The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-22
THE ELFN oHANaE11Ne.

46G G4P In OahN1bllNt,
A Fairy STORY from wild DONEGAL.
PDn HAIPtr's Weekly.
Several old CrOnes were assembled In
Grace McDonagh's kitchen, drinking her
health and that Of her newborn laugh.
ter, who had Just been dressed and was
laid down to sleep at the foot Of the bed.
AtribeOi brothers and sisters were packed
into the large bed in tho inner room; but
poor Grace was as well pleased with the
ugly, red.taced newcomer as II she had
been her only child. A kind mother, e1.
cellent wife and obligIng neighbor, Grace
was very popular; SO the good women in
the wide chimney corner drank her health
very heartily and wished Joseph Nc.
Donagh Ut the same time Joy Of The child
and OF his new situation, that Of bailifr to
Mr.. Todd Of BuncranG castle. The house
was built In an exposed spot on the side
Of hill that commanded view Of large
portion OF the property to which MELON.
aeh had Just been made bailItf. Down
below was tho castle, nesting in gardens
and plantations, and beyond II lay the old
town OF Buncrana, and tho Tough, bold
mountains, pale in the distance, bounding
the horizon. It was an extensive and
beautiful landscape, but the McDouaghs
had no idea that the situation was pic.
turesque; they knew that 1t waseold and
bleak and exposed TO every wintry storm
that swept across Tough swiftly.
AS Grace slept, and her attendants
carouSed by the 6reslde, n feeble little wall
was heard. Mrs. Rooney got UP aud went
over 10 the foot OF the bed where she had
laid the infant What waa her amaze.
ment 70 SEQ two babies where she had
placed utone! Two little puckered faces
two lilac print frocks;two white pinaloreS!
There did not appear 10 be the slightest
difference between them. Airs. ROOney's
cry OF terror and establishment brought all
the women around the bed, and awaken.
ed the poor weary mother. Explanations
Of Save ns!" "Dear, but that beats nlll1
mingled with the feeble wailings Of the two
babes.
"Whatll we do anyway? There's
something bad an unCauny here!" cried
RIGHT ane?'
"Gie them to mo, an hand me thou big
knife of the dresser" said the mother.
"lll kiss them bath, and the one my
heart warns to will be my ain child; as
Tor the other one, I'll just settle ii wi the
knife"
Stand back you women, there com.
manded Mrs. Rooney, speaking authorita.
lively in the character OF nurse. They
obeyed, sitting down again beside the
fire.
"Now gle them to me, " said Grace, hold.
ing out her hands.
Mrs. Rooney handed her one OF the in
iants. She kissed 1t, and laid It besides
her on the pillow.
MY heart warmed to It, Molly Rooney
dear; that's my ain child. Now gle me
the wee rascal that's come to this house
for no good end"
She took the second babe and stretched
out her shaking hand for the knife, pre-
pared TO cut its throat; but at that very
instant there was noise heard overhead.
and a small, beautifully dressed, and a
very pretty lady came down the wide
chimney, using the chain oil the crook as a
ladder. She bounded over the fire, across
the room, and stood beside the bed, In
one second she had snatChed the child out
Of Grace's hands, and ran back to the fire
place, turning to shake II furiously at her.
to hurt my child"
She sprang upon the hod, put her tiny
dainty feet into the links OF the chain one
alter another mounted them as staircase,
and was out OF sight like whirlwind.
"Oh, my poor wean," sobbed the ex.
hausted mother, sinking hack upon her
pillow, she'll hae You yet"
INA, na, Grace" said Mrs. Rooney, in
soothing tones, shell no get your wean:
but It II tax you TO watch Il weel an
never leave its lane In the house unless
you put the tongs across the cradle. But
sure you ha' plenty o. children to watch
It."
Joseph McDonagh was spending the
night in q neighbor's cabin, and the
women were really afraid to venture out.
ot.doors 10 call him; besides, what good
could 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 parents, and
others that had come under their own OBJ
servation; but all agreed that so strange
circumstance as that Just witnessed was
bad thing for the neighborhood, and es.
pecially for the McDonagh family.
81 never atfronted the gentry 10 nv
knowledge" sighed the poor mother,
"but Joe helped Mr.. Todd gardner 10 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. il
tieeched him not to touch II, but the mas
ter offered him six shllings II he'd help
vi the JOB, for the other man refused.
She sighed again and shut her eyes.
That's the way Of H." whispered the
crones over their pipes and poteen; that's
Just 1t. The guido man has had the III
luck to displeNsure the gentry, an there'll
be trouble In this house yet."
Grace did othear these cheerful proph-
ecies, for she had dropped asleep.
Weeks passed and the auguTy had not
been fulfilled. Little Eliza throve apaCe,
but her mother never lost sight OF her for
moment She lay fast asleep in her
cradle near the fire ono day, while Grace,
standing at the dresser, was occupied In
cutting up vegetables with the large knife.
All at once q tumult ofthe elements arose.
A rush Of cold wind hurried up the noun.
tain and whirled round the house, Grace
was startled at the sudden sound and drop.
ped the knife in terror. Tho door burst
open and tho hurricane dashed into the
kitchen, overturnlng the cradle and driy.
ing 1t, bottom upward, across the floor.
Grace ran to lit It up and see what had
become Of the baby. The little creature
was crying, and both her pretty, straight
ankles were twisted aud her feet turned
inward. TWAS long before she ceased 10
scream.
The storm subsidized as suddenly as II had
arisen, but the mysterious evil 1t had
brought the child did not end. She be-.
came SlCkly aRd very fretiul, and the other
children grew weary oil nursing her. They
had been very fond Of Eliza, but now they
began to dislike her, and the poor, over.
worked mother could hardly ever lay her
out Of her arms.
Weeks, months, years went by. Eliza |
was five years old, but looked like q child |
Of l8 months, so small and shrunken was |
she. She still fitted into the cradle, and |
therein spent most OF the day. She had |
been very sorrowiul burden to her
/ haH oil fbAln tahS-a aud l1nu 49,. N,nk /