CHAPTER V.
KILLARNEY
"Mother, mother! Mollie says can I go with her for a day at Killarney?" cried Norah, rushing into the house quite out of breath.
And, indeed, it was no wonder. She had run every step from her friend Mollie's, which was a good half-mile away.
Mollie's father seemed quite rich in Norah's eyes. He had a farm, where he kept three cows and twenty sheep. Yes, and a horse besides. Not a donkey, mind you. Two of Norah's neighbours owned donkeys, but Mollie's father was so well off that he had a real live horse, and a jaunting-car of his very own.
When the work was not heavy, the farmer sometimes took his family for a day's pleasure.
"If it is fine weather to-morrow," he promised Mollie, "you shall ask Norah to go with us. It will be a rale treat for her."
How Norah's eyes sparkled as she told her mother of the invitation! Her cheeks were more rosy than ever, and as she laughed over the good news, her teeth looked for all the world like the loveliest of pearls.
The next morning she was out-of-doors at sunrise, to see what signs there were of good weather. Dame Nature was very kind to the little girl, and made the sun spread his loveliest colours over the eastern sky.