The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1879-10-03

the sand, and /, leaping out, came sud.
denly face to face with the lovliest vision
I had ever beheld.
"Is it a mermaid ?' asked myself
sgain, for surely thought no human
being could be half SO lovely.
/ saw pale madonna-Eke 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 earnestly sea
ward, then filled with strange, far-of
look, as they turned to my face. 4 young
girl, clad in peasant dress, with her bare
feet washed reverently by the sighing
sea her halfparted lips kissed BY the
breeze which travelled slowly shoreTard
her cheeks and neck were pale as alabas
ter; so We're the little hands which were
still clasped half nervously behind her,
and as she stood, with her eyes wander
ing restlessly first to my face, then to the
dim line of the horizon, the moon bright
ening with sudden spIendor, wrapped her
from head to foot in mantle Of sinner
ing snow.
For q moment she stood gazing with a
far away look into my face then with
sigh she turned away, and with her face
still turned oceanward, her hands still
clasp2d behind her, wandered slowly
along the moonit sands.
AS she went, fading like spirit among
the shadows, heard again the low sweet
sound of the plaintive voice which had
come to ne ACROSS the ocean, but soon it
grew fainter, until only the echoes were
heard.
turned to my boatman, who now
stood waiting for me to depart.
"WelI, Shawn, is it mermaid 2"
asked.
He gravely shook his head.
"No, yer honor it's only poor col
leen wild broken heart"
I turned and looked questioningly at
him, but he was gazing at the spot where
the figure of the girl had disappeared.
"God Almighty, risht the dead t. he
said, reyerentIy raising his hat, "but him
that brought such luck to Norah 0'Con-
nell deserves His curse, God knows!'
This incident, coupled with the strange
manner Of my man, interested me, and !
began to question him as to the story ofI
the girl whose lovely face was still riFidly
before me. But for soma reason or other
he seemed to shun the subject, and 50 for
a time |, too, held my peace. But as
soon as I found myself comfortably seat
ed in the cozy parIor Of the lodge, with q
bright turf fire blazing before me and hot
punch steaming on the table at my side,
summoned my henchman to my pres
ence.
"Now Shawn" I said, holding forth a
steaming goblet that made his eyes
sparkle like two stars, "close lie door,
draw your chair up to The FIRE, drink ofI
this, and tell me tie story Of the lovely
colleen that we saw tonight"
"Would yer honor really like to hear?"
II would, it will give me something to
dream about, and prevent me from think
ing too much Of her beautiful face"
Shawn smiled gravely.
"Your honor thinks her pretty Well,
then, yell believe me when I tell re that
if ye we're to search the country at the
moment ye couldn't find colleen
to match Norah O'Connell. When she
was born the neighbors thought she must
be fairy child, she was So pretty, 50
small and white and when she got older
there wasn't boy in Storport but would
lay down his life for her. Boys wid
fortunes and boys widout fortunes tried to
get her and begging yer honor's pardon,
I went myself il wid the rest. But i
went one way wild Us all Norah Just
smiled and said she did not want to
marry. But one day, two years ago now,
come this Serapht, that lazy shaushraun,
Miles Doughty, (God rest his soul!) came
over from BallYgalIy. and going straight
to Norah, widout making up any match
at all, asked her to marry him"
"Weli ~
"Well yer honor, this time Nora
frightened up, and though she knew well
enough that Miles was q dirty blachguard
without a penny in the world-though the
old folks said no, and there was plenty Of
fortunes ii Storport waitin' on her-she
just went against every one Of them and
said she must marry Miles. The old
people pulled against her at first, but At
last Norah, wid her smiles and pretty
ways, won over Father Tom-Who won
over the old people, till at last they said
that If Miles would 90 for a while to the
black pits Of Pennsylvania and earn the
money to buy house and bit Of land
He should marry her.