Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-09-22
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From Irtsh tairy tate.

1 III TIE gO0u Gays WneH me Itiie
people, most imprudently called fair
les, were more frequently seen than
they are in these unbelieving times,
farmer named Mick Purcctl, rented
a few acres of barren ground 10 the
neighbourhOoi of the once celebrated
preceplory Of Mourne, situated about
three miles from Malow, aud thir
teen from "thc beautiful city called
Cork" Mick had wife and fami
| y; they all did what they could, and
that was bat little, for the poor man
had no child grown up big enough to
heip him IN hts work; and all the poor
woman could do twas to mind the
children, and 10 milk the one COW,
and to boil the potatoes, aud 10 carry
eggs to market to Mallow; bot with
all they could do, 'twas hard enough
on them to pay the rent. Well they
1 did manage it Tor good whiie; but
at last came bad year, and the little
grain of oats was all spoiled, and the
chickens died Of the pip, and the pig
got The measles she was sold in Nal.
low and brought almost nothing; and
poor Mick found that he hadn't e.
nough to half pay his rent, and two
gales were due.
Why, then, Molly" says he,
"whst'll we do.'
8" Wisha, then, mavournene, what
would you do but take the cow 10 the
fair of Cork and sell her," says she;
"and Monday is fair day. and SO you
must &C to morrow, that thep beast
may be rested again the fair"
'"And what'll we do when she's
gomez" said Mick, sorrowfully.
Never a know 1 know, Mick;
but sure god won't leave US without
him, Mick; and you know how good
he was TO Us when poor little Billy was
sick, and we had nothing at all for
him to take, that good doctor gentle.
man a. Baliydahin came riding and
asking for drink of milk; and how
he gave Us two shiilinss; and how he
sent the things and the bottles for the
/ child, and gave me my breakfast
when | went over ask question. so
he did; and how he came to see Billy,
and never left OF his goodness till he
was quite well"
'"Oh! you are always that way,
Molly, and believe you are right az
ter all, SO | won't be sorry for selling
the cow; but Pll 60 Tomorrow, and
you must put needle and thread
through my coat, for you know IT'S
ripped under the arm"
TAccordingly, on the morrow,
Mick departs with his cow -
"Twss a fine day, and the sun
shone brightly On the walls of the old
abby as he passed underthem; he then
crossed an extensive mountain tract,
and after six long miles he came to the
top of that hill Bottle hill It's called
now, bot that was not the name OF it
then, and just there man overlook
him. GOOD morrow" says he,
Good Morrow, kindly" says Mick,
looking at the stranger, who was
little man, you'd almost call him q
dwarf, only he wasn't quite so little
neither; had bit OF an old, wrinkled,
yellow face, for all the world like a
dried caultlower, only he had sharp
little nose, and red eyes, and white
hair, and his lips were not led, but
all his face was one colour, end his
eyes never were quiet, but looking at
every thing, and although they were
red, they made Mick feel quite cold
when he looked at them, In truth he
did not much like the little mans com
pany; and he couldn't see one bit of
bis legs nor his body, for though the
. day was warm, he was all wrapt up
in big great coat Mick drove his
COW something faster, but the little
man kept up with him Mick didn't
know how he walked, for he was
almost afraid to look at him, and TO
cross himself for fear the old man
would be angry. Yet he thought his
fellow traveller did not seem to walk
like other men, nor 70 PIT one foot be-
fore the other, tut 10 glide over the
rough road, and rough enough it was,
like a shadow, without noise anl with
cut effort Mick's heart trembled
within him, and he said prayer to
himself wishing he hadn't come out
that day, or that he was on FAIR hill,
or that he hadn't the COW to mind. that
he might run away from the bad thing
when, in the midst ofh fears, he
was again addrcssedbv hiSfomponiou
! The stranger, finding that he is