Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-06-27
THE COW THAT ATE THE PIPER


THE COW THAT ATE THE PIPER.
One Of samuel Lovers Stories OF "rhe
HIuCtiOn."
I'll tell you, sir, mighty quare story, and
it's az thrue as I'm standin' here, and that 4
no lie. 1t was in the time of tho ruction, =
whin the long summer days, like many a fine
fellows precious life was cut short by raison
OF the martial law-that wouldn't let dacent
boy he out in the evening, good or bad for
whin the days work was over, divil one of
us dare go to meet frind over glass, or a
girl at the dance, but must go home and shut
ourselves up, and never bulge, nor rise latch,
nor draw boult until the morning KEN agin.
WE'LL one night, twas after night.fall. and
and we wor sittin' round the fire, and the pra-
ties was boilin', and the noggins of butter
milk was standin' ready for our suppers,
whin a knock KEN to the door.
Whist, says my father, "hero's the So
jors, b" says he, bad luck to thin, the vii.
lains, I'm afeard they seen a glimmer of fire
through the crack in the door," says he.
NO, says my mother, "for I'm afther
hanging an ould sack and my new potticoat
agin it while ago."
"Well, whist anyhow" says my father,
'for there's a knock Rgin." And we all held
our tongues till another thump KEN to the
door.
"oh, its folly to purtind any more, says
my father-"they' too cute to be put of
that away" says he. Go, shamus'" saws
he to me, 'and sec who's in it,"
How can l see who's in it in the dark ?"
says l.
well, says he, light the candle, thin,
and see who's in it, but don't open the door
for your life, barrin they break it in, says
he, "exceptin' to the sojers and spake thin
fair, II its thin"
So with that wint to the door, and there
was another knock
who's there p says l.
Its me, says he.
who are your says |.
"A frind, " says he.
''Baitherashin, says l, "who arc you at
ALI"
"Arrah don't you know me ?" says he.
'Divil q taste" says /.
Sure, I'm Paddy the piper, says he.
oh, thunder and turf, says /, ''is it you,
Paddy, that's in it?"
''Sorra ono else, says he
And what brought you at this hour ?"
says 1.
"By gar, says he, Il didn't like goin' the
roun' by the road" says he land so KEN
the short cut, and that's what delayed me,
says he.
"Oh, bloody wars :" says I-"Paddy,
wouldn't be in your shoes for the kings ran
som, says I, 'for you know yourself it's
hanging matther to be cotched out these
times, says l.
Sure know that" says he, God help
me and that's what KEN to you for, says
he ''and let me in for old acquaintance
sake, " says poor Paddy.
"Oh, by this and that, says l, ~ darnt
open the door for the wide world, and sure
you know it. and troth If the Husshians or
those Heo's+ ketches you" says l, they'll
murther you az sure as your names Paddy"
Many thanks TO you" says he, "for your
good intentions but place goodness, hope
it's not the likes O. that is in store for me
anyhow"
'Faix then, says l, ''you had better lose
no timo in hidin' yourself" says l, for
throth l tell you, it's a short trial and long
rope the Husshians would bo afther givin'
you-for they've no justice, and less marcy
the villains"
Faith thin, more's the raison you should
let me in, Shamus," " says poor Paddy.
Its folly to talk, says l, 81 darn't open
the door"
"Och, then, militia murther," says Paddy
'whatH become of me at all, at all ?" says
he.
Go afT into the she'd" says l, "behind
the house, whore the COW is, and there's an
illigant lock of straw that you may go to
sleep in, says l, land a fine bed it id be
for lord, let alone piper"
So of Paddy set to hide in the shed, and
throth it wint to our hearts to refuse him,
and turn him away from the door, more by
token, when the praties was ready-for sure
the bit and the sup is always welkim TO the
poor thraveler. Well, we all wint 10 bed,
and Paddy himself in the COW house. and
now must tell you how II was with Paddy
You soc, after sleeping for some time, Pad
dy wakened up, thinkin' it was mornin', but
it tSRasn't mornin' at all, but only the light o.
the moon that desaved him, but at all events
he wanted to be stirring Rirly, bekase he was
goin' of to the town hard by, it being fair
day, to pick up few ha'pence with his pipes
for the dvil betther piper was in all the
country round nor Paddy; and every one
gave it up to him that he was illgant on the
pipes, and played jimmy bang'd the Weav-
err began tellin', and the Hare in the corn"
that you'd think the very dogs was in it, and
the horseman ridip like mad
Well, as was sayin he set of to go to
the fair, and he went meandhering' along
through the fields, but he didn't go far until
climbin up through hedge, when he was
comm out at tother side, his head KEN
plump again something that made the fire
flash out iv his eyes. So with that he looks
up-and what do you think ii was, Lord be
merciful unto us, but a corpse hanging out
of branch of a three.
"Oh, the top of the mornin' to you, cir, A"
says Paddy, "and is that the way with you,
my poor fellow ? throth you took a start out
O. me, says Paddy.
Twas thrue for him, for il would make the
heart of stouter man nor Paddy Jump to
see the like, and to think of a Christian era
thur being hanged up all as one az dog
Now twas the boys that hanged this chap
bekase, you see, tho corpse had got clothes
on him, and that's the raisOn that ons might
know it was tho robels-by rsison that the
Husshians never hanged anybody wild good
clothes AN him, but only the poor and de-
fenceless crathurs like NJ so, as | said be-
fore, Paddy knew well it was the boys that
done it. Says Paddy eyein' the corpse -
by my soul thin, but you have n beauti.
full pair of boots an you" says he, 'and its
what I'm thukin' you won't have any great
use for thin no more and sure it's a shame
to soc the likes o mo, says he, "the best pi-
per in sivin counties, TO be trampin' wild
pair of ould brogues not worth three tran
cons, iaud corpse wild such an illigant pair
of boots that wants some ono TO wear thin. 4"
So with that Paddy lays hould of him by
the boots, and began pullin' at thin, but
they wor mighty stiff and whether Il was
by raison of their being 80 tight, or the
The insurrection Of 1908, in Wicklow, Ire.