emptied had never been filled again. Above all, the old father was cherished and made happy, in every way that was possible. Marg thought nothing a trouble that she could do for him. In fact, nothing was any trouble to her, that he wished done. Love makes easy labour.

Then he died; and lonesome and fretted was Margaret, when she found herself without him, and not knowing where she would turn to make herself a home again.

And still she found herself going off to the wedding at Dempsey’s that had occasioned so much talk at Ardenoo. Marg went, but she kept herself very quiet all through. There was a great deal that wanted doing at Dempsey’s that day, what with the helpless old woman and everything else; and Marg would rather be putting her hand to business such as getting dinner ready, or putting down the fire, than to be mixed up with the young boys and girls and their jokes and fun.

That is how it happened that scarcely any one that was there took notice of Margaret; and Heffernan in particular knew nothing of her being there among the other people, until he had done the dance with Kitty. It was no right thing to do, to persuade a man like Mickey that was on in years, and stiff, as well as lame of one leg, till they got him out on the floor to dance, just to raise a laugh. But what do young people think of only to get their bit of fun where they can!