Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-03-16

canine worthless Bran was the companion of
FingaI You shall read about him tonight in
my Irish Legends : 1 remember too that
there Is an account OF HIM besides IN the Lee
rends of the County Clare How funnv'i it is
that the story there of his final disappearance
contrasted romantically with his appearance
here. 1t is asserted, if | remember the le-
gend rightly, that, having chased a snow
white hart for many hours, Bran sprang after
it into a small lake. The deer vanished on
touching the water. A beautiful lady appear
ed in its stead laid her hand OF the dogs head,
and submerged him forever; and the cliff
from which he sprang is called Craig-a-
Bran
How splendid. father, that this dear old
fellow Is called Bran. Why, it IS the same
doc OF course-I see il all. He SWAN, after
sinking IN the lake, under its banks through
a long cave of water; that took him years.
How long ago Is it-a century Well ii took
him years and years. and then he came out
into the sea away off on the west shore of
Ireland and emigrated, as every one does,
from that country and came here. No wonder
he was so tired Scotch girl-and Fingal
his master was really a Scotchman, wasn't he,
father put her hands round his dear body,
and rescued him. How splendid! And we
must call the sea-sh0rc here: Saved Craig-a-
Bran
From that time, two more attached and
sym oathizing friends than Bran and | never
existed. it was knight and lady. He was so
devoted to my service; always so generous,
so considerable, so brave; l feeling perfectly
secure in his guardianship; happy in his com
pany proud of his love; proud, too, of his
great courage and proves, in so chivalTic a
knight. Brand dear, dear Bran you lie
buried now on that same seaside spot. Five
years ago, you laid your noble head grown
gray and feeble, III my lap, as we sat on that
same Easthampton beach, and, with last
grateful wag, and long, soft dream-like moan,
your eyes fading on mine the WHILE your life
went out For the first time on that beach |
wept, and rs one may weep for such friend :;
and there, now as l write, know the roll Of
the surf chants to your grave, for there was
one whom you had lost once and found again,
whom YOU loved as well as me, who had car
ried your dear old body dewn to the beach
that day, and who laid you afterwards in Il
grave as enduring as those in the old East
hampton churchyard, close TO the surf, on
Saved c raig -a-Bran.
The Second summer after Bran was given
70 me by the sea, was really gay in Easthamp-
ton. There were more nice people there than
ever betore-from New York, Philadelphia,
and Baltimore. One evening | went up to
the hotel TO a hop, which I expected to be the
gayest Of the season. l had been dancing
and being very warm, asked my partner TO
get me a seat by the window The steady
night breeze, IN passing, left some of its
freshness where I sat / could hear the crick-
cts and katy-dids | could see the grass sill
vered with dew and mOolight. l enjoyed
that, and vet could hear the bright conversa-
ton Of my companion, and the laughter and
chatter in the ballroom, and be aware of the
dust and the heat, and the many Pickering
candles that surrounded the crowd. / was on
its outskirts, and could ignore at viii its clam
or and jangle for the deep booming of the
ocean. / do not know If | was not growing
deaf 10 the former, and only unconci0us of
the latter, when / heard a familiar yoice--it
was Mrs. RalstOnS-say Alice, YOU and Mr..
Grant seem oblivious of quadrilles and polkas;
and as turned from the window, she contin-
ued wish TO introduce TO Miss Macdonald,
Mr.. MAN. / could not catch the name
distinctly; bUt an agreeable figure was bow
ing before me. As the face was lifted, | saw
my vision of the night of the storm-my con
slant companion, in spirit and fancy, of the
last two years--in human body and express
sion. Ny emotions surged through nae
bringing establishment, fear and delight
" neither my companion talked TO me for FIVE
minutes or one hour, | DO not know what he
said or whether | answered, | do not know
l did not faint, but the scenes about me We're
a blur--Jhe sounds a hum. Everything was
confused and indefinite. The first words of
his that | understood, as the shock wore off
were Miss Mcdonald, l fear YOU are not
well; YOU have grown so pale may | get you
a glass Of Wdters No / thank yOu' | an
swered. but if you viii take me 10 my ia
Their, who Is probably on the piazza, l viii 60
home ] do feel UuweN' As we went to-
wards the door Mrs. Ralston came up and
said: Why, Alice, surely you are not going
so earlvs Well l have something to tell
YOU first The gentleman handed me to my
father, bowed and withdrew. Your partner,
IS he not haudsome2 | have known him for
several years. but he only arrived here TO-DAY.
I was talking with him when he saw YOU, he
looked as if ne had seen a spirit, and ex-
claimed in the most theatrical manner,
Gracious heavens, how strange and then
he apol5gized 10 me Excuse my emphasis.
Mrs Ralston but the face in that window
astouished me by its likeness to one which l
saw two years ago under very remarkable cir
cumsrauces: please Introduce me to that
Young Iadv.' She burriedly whispered that
information, and, as she kissed me goodnight
added: lt is very strange, Is 1t not, Alice :,
The form which had visited me at night but
when ! was fully awake, and which appeared
50 tangible and impressivelv two years ago
that associate existence, twin companion of
my life since that night; the real living being
who had couyersed with me just now in the
baII-room-all those were one-that I knew
The fact had the terror OF a mystery; it was
enchanting, Understand or explain it I
could not vet it moaopolized all my thoughts
filled me with dread yet pleasure.
Ny dear old father did not notice my alb
-cuce of mind and silence. as We took our
way, arm+n-arm. down the quiet road and
over the syile to the path in the dew-covered
fields, coming nearer all the while to the in
creasjn- dash of the surf Bran met Us with
g whine and -am5ol of delight. All through
that night l slept not. Bran snored on the
threshold of my room. In the morning l got
up and went about a. if in dream. l did
not 90 out TO Join the bathers on the beach,
and I felt glad that no visitors from the hotel
called. But, after tea, l and Bran sauutered
TO the sea-shore. We went along the beach
for a couple OF miles. The twilight was long
and soft. The waves rolled in with midsum-
mer drowsiuess. Bran neither dashed through
the breakers or on ahead. He noticed my
thou-htiuluess and quiet, and suited his man
ner 80 mine. stepping slowly BY my side, his
cold nose on my hand 1 was aroused by
Brau's hurryin- ahead of me few steps, and
giving loW, cuquiriug Erowl. A gentleman
was appgoachin--jt was he 10 whom I had
been introduced IaS- uight-the subfact of