Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-08-30

her his story, with many crossing n
blessing between him and harm. His
wife could not help believing him,
particularly as she had as much faith
in fairies as she had in the priest, who,
indeed, never discouraged her beliefin
fairies: may be, he didn't know she be-
lieyed in them, and maybe, he believed
in them himself. She got up, however,
without saying one word, and began
to sweep the earthen floor with a bunch
O heath; then she tidied up every thing
and put out the long table, and spread
the clean cloth for she had only one)
upon it, and Mick placing the bottle
on the ground, looked at it and said,
"Bottle, do your duty"
"Look there, look there, nanny"
said his chubby eldest son, a boy about
FIVE years old-look there! look there!!"
and he sprung to his mothers side, as
two tiny little fellows rose like light
from the bottle; and in an instant COW
cred the table with dishes and plates OF
gold and silver, full of the finest victu-
ais that ever were seen, and when all
was done, went into the bottle again.
Mick and his wife looked at every thing
with establishment; they had never seen
such plates and dishes before, and did
mt think they could ever admire Them
enough; the very sight almost toon a
way their appetites; but at length Mol
Ty said, "Come and sit down, Mick
and try and. eat bit: sure you ought TO
be hungry after such agood days work.
"Why, then, the man told no lie about
the bottle"
Mick sat down, after putting the
children to the table, and they made a
hearty meal, though they couldn't
taste half the dishes.
".Now," says Molly, 81 wonder will
those two good little gentlemen carry
away these fine things AGAIN." They
waited, but no one came; so Molly put
up the dishes and plates very carefully,
saying, "Why, then, Mick, that was
no lie sure enough; but you'll be a rich
mar yet, MICK IurceI.
Mick and his wife and children went
to their bed, not to sleep, but to settle
about selling the fine things they did
not want, and to take more land. Mick
went to Cork and sold his plate, and
| bought a horse and cart, and began to
! show that he was making money; and
they did all they could 10 keep the bot
tie a secret; but for all that, their land
lord found it out; Tor he came to Mick
one day and asked him where he got all
his money-sure it was not by the farm;
and he bothered him SO much, that at
last Mick told him Of the bottle. His
landlord offered him a deal OF money
for it, but Mick would not give it, til!
at last he offered to give him all his
farm forever: so Mick, who was very
rich, thought he'd want any more
money, and gave him the bottle: but
Mick was mistaken-he and his FAM
ilv spent money as if there vas no end
Of it, and to make the story short,
they became poorer and poorer, till at
last they had nothing left but one COW;
and Mick once more drove his COW, be-
fore him to sell her at Cork fair, ho-
ping to meet the old man and get an
other bottle. 1t was hardly daybreak
when he left home, and he walked on a
good pace till he reached the big hill:
the mists were sleeping in the valleys
and curling like smoke wreaths upon
the brown heath around him. The
sun rose on his left, and just at his feet
a lark sprang from its grassy couch,
and poured fourth its joyous matln
song, ascending into the clear blue
sky
"Till its form like a speck in the armess
blending,
And thrilling with music, was melting in
light"
Mick crossed himself, listening as he
advanced to the sweet song OF the lark,
but thinking, Notwithstanding, all the
time of the little old man; when, just
as he reached the summit OF the hill,
and cast his eyes over the extensive
prospect before and around him, ne
was startled and rejoiced by the same
well-known voice: swell, Mick Pur-
cell, / told you you would be a rich
man."
"Indeed, then, sure enough l was,
that's no lye for you, sir. Good morn
ing to you, but it is not rich am now
but have you another bottle, Tor l
want it now as much as l did long ago;
so ifyou have il, sir, here is the cow
for it."
"And here is the bottle" said the
old man, smiling, you know what to
do with it."
ooh! then, sure l do, as good right
l have"
Well, farewell forever, Mick Pur-
cell: l told you you would be a rich
man."
aAnd good bye to you, SIR" saia
Mick, as he turned back; and good
luck to you, and good luck to the Dig