"Ha!" said the old woman, laughing and rubbing her hands together;
"you begin to see daylight, do you? In a few months, with the help
of him," pointing to Mr. - -, "you will be able to go alone; but
have a care of your teacher, for it's no good that you will learn
from him. But will you really stand to your word, mister?" she
added, in a coaxing tone, "if I go out on Monday?"
"To be sure I will; I never break my word."
"Well, I guess you are not so clever as our people, for they only
keep it as long as it suits them. You have an honest look; I will
trust you; but I will not trust him," nodding to Mr. - -, "he can
buy and sell his word as fast as a horse can trot. So on Monday I
will turn out my traps. I have lived here six-and-thirty years; 'tis
a pretty place and it vexes me to leave it," continued the poor
creature, as a touch of natural feeling softened and agitated her
world-hardened heart. "There is not an acre in cultivation but I
helped to clear it, nor a tree in yonder orchard but I held it while
my poor man, who is dead and gone, planted it; and I have watched
the trees bud from year to year, until their boughs overshadowed the
hut, where all my children, but Joe, were born. Yes, I came here
young, and in my prime; and I must leave it in age and poverty. My
children and husband are dead, and their bones rest beneath the turf
in the burying-ground on the side of the hill. Of all that once
gathered about my knees, Joe and his young ones alone remain. And it
is hard, very hard, that I must leave their graves to be turned by
the plough of a stranger."
I felt for the desolate old creature - the tears rushed to my eyes;
but there was no moisture in hers. No rain from the heart could
filter through that iron soil.
"Be assured, Mrs. R - -," said Moodie, "that the dead will be held
sacred; the place will never be disturbed by me."
"Perhaps not; but it is not long that you will remain here. I have
seen a good deal in my time; but I never saw a gentleman from the
old country make a good Canadian farmer. The work is rough and hard,
and they get out of humour with it, and leave it to their hired
helps, and then all goes wrong. They are cheated on all sides, and
in despair take to the whiskey bottle, and that fixes them. I tell
you what it is, mister - I give you just three years to spend your
money and ruin yourself; and then you will become a confirmed
drunkard, like the rest."
The first part of her prophecy was only too true.
