The Red Cloud chief., 1879-10-09
THE CROOK LADDER.


Several old crput~ were assembled IN
Grae" Ncpuua~h'> kitchen, drinking
hrr hraiih and that uf her newborn
daughter. who had just been dressed,
and Wa laid down 4" sleep at the foot
If IN, bed. \ tribe of brothers and
sisters were packed into the large bed in
tn inner room: bu; poor Grace was ~
WEI pleased with the u%ly, rcd-faccd
newcomer a. if She had been her only
child.
\ Kind mother, excellent wife, and
uIlj-iug neighbour. Grace wa> VERY pop
u.ur. $50 The good women in the wide
rhiun.y--orucr drank her health very
heartily. and wished Joseph McDonagh
ai In, same time joy of the child and of
his ury situation. that Of bailiff 10 Mr..
Todd. of BUncrana Castle.
The house Was built in an exposed
spot. on the side of Il hill that cum-
wgudei "a view OF a large portion of the
property tu which Mynona@h had Just
been male hailiff. Down below was
th, castle. n~r-tIing in gardens and plan
~tltiru-. and h,Nond II lax the old town
ui Euu.rtus. and the Tough. bold noun
jaiu- pale iu Ihr distance bounding TIA"
horizon. II WAS an extensive and beau
tiuI landscape. Int the McDona~h> had
na idra that the situation WAS piciur-
,-su.. they knew that il was cold and
bleak. and exposed Ia every W,n'ry
Storm that swept across Tough >wiily.
A. Grace slept. and her attendants
~clrag~cd hy the tiTc>idc, a feeble li.tle
vail was heard. Mrs. Rooney got mp
and went over To the foot of the bed
where she had laid the infant. What
was hrr amazemcHt To- see two babies
where She had placed but one, Two lit
H. nuck,r.l faces: two lilac pink frock>:
two white pinaforc>' There did not APP
pear - hr the slightest difference he
tween them.
Mr~. Eooney'S crv of terror and As
tnui~hmcnt brought all the women round
the bed. and awakened the poor weary
mother. ENclaulationS of save u.s.
..pcar. bat THAI beats all" mingled
with the feeble wailing> of the two
babes.
What II We do. anyway? There's
something bad an uncanny here" cried
Mr.. Rooney. Which . these wean>
i the RIGHT aue?"
..Gip them Ia me, an hand me thon
AEl- hLAA.t vi AA' Nl'NNNA. NtAN Aif
mother. =. III Kiss them bath. and the
one my heart warns to viii be my ain
child: ~ fo. the other one. III just set
lie II vi the knife"
stand back. % women, there.
commanded Mrs. Rooney, speaking au-
thoritatively in her character of nurse.
They obeycd, sitting down again beside
the fire.
Now ole them To me-" said Grace,
holding ont her hands.
Mrs. Rooney handed her one Of the
infants. She kissed it. and laid ii be-
side her onthe pillow
My heart warmed To it, Molly
Rooney dear: that's my ain child. Now
Gle me the wee rascal that come 10 this
house for no good end
She took the second babe and stretched
out her shaking hand for the knife. pre-
pared 10 cut it, throat; but N that very
instant there was a noise heard over
head. and a small. beautifully dressed,
and very pretty lady came down the
wide chimney. using the chain IF the
crook n a ladder. She bounded over
the fire. across the room, and stood be-
side the bed.
III t4lt ~tNtllo Nllt i.sO NlisRANAitu III
child out OF Grace'S hands, and ran back
Ia the fireplace, turning 10 shake il
f~uriously N her. a. she cried. You'll
rue the dayyo tried To hurt my child
She >pran@ upon the hob, put hel
tiny dainty feet into the links of the
chain one after another. mounted then
a a staircase, and was out Of sight lik,
a whirlwind.
"Oh, mypoor wean,' Sobbed the eX'
hauSted mother, sinking back upon hel
pillow, .sshen haze We vet"
Ma. ia. Grace" said Mrs. Rooney
In soothing tones, "sheU no get youl
wean: but it'll tax You to watch it weel
an never leave il its lane in the hous,
unless You put the tongs across the era
die. But sure you ha' plenty O childel
10 watch it"
Joseph McDonagh was spending tn,
night in a neighbor's cabin, and tn,
aomen were really afraid Z venture GU
: of doors to call him: besides, what gooC
could he have done had he been there.
They sat on, telling quaint and strang'
stories about the wee folk, some o
which had been told them by their par