Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-10-30

All CnaC Gay ana Gil the neXL Jay lucy
sought, but Tom Doolan's body could
not be found. 1t was, indeed, nfvsr
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 drowned!"
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 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 az they passed his unknown grave,
crossing themselves piOusly, and think
leg of his wandering soul. The water
hens were disturbed by their steslthy
tread, and flock of plover few over
head, uttering their wild, almost human,
cries. On they went, cautiously 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 a 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 extjnguished
at that hour, 50 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 the
roof, 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'll 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 labor
| until dawn appeared
So they smothered the witch; she was
cold and dead next day when the door
was opened; and as there were no coro-
ner's inquests in those days, her being
found dead excited but little attention.
Indeed, at the time of the Union, Ireland
was in 50 disordered state that the
death Of one old women in her bed was
but little noticed. The manner of her
end was known to her old neighbors
around Tamney Lough; but it was
never spoken Of except in whispers,
though years sfterward parents pointed
to the ruined wallsteads upon the hill
side, and told their little children what
the witch's fate had been. The writer
was told the story by an old man whose
mother had lived in Tamney at the time
On our venturing to doubt the exist
ence of witches at the present day, he
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, mother
of Large family, who had only one COW,
yet sells quantities of butter. 80
She has slight figure, as well as blue
eyes and faxen hair, and we thought
her pleasant sight as she tri pped along
the Tamhey road to market, followed by
her little crowd of white headed children.
The uninitiated, at least, look at he1
with pleasure; but the Roman Catholics
cross themselves furtively when they
meet her, and :, the, old and ignorant
among her Protestant neighbors regard
her with evident fear and dislike.
Do you mean to say that she is able
to draw the butter away from you,
churn7" we asked our old friend the
farmer.
"Troth is she, miss; there's ma divil.
ment too hard or too bad for that witch
woman. Sure she turns herseP into 6
hare avery summer NIGHT, an milks the
cows in the fields / ha' started a biz
hare from among my ain cows in thiI
very field, an as sure as Pm a Twin
sinner, it made for yon hole in the bacl
O. Norah's house,"
"Do you really think Norah's tn.
hare7"
"Think it, miss? God bless your in
nooent wit! Pm sure of it. It wad bt
a charity to the countryside to shoot
her wi bit of siller-in troth, if wa,
as souple as used to be, I'd do it my
sep."
"Does it take long to turn her bacl
into woman?"
Is it long, miss? Not a minute
She just says Wheen words that the bad
man learned her, an she's in her air
shape again."
els Norah the only witch in thu
country.
"Na, ma; there's her mother at Cool
back, and her grandmother at Milford
all the breed O. them Tsyl ors was witches
But there's warlocks too; 1 mind to ha'
seen ane o them when was wee chie]
the height O. my stick"
ooh, please tell me all about it,"
l was sketching in the old farmers
own meadow, behind the witch's cottage
and he stood near me, leaning on biz
stick; and as l washed in the delicate OF
gorgeous tints of my picture, I listened
| to his weird tale.
1T was in the County Derry, he be.
gan, "that all my people was born and
bred. The Derry gentlemen was grea,
riders, an fond Of hunting, an it was aye
spree for the wee boys to follow the
hunt. I could run nigh hand as fast a,
r. hound myself in them days. One day
Il mind it as well IS if it was yesterday
We couldn't start q hare ava, an thu
gentlemen was all out o patience, whe1
we come upon an 0uld man sitting cob
bling shoes, an herding cows, in a vilt
kind o. place below the Birdstown noun
talns. E ~ = ~ - - s-$".g
"'Wad- your honors wish me to star
2 hare for yez' says the ould man, risin
y to his feet. tssds .t&sf9 :@v3 s,Htsa45;s..&
-. 80 Az, surely says the. gentlemen
Tor We Gamma linda hare this day, at all
! at ajl,sES :le<s 1855: = 3z:s:S5fssei cE =
- Well says the ould man, 'if
find = harein thon wood, says he, will
yez gle me five shillin' when tho run i,
overf'