The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-05-14
AFTER THE SMUGGLERS.
Facts Showing That Mickey Me-
hafTey Wasn't Quite Simple.

On n wild, stormy evening, some
years ago, the writer was returning to
Ballyroughan, miserable little town
on the bleak coast Of Donegal. 1t had
rained heavily Jan day, but having
cleared up "a little, / drew rein as r
approached the town. On such an
evening the town was far from inspir-
ing. The road followed the windings
of the scashore, here bounded by huge
rocks, oyer which the waves were
dashing furiously, like demons storm
ing fort. About FIVE miles from the
mainland lay the little island of Innis-
murry, almost shrouded in mist, and
only discernible by the ring of white
foam which marked its coast. Beyond
stretched the Atlantic, raging with all
the force and passion of a November
storm. l had barely time to take in
this scene, when l was accOsted by a
man, who seemed to rise out Of the
road at my side.
otis a sevare day, yer HONOR said
he, politely touching his hat. "God
be good tO them that's at sea on an
evening like that t-s~
ut is very stormy, indeed; but /
think the worst of it is now over"
+ "GOd sind it, thin, for it. 5 hard times
for the fishermen; though it's mighty
good for the stillin'."
Good for the stillingr' I said.
"What do you meanPn
ssWhy, / name there's little fear of
the boys being interrupted in weather
like that
Ia ov.rf,r,foH of rrrhoFpf1
''Why, at the stillin', av coorse; and
by the same token, yonder they're at
it, and he pointed to the little island
already referred to, now partly dis
robed of It's mist.
do YOU mean to say that there is
Illicit distillation now going on at that
islandaN
''Faix and you've just guessed it;
and sure IL comes mighty handy, by
rayson that the fair is on Monday"
need not weary the reader
with all that passed between
me and my chance companion,
whom 1 recognized as Mickey Mehaf-
few a hanger-on about one Of the ho-
tells i'm the town. From Mickey 1
learned that the inhabitants of Innis-
murry consisted of about a score of
families who obtained living by fish
ing and illicit distillation, and 1 grieve
to say, chiefly by the latter. There
were no police on the island, and as in
stormy weather it was wholly unap-
proachable from the mainland, they
could carry on their nefarious business
without fear of disturbance. AT
other times their scouts could give at
least half-an-hour's warning of APP
preaching danger, and this was sufii-
cient to enable them to secrete their
contraband goods before the 'Inimy'
arrived. And when hard pressed, the
Atlantic always formed a safe and ca
pacious stOrehouse. They bad also
their agents and confederates on the
mainland, who assisted them to land
and dispose of the pOteen prior 20
fairs, wakes and marriages, these be-
ing the favorite channels of ''home con-
sumption"
But TO return to Mickey. He still
kept a wistful eve on the island, partic-
ularly on one little curl of blue smoke
that he assured me arose from the
identical cabin where the stills were al
that moment being fired"
They'll be sure to land il on sun
day night" said he, ''as Monday is the
fair. The new gauger is very severe,
I'm tOwld, and means TO make a raid
on them"
''Who told you thatPn I asked.
''Oh. the divil a one; sure, I've been
draining it, or something
"Wel, Micky," said Il ''since YOU w
been so very free with your informs
ton. don't mind telling you that
am the new gauger' myself, and GER
tainly mean - put q stop TO thil
smuggling, if pOssibleV
"Oh, the saints protect usp' piously
calculated Mickey. bad luok TO thu
tongue Of me- I've been an informel
al unknownst TO meself, but YOU
Honor won't betray meP''