The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-09-18

unless you PIT the tongs across the era
die. But SIRE YOU ha' plenty o childel
to watch IT.
JOSEPH McDonagh was spending the
night in a neighbours cabin, and The
worLen were really afraid to venture Out
of doors to call him; besides, what good
Gould he have done had he been there
They sat on, telling quaint and strange
! stories about the wee folk, some OF
which had been told them by their par.
ents, and others that had come under
! their own observation; but all agreed
that so strange circumstance as that
Just witnessed was bad thing for the
neighborhood, and especially for the
McDonagh family.
81 never affronted the gentry to
my knowledge sighed the poor moth
er, "but Joe helped Mr.. Todd's garden
er to cut down the old hawthorn tree on
the lawn Friday was eight days; an
there's them that says it's very bad
thing to do. | fieeched him not to
touch it, but the master offered him six
shillings if he'd help wi the job, for
the other men refused" She sighed
again and shut her eyes.
"That's the way of it, whispered
the crones over their pipes and poteen
that's just it. The guide man has had
the i'll luck to displeasure the gentry,
an there'H be trouble in this house
yet"
Grace did not hear these cheerful
prophecies, for she had dropped
asleep.
Weeks passed and the augury had not
been fulfilled. Little Eliza throve apace,
but her mother never lost sight of her
for a moment.
She lay fast asleep in her cradle near
the fire one day, while Grace, standing
at the dresser, was occupied in cutting
up vegetables with the large knife. All
at once a tumult of the elements arose.
A rush of cold wind hurried up the
mountain, and whirled round the house.
Grace was startled at the sudden
sound, and dropped the knife in
terror. The door burst open, and
the hurricane dashed into the kitchen,
overturning the cradle, and driving it
bottom upward across the floor. Grace
ran to lift it up and see what had be-
become of the baby. The little crea-
ture was crying, and both her pretty,
straight ankles were twisted and her
feet turned inward. 1t was long before
she ceased to scream.
The storm subsidized as suddenly as it
had arisen, but the mysterious evil it
had brought the child did not end She
became sickly and very fretful, and the
nt ohfilpn,, e
her. They had been very fond of Eliza,
but they now began to dislike her, and
the poor overworked mother could hard
ly ever lay her out of her arms.
Weeks, months, years went by. Eliza
was five years old, but looked like a
child of Is months, so small and shrun-
ken was she. She still fitted into the
cradle, and therein spent most of the
day. She had been a very sOrrowful
burden to her mother all these years,
and her cross, fretful temper had driven
JOY and contentment far from the cabin
The healthy, rosy elder children were
sometimes so provoked with their wall
ing sister that theywould have hurt herif
their mother had not watched them very
But though so sickly, Eliza
was much cleverer than any of her
strong brothers and sisters. She said
things, that were repeated
from house to house in the neighbour
hood.
Mrs. Rooney, happening to pay Grace
visit one day, saw Matt, the
eldest brother, give Eliza wicked pinch
as he passed the cradle; and when the
child's howl had a little
the wise neighbor took upon
herself to speak word in season.
"Do you no mind what happened the
night thon wean was born, Grace dar-
Imp
"Do mind it? RIGHTLY l mind it,
Mrs. Rooney
can the time her feet was turned
MP"
Say, it's weel | mind it.
"Weel, Grace, ii you tax my bid
ling, you'll no let the childer offer to
ouch thon wean to hurt her; for if you
10, KNOWN what she is, some black
rouble IL be coming to this house"
"Is it a wee elf, then, Mrs. Rooney
lear, that was put in the place o. my
Tin child, do you think?"
SIS it?" cried the neighbor, scorn-
ully; "an' do you AK me sich an inno-
.ent question, an you working wi the
.rathur these five year? Sure enough |
is an elf, Grace McDonagh, an if |
-ou hurt it, your ain child will |
re hurried just as much; an if
is kilt in this house, your ain child
II come to its end where it is, and that's |
Vi the gentry in their grand parlors
as sure as I'm a living |
inner this dayi' concluded she, drop /
ing her voice to a mysterious whisper |
Poor Grace was deeply impressed.
he called her healthy children around
er, and threatened them with all man
er of penalties if they ventured again
, ill-treat Eliza, promising to complain
, their father, of whose more energetic
they all stood in much terror.
tut she had tenderness for the wailing
hid, so hated by the rest of its little
-orld; and although she believed Mrs.
Ooney, she believed her most unwill-
Ugly. "Maybe the poor crathur II no
e very long troublesome. She looks
ut Sickly; she'll die quietly, an you'll
ct rid O. the trouble that way said the
Use Mrs. Rooney, in comforting ac-
snts, as she got up to take leave.
Grace sighed. She took Eliza out of
lie cradle, and pressed her to her
)som. Even though she were a change
lg, she was dearer to the wOm-
IS heart than her own child,
rowing up somewhere or other
fairy-land, and she did not wish to
e her die. For the true Eliza, stolen /
i few weeks old, was almost forgot !
n: while this unfortunate elfin Eliza ,
as daily trial of love and patience, !
I'd had been so for five years. i
Joseph McDonagh, as Mr.. Todd's t
,1,ef LII i