The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-09-26

to the fireplace, turning to shake it
furiOusly at her, as she cried. You'll
rue the day you tried to hurt my child. !"
She sprang upon the hob, put her
tiny dainty feet into the links OF the
chain one after another, mounted them
as staircase, and was out of sight like
whirlwind.
"Oh. nv poor wean," sobbed the ex-
hausted mother, sinking back upon her
pillow, "she'n haze ye yet!'
Una, ma, Grace" said Mrs. Rooney,
in soothing tones, "she'n no get your
wean; but it'll tax you to watch it weel,
an never leave it its lane in the house
unless you put the tongs across the era
die. But sure you ha' plenty o. childer
to watch it."
Joseph McDonagh was spending the
night in a neighbours cabin, and the
women were really afraid to venture out
of doors to 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 par
cnts, and others that had come under
their own observation; but all agreed
that 50 strange a circumstance as that
just witnessed was bad thing for the
neighborhOod, and especially for the
McDonagh family.
81 never affrOnted the gentry to
my knowledge" sighed the poor moth
er, ssbut Joe helped Mr.. Todd's garden
er to 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. l fleeched him not to
touch it, but the master offered him six
shillings if he'd help wi the job, for
the other men refused" She sighed
again and shut her eyes.
"That's the way of it, whispered
the crones over their pipes and poteen ;
'that's just it. The guide man has had
the i'll luck to displeasure the gentry,
an there'll be trouble in this house
YETI
Grace did not hear these cheerful
prophecies, for she had dropped
asleep.
Weeks passed and the augury had moi
been fulfilled. Little Eliza thrOve apace,
but her mother never lost sight of hel
for moment.
She lay fast asleep in her cradle neal
the fire one day, while Grace, standing
at the dresser, was occupied in cutting
up vegetables with the large knife. AL
at once tumult of the elements arose
A rush of cold wind hurried up tho
mountain, and whirled round the house
Grace was startled ut the sudder
sound, and dropped the knife il
terror. The door burst open, ant
the hurricane dashed into the kitchen
overturning the cradle, and driving i
bottom upward across the floor. Grac,
ran to lift it up and see what had be
become of the baby. The little crea
ture was crying, and both her pretty
straight ankles were twisted and he
feet turned inward. 1t was long befOr,
she ceased to scream.
The storm subsidized as suddenly as i
had arisen, but the mysterious evil i
had brought the child did not end. Sh'
became sickly and very fretful, and thu
other children grew weary of nursing
her. They had been very fond of Eliza
but they now began to dislike her, ani
the poor OverwOrked mother could hard
ly ever lay her out of her arms.
Weeks, months, years went by. Eliz:
was five years old, but looked like :
child of Is months, SO small and shrun
ken was she. She still fitted into tn,
cradle, and therein spent most of thu
day. She had been Il very sOrrOwfu
burden to her mother all these years
and her cross, fretful temper had driver
JOY and cOntentment far from the cabin
The healthy, rosy elder children wer,
sometimes so provoked with their wall
ing sister that they would have hurt her i
their mother had not watched them yer,
carefully. But though so sickly, Eliz;
was much cleverer than any of he
strong brothers and sisters. She sait
extraordinary things, that were repeated
from house to house in the neighbOr
hood.
Mrs. Rooney, happening to pay Grac,
McDOnagh visit one day, saw Matt ,th'
eldest brother, give Eliza wicked pincl
as he passed the cradle; and when tn
unfortunate child's howl had a littl,
subsidized, the wise neighbOr took upor
herself to speak word in season.
"Do you no mind what happened tn.
night thon wean was born, Grace dar
limp"
"DO mind it? RIGHTLY l mind it
Mrs. Rooney"
can the time her feet was turnet
imp"
Gay, it's weel mind it,
"Weel, Grace, if you taxi my bid
ding, you'll no let the childer offer tt
touch thon wean to hurt her; for if yor
do, knowin' what she is, some blacl
trouble III be coming to this house,
els it a wee elf, then, Mrs. Rooney
dear, that was put in the place o. my
ain child, do you think?''
els it?" cried the neighbor, scorn
fully; can do you AK me SIGH an limo
cent question, an you working wi the
crathur these five year? Sure enough
it's an elf, Grace McDonagh, an il
you hurt it, your ain child will
be hurried just rs much; an il
it's kilt in this house, your ain child
III come to its end where it is, and that's
wi the gentry in their grand parlors
underground, as sure as I'm living
sinner this day." concluded she, drop
ping her voice to a mysterious whisper
Poor Grace was deeply impressed.
She called her healthy children around
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