The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-11-01

1
tlnued, in lower tone:
&c Nae candle at his head
Nae priest beside his bed
Nae winding sheet, nae hearse
Nae coffin for his corse'n
When little Eileen caught these dread
full words she became frightened, an d
ran to the door. The sky was as clear as
ever, except directly above the ozier
island on Tamney Tough, where heavy
cloud seemed to hang; while white.
crested waves, driven by the wind
washed over the upturned boat, which
dashed, rudderless, up and down upon
the rocky point of the island.
1t was strange sight; the furious
storm was confined to that one spot.
while on all other sides the landscape
lay glowing in August sunshine.
My daddy's boats lost! He'll be
drowned!" said the child, returning to
Betty's side, and beginning to cry
"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried the witch
mae candle at his head
Nae priest beside his bed"
The awfulness of the partial storm had
struck others besides little Eileen. Three
or four people In the village street had
seen the Tough become dashed into fury
In moment, and had also watched the
boat being overturned; and SIS quickly
as possible another boat was launched,
and the bodies of Doolan and Deyenny
were sought for.
Jack Devenny was brought to shore.
and after restoratives had been used. he
recovered consciousness.
Where's Tam?" where's Tam?'
were the first words he said,
We Gamma get him." was the reply:
and Toms widow wrung her hands and
sobbed bitterly.
" They'll no get him." chuckled Bet
ty, from her post of observation at the
cabin door on the hill overhanging
Tamney Lough:
:" Nae winding-sheet, nae hearse,
Nae coffin for his corse.'"
One or two of the searchers overheard
her, and they shook their fists in her
face with rage.
All that day and all the next day they
sought, but Tom Doolan's body could
not be found. 1t was, indeed, never
found, and the lake was regarded with
superstitious horror for years.
But to return to the witch. Little
Eileen was an intelligent child, and she
told her father how Betty had babe her
watch the dish in the tub of water, while
she had been muttering low to herself !;
how it had turned round and round,
sinking at last to the bottom; and how
Betty had exclaimed: Gay, that's yer
fathers boat, an Tom Doolan, the thief
an villain, ill be drownedW
Devenny was not quite so unnamed
by superstitious dread as his neighbors;
besides which, he was sorry for the loss
of his comrade, and he determined that
his loss should be avenged. Feeling his
way very cautiously, he found a couple
of accomplices among the kneeling crowd
in the chapel-yald next Sunday, and he
settled with them what was to be the
witch's fate.
One night, when all was silent in the
village of Tamney, the three men stole
out of Devenny's cottage, and coasted
the reedy edge of the Tough, in whose
gloomy depths poor Doolan was lying.
No candle, or priest, or wake, or burial
had the poor fellow had, and they shud
dered as they passed his unknown grave,
crossing themselves piously, and think
leg of his wandering soul. The water
hens were disturbed by their stealthy
tread, and flock of pIover flew over.
head, uttering their wild, almost human,
cries. On they went, cautiousl y mount
ing the hill, and pausing several times to
listen before they reached the witch's
door. The reason for this caution was
that, Donegal being in disturbed state,
parties of yeomanry secured the country
every night, and apprehended every one
whom they found abroad after 9 o'clock
All the lights were to be extinguished
at that hour, so Betty's dip candle had
long been out, and no glimmer appeared
at her single tiny window.
Where's the kale stalk?" asked one
of the men. They climbed upon thf
root, stopped up the chimney, and then
putting the cabbage stalk into the key
hole blew in clouds of sulphur through
it into the cabin.
"We'u smoke her the way his rever
ence smoked the BEES" said they, station
ing themselves at the key-hole in turn
and they did not desist from their labol
until dawn appeared.
So they smothered the witch; she wa
cold and dead next day when the doc
was opened; and as there were no coro
ner's inquests in those days, her beins
found dead excited but little attention
Indeed, at the time of the Union, IreianC
was in 50 disordered a state that tn,
death of one old women in her bed wa
but little noticed. The manner of he
end was known to her old neighb Dor
around Tamnoy Tough; but it wa
never spoken OF except in whispers
though years afterward parents pointed
to the rs.;s1ed wallsteads upon the hill
side, and told their little children wha
the witch's fate had been. The write
was told the story by an old man who's
mother had lived in Tamney at the time
On our venturing to doubt the exist
ence of witches at the present day, b
declared there was then August, 1877
to his certain knowledge, a witch living
close to his own farm; and he pointed
out pretty, fair-haired woman, mothe
of a large family, who had only one COW
yet sells quantities of butter.
She has slight figure, as well as blu
eyes and faxen hair, and we though
her a pleasant sight as she tripped alon
the Tamhey road to market, followed b.
her little crowd of white headed children
The uninitiated, at least, look at he
with pleasure; but the Roman Catholic
cross themselves furtively when the
meet her, and the old and ignoran
among her Protestant neighbors regar
her with evident fear and dislike.
do YOU mean TO say that she is adj