The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-12-22

l
her father as he strapped the clothes on
| the horses, with her school-bag in her
hand. and black sillAlaudk knot
ted over her head, Sometimes it was In
a lonely lane he met her, William would
lift her en- the back of one of the horses
which he was exercising; and there she d
sit. as easily and as happy as bird on a
| high grown twig.
| 1T was Hallow-eve-not such night
as this, clustering and cold as January,
| but clear and soft, the moon nigh to the
| full. and the sea like the fairy pool down
| yonder. / knew there would be no living
| soul in the yard at midnight. The big
| loft would just do for my evil charm,
| could but get hold Of the keys. They
| were always on nail in the kitchen of
| William s house. So there [ went at
| night falling to seek a chance of getting
| my fingers On them. And, faith, the
| chance was easy found. The kitchen
was empty, and the keys hung handy to
! the door, [ took them down, when wee
! Nora voice said behind me:
| Where are We going to night, Shaun?
| To the grain loft or to the meal room?
| Or are We going to the barn. and may L
go with you to look after my pigeon?
My white pigeon aCiW roost in there, and
| it must not. Oh, Shaun dear, catch it
for mel"
I'll look for the pigeon. But I'm not
going yet Sit down a bit Is your
mother out? Well just sit here on tie
creepy-stool, and III put some bog wood
on to blaze for us. -
and so saying [ slipped the keys in
my pocket, and we talked away there by
the fire, she telling me of the wonderful
shells the coast-guard's wife at the point
had shown her. And, Shaun, they are
all green and gold and silver. Do you
think they are made of all the old rain
bows that fall into the sea ?-they look
Just like that And then | told her of
the book my lady had lent me. How a
brave, good knight was angry and black
hearted to his beautiful, innocent wife,
because he believed lie of her how he
forced her to ride, one long summer day,
on ahead of himself. and charged her
not to dare to speak to him, but to ride
on in silence; how three robbers came
on him, and she screamed to let him
know the danger; and how he vanquish
ed them and then blamed her for her
disobedience in speaking the word even
to warn him.
All" said Norah, ''sure his anger
had darkened his heart and his eyes.
And she didn't know achy he was that
wild with her? Then, if | had seen her,
I'd have clung tight, tight hold Of his
arms, and made him tell me, and love
me again. Did he love her again,
Shaun p E. =.a-..
And I told the child that he had
loved the whQle time, hard and hot and
now, when he was wounded and half kill
ed, he found ont all his thoughts Of her
bandneSS were false; that she was as
brave and as pure hearted as even his
maa love would ask for her to be; how
they rode homeward on the one horse,
her cheek lying against her shoulder, and
her hand pressing the scarf Of his wound
ed side.
Come again, and tell me more about
my lady's books, Shaun. Come again,
won't you ?"
and SO I said l would indeed, and
soon; ut''-and the voice Of the strong
man sank to so low cadance that the
listeners bent forward to catch bis words
but never again did | sit by the
coachman 5 fire Only once more did |
ever hold wee Norah's hands in mine.
and hear her sweet, pretty words. And
that oDce-oh, Virgin Mother! can ever
| cease to see her as she was then?''
Shaun, and it was Dladce's voice
that spoke, don't We 90 on. 1t is hurt
ing ye cruel, and she stopped; her
own eyes wer full of tears
No, Madge, lass. [ wanted to tell
this to you. Id best tell it quick, and
be done with it. It's long years since [
have spoke oft to mortal man or woman
and the words stick in my throat.
Il went to the barn, and opened the
big doors wide, and the silent moonlight
came in In u broad path along the floor
| stood waiting for the stable clock TO
strike twelve. can hear il often now in
my sleep-the loud, deep sound which
made me start. even though it was wait
ing for it | was. [ winnoweI the corn
upon the floor. and, God forgive me [
spoke the evi! name. When there saw,
standing with the broad moonlight in
her white dress, wee Norah | stood
still IN a strange kind of stony fear Oh,
If that had been the only dread | was to
feel that night | stood. and she STOOD
and then softly and glidingly she came
up along the moonlight track right for
nest\ me.
Il suppose [ thought it was q spirit,
for | sprung back, knocking with all my
weight against something behind me.
There was a terrible crash, and [
heard wee Norah sharp scream, and |
myself gave the ech of her cry in loud
shout. They heard US III the house; and
when they found US. L was holding the.
pretty child IN my arms, calling madiy
on her to open her eyes. And there be-
side US lag the heavy long ladder which
my wild spring had brought crashing
down on her innocent head The yellow
hair was all stained With blood, and on
her white But there, [ can't say any
more about it! She spoke to me once:
Shaun, come to morrow evening, and
tell me more of the gentle lady and the
knight who loved her
Il suppose she was raying. Certainly
she did not groan or sigh or seem to know
she was hunt. She lifted herself from
my arms, when William came Father
she said, 'oh, fatherl ard that was ell.
- here was an inquest. They did not
blame me. How | wished they would !
| did not.much care what became of me.
But there was no trial. They said at
the inquest the darling was accustomed
TO walk inner sleep, and must have un-
b0lted the door, come into the yard, and
strayed by chance into the open barn.
thinking, perhaps. of her pigeon. But
| knew better. Not one inch did she
stray. She was led by the Black King
whose evil namo my guilty lips had spok
en-. She was 50 Gly-pure lie could not
harm her; SO he made me do it me who
would have died for her.
Il could not face the father and moth
err who had loved her. though they never
said one hard word to me. Could go
and feed the dogs, and see the horses
stepping along. and watch the dumb
brutes waiting for her. and longing for
her 2 Could | meet their eYes-I who