Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-10-29
NonAII's DtSoBEDIENCE.


mantle valley inhabited by few peas
ants. who &C rule cabins were surround
ed by the most luxuriant trees, and
sheltered by mountains arising almost
pcrpendicularly on every side. Ireland
has still many beautiful green Wales,
but there is not one so deeply, so Sc
cretly nestled among the hills as the
one Of which | speak. Add the depth
OF the deepest of these lakes 10 the
height Of the loftiest mountain that
towers above us, and you may form
some idea of the deep seclusion OF this
forgotten valley.
Nor;ih was the prcttiest girl in tho
Iittle village She was tho pride of her
old father and mother, and the admira-
ton OF every youth who behcld her.
Inc cottage OIL her parents was the
neatest IN the neighDorhood Norah
knew how to make the lomcliest cham
Der look cheerful, and the honeysuckic
round the easement was taught by her
hand to twlne more gracefully than
elsewhere.
here was but one spring of water
IN this valley; it was little we'll OF the
brightest and dearest water ever seen,
WIicl bubolcd from the golden sands
- they lay calmly Sleeping in basin
oil the whicst marble. From this basin
there did not appear to be any outlet;
the water ran mo it inccssanlly, but
no one could detect that any part of it
eae"ped again. 1t WAS n fairy well.
In those days there were fairies, so
says the legend, and So says Croltin
Cro~cr that inimitablc historian of
tHc littlc people Of Ireland in the oldeu
( me.
inc fairy Wei w.tS held in great ven
.iOn by the inhabitants OF the val
10
lacre WAS tradition concerning it
inch had time out of mind been hand
Ca down from parent to child. 1t was
covered with huge stone, which,
though apparently very heavy, could
bc removed with ease by the hand OF
the most delicate female; and it was
said 10 be the viii OF the fairy who
presided over it, that all the young
Gir s OF the village should 20 thither
every evening after sunset, remove the
stone, aud taEe from the mar0lc basin
Us much water rs would nc sufficient
Tor the use OF each family during the
cu>u NJ day; above ;di, ii was unuer-
stood 10 be the falry's strict Injunction
tat each Iuang maiden, whcu She had
iiiicd her pitcher, should carefully re-
place the stone; ii at any time this was
To b. neglected, the carcles, maiden
woud uilng ruin on herself. and all
tue inhabitants OF The valley, for if the
morning suh ever shone on the water.
inevitable destruction would follow.
o ten did Moran trip lightly TO the
wei vita her pitcher in her hand, sing
ing The wild ncIud.cs OF her country,
with her bcal,ti.u, hair decorated with
the bright rtu Drrtivs of tie mountain
ASH, vr tho ripe nut OF the arDutus
tree, and !canin- over the bubbling
spring, I'LL her ptcncr, carefully re-
place inc stone, aud return TO her
parents without one sad thought to
drive away sleep from her pillow.
This could not last forever Moran
was formed to he beloved, and soon a
stranger youth came 10 the valley--a
soldier-onc who had seen the world.
He was clad III armor, and he talked
of brighter sccncs-ahi could there be
n brighter scene than that lone vallcys
won her heart; and when she went at
sunset to fetch water from the fairy
wei, Coolin was always at hcr side.
Her old parents C )u.d not approve of
such an attachment. Tnc young SOL
dier's stories Of camps and courts pos
scssed no charms for them, and
when they saw that Noral loved to
listen to him, they reprOy'd their child
for the first time in their lives, and for
tade her in the future to meet the
stranger. She wept, but promised to
obey them, and, that She might avoid
meeting with her lover she went that
evening to the we'll by different path
to that which she had been accustom-
cd TO take.
She removed the stone, and having
filled the pitcher, she sat down by the
side OF the well aud wept bitterly. She
needed not the boar; twilight was fast
fading in the darkness OF tho night,
and the bright stars which studded the
heavcus directly over her head were
ref ctcd IN the crystal fountain ut her
feel.
Her lover stood before her.
"OJl come not here" she cried.
''COmc not ere. have promised not
To meet YOU; had i returned home
when my Task was douc, we never
should have met! have been disobe-
dicut;' oil! why did ever see YOU? you
have taught me how To weep
Say not SO, dearest Npgth, replied
the young soldier; 'coine with me- !"
Mover! nevvr!' snc emphatically
exclaimed. as she hastily arose and adj
v,uc ri from the well.
Il, who never broke my word, have
brOkcn It tonight! | said | would not
meet you. and We have nett Sac ut.
tered this in an agony oi Tears, walk
ing wildly forward, wall GOBLIN. with
her hand ciaspod in Ooth OF his, walk
al by her side endeav oring TO pacify
her.
Your fault. if it be one" said ht
kindly. "waS involuntary; your pa
yoHlS will forg We You when they know
how tundcr,y love YOU, they will M
longer reject me rs their son. Yot
say YOU can not leave them. Yer,
well. perhaps may stay here, MAY
WORK for them and tor you, What il
there | would not resign for my Norahi
You are near your home; give me on,
smile, and, now, dearest, goodnight.
NOrah did smile on him, and softll
opening the wicket. she stole 10 lie
own chamber. and soon ic.l asleep
full OF thoughts of the possibility of he
parents sanction OF her lovers suit.
She slept Soundly for several hours
At last, awakening with a vii,
scream, She started from her bed
'The we'll the wcll'' she cried. a.
neglected to replace the stoned l
cannot yet be morning. No-no-no
the grey dawn is Just appearing.
will run, shall be in timrn
As she flew along the wcli-knowr
path, the tops of the eastern hills wer,
red with the near approach OF sunrise
Is that the first sunbeam that Gid
wonder mountain? Mol it can not b.
she will yet be in time.
Norah had now reached spot from
whence, looking downward. she cOul,
see the well, ut the distance of a few
hundred yards. She stood like 4 statue
her eyes were fixed; one hand graspe,
her forehead, with the other she point
ed forward. So suddenly had amaze
ment arrested her flight. that her atti
tude retained the appearance of mo
ton; she might have passed for tn
statue of a girl running. but she wa
motiorless. The unclouded mornin,
sun was shining brightly on the spot
the spring, once so gentle. was nov
sending forth foaming torrent, whicl
was rapidly inundating the valley
A u IL. n