Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-10
SMOKING A WITCH.
Fron ne Spectator
DONEGAL LEGEND.
Harpers' Weekly.

the fine, brave man you are, for GER
tain"
These last words, spoken in tone of
whitening scorn, we're addressed to Tom
Doolan by his comrade and neighbor,
Jack Devenny.
The two men were about to launch
their boat and row across the Tough, to
cut osiers on the island and Tom, whose
face was pale, and whose step tottered,
hung back when the time came to take
his place and begin TO handle his oar.
1t was sunny August day. The
mountains, covered with heather, glow
ed warm crimson in the sunshine;
while the corn fields were like sheets OF
gold, and Tamney Tough was a mirror
to reflect unbrokenly the blue sky aud
sailing clouds.
Far away beyond Mulroy, an inlet OF
the Atlantic, stretched other mountains,
tier upon tier, the nearest hills purple,
the more distant ones like smoke-color-
ed phantoms against the sky. Even the
acres on acres OF bog that lay between
the corn fields had beauty Of their
own. Everything was silent. There
was no whir and bleat of snipe, no cry
of gull or plover. Smoke rose from the
chimneys Of the little mud-cahins scat
tered here and there over the country,
but there were no voices to be heard;
only in the village of Tamney there was
some slight traffic and stir.
Feared is it you are, Tam?" repeat
ed Devenny, as he showed off from the
land.
"Ay-the witch the witch = faltered
the other, paler than before.
On asloping field just above the Tough
was a cabin no better than those in the
village, and Tom raised his timid eyes
toward it while he whispered, The
witch the witch -
Betty Moriarty had lived there as
long MS the Oldest inhabitant could re-
member. Paddy Steven, who had been
born il the year 170S, declared that she
hads ned an old woman when he was
boy; and now, in 1900, she looked
younger than he.
There were observation-disclosures that
made Betty's neighbors regard her
with awe.
She had no ostensible means Of sup
port, yet had she plenty of everything
in her cottage: pile of the drest turf,
which no one had seen cut, or drawn
home from the bog; quantities of milk
and butter that she had not bought at
the shop; clothes that, like the gar
ments of the children of Israel, "waxed
not old" All this seemed 70 be not
merely comfort, but wealth and splen-
dor, in the eyes Of the simple people.
II nnnnraI 10 In
small churning firmly believed Betty
to have drawn away the butter from
her churn, but was afraid to quarrel
with her, and therefore spoke of her
loss in guarded whispers.
The only person who had courage to
reproach the witch was Tom Doolan,
whom she had now reduced to an alb.
jeet state Of fear.
Some months before the beginning
of our story Betty had kissed Toms
youngest boy without saying God bless
you for bonny wean," and the child
had pinned away ever since. Father
Dan, indeed, had confirmed the sas-
picions of the parents by certifying that
the little fellow was suffering from the
baneful influence of an evil-eye.
When Tom Doolan had openly
charged her with having bewtched his
child, and had driven her down the
village street, not, indeed, lifting his
own hand to her, but permitting his
boys to pelt her with mud and pebbles,
she had turned to shake her stick at
him, and to threaten vengeance, NUT
tering curses mot loud but deep.
AZ 4 Il. 4 ,,I,,, -
bone; she said her eyed be on me
sleeping an waking" ialtered the
trembling man.
"Whisht wi you fooltchness,' re-
proved his companion.
Little Eileen Devenny, too young at
six years old to be afraid of the witch,
came to old Betty's door at that mo-
ment, and peeped in.
She saw the old woman pour water
into large tub that stood in the mid
die of the room. and place a wooden
dish in it; and full Of interest and curl
osity, she walked into her cabin.
There, wtan," said Betty, you
watch thon tub, an tell me what the
wee dish does, an III gle you piece
VII taste o. butter an sugar ON it.
The witch crouched by the hearth,
with her pointed chin supported on her
skinny, claw-like hands. Her face was
thin and furrowed, her nose meagre
and hooked, her eyes cruel and cunning,
and the long teeth that her parted lips
disclosed while she muttered incanta-
tons looked cruel too.
What is it you're sayln', Betty?
asked the child.
watch the wee dish, child, an tell
me what you see
"oh, Betty! Betty the dish IS going
round an round in the tub
More muttering.
What's the dish doing now, Eileen
mavourneen?r
"Ohi oh. on! Musha! musha It's
spinning round as fast as anything is
turning over. There It's full OF water
Its gone 70 the bottom O the tub
That's right" and Betty rubbed her
skinny. claws together, and grlnned
With pleasure. "Thon's your daddys
boat that's sunk in Tanney Lough," she
cnuckled, AN thon thief O. the world,
tnon rascal Tom DooIan, Is in her, an.