Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-07-30
AN IRISH IDYL.
BY the Author of ''TEe Queen of Con-
naught."

BY the Author of ''TEe Queen of Gem
naught."
London Belgrav1a.
We had been out all night watching
the herring-ishers, but as soon as the
work was over, and the faint glimmeI-
ing of dawn appeared in the east, we
turned our boats bow towards the shore
and pulled swiftly homewards. There
lay the group Of curraghs still upon the
scene of their labor, loaded with phos-
phorescent fish and dripping nets, and
men. The sea, which during the night
had been throbbing conyulsively, was
calm, and bright as polished mirror
while the gaunt gray cliffs were family
Swallowed forth by the lustrous light
of the moon.
Wearied with my nights labor, [ lay
listlessly in the stern of the boat, listen
ing dreamily to the measured splash,
splash of the oars and drinking in the
beauty of the scene around me-the
placid sea, the black outline Of the hills
and cliffs, the silently sleeping village of
Storport. Presently, however, my ears
detected another sound which came
family across the water and mingled
softly with the monotonous splashing
Of the oars and the weary washing of
the sea.
"Is it mermaid singing?" [ asked
sleepily. "The village maidens are all
dreaming of their lovers at this hour,
but the indian Maras sing of theirs.
Oh, yes, it must be mermaid, for
bark the sound is issuing from the
shore yonder, and surely no human
being possessed voice half so beauti-
full''
To my question no one vouchsafed a
reply, so l lay still half-sleepily and lis
tened to the plaintive wailing of the
voice. which every moment grew
stronger. 1t came across the water like
the low sweet sound of an EOlian harp
touched by the summer breeze; and
as the boat gGded swiftly on, bringing
it ever nearer, the whole scene around
seemed suddenly to brighten IS if from
the touch of magical hand. Above
me sailed the moon, scattering pale
vitreous light around her, and touch
ing with her cool, white hand the mel
low thatched cabins, lying SO secluded
eon the hill, the long stretch of SHIN
mering sand, and fringe of foam upon
the shingle, the peaks of the hills sill
houetted against the pale gray sky.
A white owl passing across the boat
and almost brushing my cheek with its
wing aroused me at length from my
torpor. The sound of the voice had
ceased. Above my head flock of sea-
gulls screamed, and as they sailed away
| heard the whistle of the curlew; little
puffins were floating thick as bees
around us, while rock-doves flew swift
ly from the caverns, and beyond again
the cormorants blackened the weed
covered rocks. The plash of our oars
had for moment created commotion;
presently all Gained down again, and
again heard the plaintive wailing of
the mermaid's voice. The voice more
musical than ever, was at length so dis
tinct as to bring with it the words of the
song:
my Owen Bawn's hair is of thread gold spun;
OF gold in the shadow. of light in the sun;
All curled in a coolun the brgh tresses are,
Tney make his head radiant with beams like a
Star!
My Owen Bawn's mantle is long and is wide,
To wrap me up safe from the storm by his side;
And Ia rather face snow-drift and winter wind
there.
Iudu DC dLnOuS OdlSleS anu sunshine elsewhere,
Ny Owen Bawn Con is bold fisherman,
He spears the strong salmon in midst of the
Bann,
And rocked in the tempest on stormy Tough
Neagh,
Draws up the red trout through the bursting of
spray"
The voice suddenly ceased, and as it
did so, [ saw the that singer was a young
girl, who, with her hands clasped be-
hind her, and her face turned to the
moonlit sky, walked slowly along the
shore. Suddenly she paused, and while
the sea kissed her bare feet, and the
moon laid tremulous hands npon her
head, began to sing again:
Il have ca. ed my love, but he still sleeps on
Aad his lips cold as clay;
have kissed them DER and DER again
have pressed his cheek with my burning brow,
And I've watched DER him all the day;
Is IL then true that no more thoult smile
On MoiEa?
Art thou then lest to thy Molina?
once had a lamb my love gave me,
As the mountain snow twas white;
Oh, how loved it nobody knows
decked 1t each morn with the myrtle rose
With forget-me-not' at night
My lover they slew, and they tore my lamb
They pierced the hearts core of poor Moina!"
AS the last words fell from the trem-
ulous lips, and the echoes of the sweet
voice faded far away across the sea, the
boat gliding gently on ran on her bow
into the sand, and |, leaping out, came
suddenly face to face with the loveIiest
vision [ had ever beheld.
as it mermaid?" [ asked myself
again, for surely thought no human
f. being could be halfso lovely.
saw pale, Madonna-like face set
IN a wreath of golden hair, on which
the moonlight frightened and darkened
like the shadows on wind-swept sea-
Large, lustrous eyes, which gazed earn
estly seward, then filled with strange,
wandering, far-off look, as they turned
to my face. A young girl, clad in a
peasants dress with her bare feet washed
reverently by the signing sea; her half
parted lips kissed bv the breeze which