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The Master Passion, and Other Tales and Sketches
The Master Passion and Other Tales and Sketches Author:Thomas Colley Grattan General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1845 Original Publisher: Galignani Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can selec... more »t from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: THE LOVE DRAUGHT, A TALE OF THE BARROW SIDE. Whoever has journeyed along the banks of the river Barrow, in that part of its course which separates the Queen's County from the County of Kildare, must have remarked the remains of Grange-Mellon, the former residence of the St. Leger family. The long avenue, choked with grass and weeds -- the wooded grounds stretching along the river's edge -- the dilapidated gateway and mansion walls -- the loud cawing from the rookery -- all combined to mark the place as one which ought to furnish sonic legend of antiquity and romance. Such was surely to be had there for those who would seek it. But Grange-Mellon is only linked to my memory by an humble love-story of modern date, yet tragical enough, heaven knows, to have had its source in the very oldest days of magic and misery. I can state nothing of the tender dames, or youths of gentle blood, who inhabited the castle before it tumbled quite to decay. The only beings connected with the existence of the place (and -that in the very last stage of its occupation) whom I could attempt to commemorate, were Lanty the whipper-in and Biddy Keenahan the dairymaid. Lanty was a kind, frank, honest-hearted lad as ever lived. He was a great favourite with the family and the servants, particularly the females. The whole pack of hounds loved him, and a cheering word from his voice could keep them togetherin the thickest cover, even if there were half a dozen hares a-foot; when Brian Oge, the veteran huntsman, might tantivy himself hoarse, and only frighten the whelps and vex the old dogs for his pa...« less