THE ROMANCE OF THE MULCAHEY FAMILY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1514, 20 October 1883, Page 4

THE ROMANCE OF THE MULCAHEY FAMILY.

"Dinnis Mulcaliey, if I smell \vau dhrap of whisky on your breath whin you come home to-nite its sorra a bit of slape you'll git. You'll rist your red head in the gutter, where it belongs. You know me, Dinnis." This cheerful injunction was delivered on the morning of April 1, 1878, on the front porch of the Millcahey mansion in Shantytown, to a very small man, by a very large woman, and the brawny arms of the speaker and the ominous glare in her «ye loft no doubt in Mulcahcy's mind of the fulfillment of the threat, "Indado I do know her," remarked Dinnis to himself as he walked down the avenue, "and it will be ti long day before she sees me again." And it was. That afternoon he engaged as laborer on a Western railroad, and before night he was speeding toward the setting sun, in company with a half-hun-dred of his fellow-sountry.men. Eofore leaving he carefully and prudently refrained from sending home any intimation of his intended departure, That night there was no news from Mr Mulcahey, nor the next day, nor the next, and by the end of a week Mrs Mulcahey had accepted her widowhood an mi assured fact.

Late last Sunday night a short, •ii'hiirii-haiied individual could have ! >i'-n seen pursuing an unsteady course ui' the uneven avenues of Shantytown. 'lis general appearance was more indi- ; 'ive of inebriation than affluence, ;:i"i time and Western whisky had left Uifir indelible traces on his features. i. «'as the prodigal returned, Quietly he wended his way up the familiar path-Which leads to tho Mulcaliey front door, and leaning against the Grecian pillar which supports the roof he soliloquised; "Five years is a long time to b». separated from wari's wife and family. I'll not deprive thim of me society any longer, I'll go in and inform me lovin' wife that her Dennis is home wanst more," Rousing himself from his pleasing monologue he gave the door a light knock, "Who's there!" came from within, "It's me-it's your own Dinnis come back to your own lovin' arms."

"Whist, me children/your faytlier's come back, Dinnis Mulcahcy, if it is ralely you. hiven have mercy on you : that's all." } ' As she crossed the floor there was a rustling outside the house, a hasty scrambling down tho walk, and the patter of feet rapidly moving in the direction of the gate." She threw open the door and peered out into the darkness. He was gone,

MULCHING FRUIT TREES. »_ Gardeners and fruit-tres growers generally, are well aware of the advantage of mulching tho ground over fruit tree roots, bub the time of doini; it is not so well settled j consequently somo mulch early in spring, others at midsummer, and many not until the fruit is gaining sizo and maturing in autumn, In my opinion the matter is of too much importance to be carried out in this indefinite manner, and it would be well if wo could all agree as to the best time to mulch, mid act accordingly. Giving my experience and opinion to ware's this, J. may say that all our principal fruit trees, especially thoso against walls, are mulched before tho buds begin swelling in spring, and of the dmes I have seen tried, that appears to bo tho best, The trees have the full benefitof the nourishment from the manure throughout the whole season of their growth, and they need this as much when the fruit is forming and the young growths starting as they do in autumn. In fact, inducing any tree to start freely into growth in spring is of more advantage in autumn than any littlo extra attention just at that time, Light straw manure is of no use for mulching, as it neither keeps the soil moist in dry weather nor affords nourishment, For mulching I prefer good cow dung before it is much decayed, and always employ it in this state. The niannro need not usually be spread more than four feet from the stem of the treo, and in some instances less than this will do, When applied in spring, to last all summer, it should not be less than four inches thick, and it is a good plan to previously break up the surface of the soil over the roots with a fork,—From Journal of\ Horticulture.