Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-07-18
An IRISH IDYL.
N THE AUTHOR OF "THE QUEEN OF d
coNNAuGHT, .,,

=
peared in the east, we turned our boats
bow toward the shore and pulled swiftly
homeward. There lay the group Of cur
raghs still upon the scene, OF their labor,
loaded with phosphorescent fish and drip
ping nets. and manned with crews of shiv-
ering weary men. The sea, which during
the night had been throbbing convulsiyely,
was calm and bright as polished a mirror.
while the gaunt gray cliffs were family
shadowed forth by the lustrous light of the
moon. .. .ek
Wearied with my nights labor. lay
listening dreamily to the measured splash
of the oars and drinking in the beauty of
the scene around me--tle placid sea, the
black outline Of the hills and cliffs the
silently sleeping village Of Storport. Pres
emily, however, my ears detected another
sound which came family across the water
aad mingled softly with the monotonous
splashing of the oars and the weary wash
ing of the sea.
'ls il a mermaid singingp' ] 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 hark the sound
is issuing from the shore yonder, and sure
ly no human being possessed n voice half
so beautiful :" ,,-. +s.tsl,
| TO my question no one vouchsafed re-
ply, so lay still half-slecpily and listened
to the plaintive waling of the voice, which
every moment grew stronger. 1T came b
across the water like the low sweet sound
Of an .Eoian harp touched by the sum-
mer breeze and as the boat glided swiftly
on bringing it ever nearer, the whole scene
around seemed suddenly to brighten as if
/ irnp l.. nf han AhaTn
me sailed the moon. scattering pale vitre-
Gus light around her, and touching with
her cool, white hand the mellow thatched
cabins, living so secluded on the hill the
long stretch of shimmering sand, and.
fringe of foam upon the single, the peaks
of the hills slhoutted 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 tor
por. The sound of the voice had ceased.
Above my head flock of seagullS
screamed and as they sailed away heard
the whistle of the curlew; little pufiins
We're floating thick as bees around us,
while rock-doves flew swiftly from the
caverns, and beyond the cormorants
blackened the weed-covered rocks The
splash of our oars had for moment Gre
ated a commotion presently all calmed
down again, and again heard the plain
| tive wailing of the mermaids voice. The
voice, more musical than ever, was at
length so distinct as to bring with 1t the {
words of the song: .5 .~-. ..-lf Pc
MY owen Bawn's hai is of thread gold span; g..
OF gold in the shadow, of light in the sun
All curled in coolun the bright tresses are, i.l.
They make his head radiant with beams like star
Ny owen Bawn's mantle is long and is wide,
10 wrap me up safe from the storm by his side; ia
Ana rather lace snow ari,l ana Winter wind there
Nv owen Baxn Con il a bold fisherman g -'ii
lie spears the strong salmon In midst Of the Brnn,
And, rocked in the teppost on stormy Lough Neagh,
Draws up the red trout through the bursting Of
The voice suddenly ceased, and as it did
so, saw that the singer was a young girl
who, with her hands elapsed behind her,
and her face turned TO the lnoofIlit sky,
walked slowly along the shore Sudden
ly she paused, and while the sea kissed
her bare feet, and the moon laid tremu-
lous hands upon her head, began to sing
again:
"I have called my love, but he still sleeps on, 81
And his lips cold rs clay: ..
] have kissed them DER and o'er again
l have pressed his cheek to his burning brow,i .,.
And I've watched DER him all the day;
Is 1t then true that no more thou,it smile
On Moina:
Art thou then lost to thy MOina? .' a.
| once had Il lamb my love gave me-
As the mountain snow twas white
Oh, how loved 1t nobody knows,
decked 1t each morn with the myrtle rose f,
With 'forget-ne' 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 her tremu-
lous lips, and the echoes of the sweet voice
t.ir he.
gliding gently on ran her bow into the
sand, and |, leaping ont, came Suddenly
face to face with the loveliest vision / had
ever beheld. b. y
is it mermaid?n | asked myself
again, for surely thought no human
being could be half so lovely.
saw pale, madonna-like face set in a
wreath of golden hair. on which the MOON
! light frightened and darkened like the
shadows on II wind-swept sea. Large
lustrous eyes which gazed earnestly sea-
ward. then filled with Il strange, wander
| ing, iaroff look as they turned to nv face.
young girl clad in a peasants dress,
with her bare feet washed reverently by
the signing sea- her hali-parted lips kissed
| by the breeze which travelled slowly
| >horeward: her cheeks and neck were
pale as alabaster, SO We're the little hands
which were still clasped half nervously
behind her; and rs she stood, with her
eyes wandering restlessly first to nv face.
then to the dim line of the horizon, the
moon, Frightening with sudden splendor,
wrapt her from head to foot in mantle
of shimmerng snow.
For moment she stood gazing with
far-away look into my face then with
sigh she turned away, and with her face
still turned oceanward, her hands still
clasped behind her, wandered slowly
along the moonlit sands. .f.., t,.'l.
As she went, fading like spirit among
the shadows, heard again the low sweet
sound of the plaintive voice which had
come to me across the ocean, but soon il
grew fainter and fainter until only the
echoes were heard.
turned to my hoatnan, who now stood
waiting for me to depart. 'sa $50 isf
"Well, Shawn, is it mermaid ?i' l
asked. smiling. +. rsss.i ,.s ~ .ga.av
He gravely shook his head.