The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-07-26
AN IRISH IDYL.

4AAN &4G4SX4 ALL - IL
We had been out all night watching
the herring fishers; but as soon as the
work was over and the faint glimmering
OF the dawn appeared in the east, we
turned our boats bow toward the shore,
and pulled swiftly homewards. There
lay the group of curraghs, still upon the
scene of their labor, loaded with phos-
phorescent fish and dripping nets, and
manned with crews of shivering, weary
men. The sea, which during the night
had been throbbing conyulsively, was
calm and bright as a polished mirror,
while the gaunt gray cliffs were family
Swallowed forth by the lustrous light of
the moon.
Wearied with my nights labor ( lay
listlessly in the stern of the boat, listen
ing dreamily to the measured splash,
splash, of the oars, and drinking in the
beauty of the scene around me; the
placid sea, the black outline of the hills
and cliffs, the silently sleeping village of
StorpOrt. Presently, however, my ears
detected another sound, which came
family across the water, and mingled
softly with the monotonous splashing of
the oars and the weary washing of the
sea.
"Is it mermaid singing?" 1 asked
sleepily, "The village maids are all
dreaming of their lovers at this hour,
but the indian Maras sing of theirs.
Oh, yes, it must be a mermaid, for bark !!
the sound is issuing from the shore
yonder, and surely no human being ever
possessed a voice half so beautiful"
my i .
reply, SO | lay haf-sleepily and listened
to the plaintive wailing of the voice,
which every moment grew stronger. 1t
came across the water like the low sweet
sound of an EOlian harp touched by
the summer breeze; and as the boat
glided swiftly on, bringing it ever nearer,
the whole scene around seemed suddenly
to brighten as if from the touch Of a
moen, scattering pale vitreous light
around her, and touching with her cool,
white hand the mellow matched cabins,
lying so secluded on the hillside, the
long stretch of shimmering sand, the
fringe of foam upon the single, the
peaks of the hills which stood silhouetted
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
torpor. The sound of the voice had
ceased. Above my head flock of sea-
gulls screamed, and, as they sailed away,
| heard the whistle of the curlew; little
puffins were floating thick as bees around
us, wilk rock-doves few swiftly from the
caverns, and beyond again the cor
morants blackened the weed-covered
rocks. The splash of our oars had for 8
moment created q commotion; presently
all Gained down again, and again /
heard the plaintive wailing of the mer,
maids voice, The voice, more musical
than ever, was at length so distinct as to
bring with it the words of the song:-
my Owen Bawns hair is of thread gold spun;
OF gold in the shadow, of light in the sun;
All curle! 10 a coolun the bright tresses are,
They make his head radiant with beams like a
start
ny Owen Bawns mantle is long and is wide,
To wrap me up safe from the storm by my side
And I'd rather face snow-drift and winter wind
there,
Than be among the daisies and sunshine elsewhere.
Ny owen Bawn Con is a bold fisherman,
he spears the stro2g salmon in the midst OF the
And rocked in the tempest on stormy Tough
Draws up the red trout through the bursting of
spray"
The voice suddenly ceased, and as it
did so, | saw that the singer was young
girl who, who with her hands clasped
behind her, and her face turned to the
moonlit sky, walked slowly along the
shore. Suddenly she paused, and while
the sea kissed her bare feet, and the moon
laid tremulous hands upon her head,
began to sing again:
81 have called my love, but he still sleeps on,
And his lips are cold as clay;
have kissed them Ger and DER again
have pres Ell MS cheek with my burning brow,
And I've watched Ger him all the day;
Is it then true that no more thou'lt smile
Oh Molina?
Art thou then lost to thy Molina?
once had lamb my love gave me
As the mountain snow twas white;
Oh, how loved it nobody knows!
l decked ii each morn with the myrtle reese,
With fOrget-me-not' at night.
From Molina.
They pierced the hearts core of poor Molina! "
As the last words fell from her trem
ulous lips, and the echoes of the sweet
voice died far away across the sea, the
boat gliding gently on ran her bow into
the sand, and |, leaping out, came face
with the loveliest vision l had ever be-
held.
Is it mermaid?" l asked myself
again, for surely | thought no human
being could be half so lovely.
| saw pale Madonna-like face set in
wreath of golden hair, on which the
moonlight frightened and darkened like
the shadows on Widespread sea. Large
lustrous eyes which gazed earnestly sea-
ward, then filed with strange wander
ing fsr-off look as they turned to my
face. 4 young girl clad in a peasant
dress, with her bare feet washed rever-
emily by the signing sea; her half-parted
lips kissed by the breeze which travelled
slowly shoreward; her cheeks and neck
were pale as alabaster, so were the little
hands which were still clasped half
neryonsly behind her; and as she stood,
with l. + eyes wandering restlessly first
to NY face, then to the dim line of the
horizon, tue moon, Frightening With