Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-01-14

OF lightning made me fccl uneasy as 10
my prospects Of getting back in time.
The sky soon became totally overcast, and
the waves rose so heavily that made bat
slow progress. Louder came second
peal Of thunder, accompanied by still
more vivid flash, and in less time than it
takes me to tell it, l found myself and
my frail skilf struggling in the grasp of
the storm king. The unequal com
bat did not last long. Quickly
but surely found myself being
driven against tho rocks when
swish. A wave more powerful than
its fellows had struck my boat, cngulfcd
it, and was battling for life in grim
earnest. was good swimmer, but my
efforts now hardly kept me a'Oat. The
tall grim cliffs frownel darkTy before
me, and around me was the raging sea.
Suddenly breaker overwhelmed me. j
fought for breath for moment, then
blank followed until conclusion that
felt certain had dis'Ocatcd my every limb
brought me painfully to the conscio,:s-
ness. that l had been washed upon ro; k
that was projecting from its parent preci
picc. hastily dragged mysylf out of
the sweep of the rcceding wave, and tried
to realize my position. Thee Just abote
me rose mass of smooth cliff to the
height of hundred and fifty feet, and
on my left hand some eighty yards away
was yawning cavern. Its interior, re-
vcaled to me by the lightning's glare,
seemed familiar. Yes, glanced ur, and
there with its empty portals furtively il
Illuminated by the elcctri flash rose the
haunted tower. Again my eyes rested on
thf mouth of the cavern. Was that a
light inside, or was it the re
Election from the lightning
Yes. it unqucstionably was a light
Its steady blaze left no doubt upon my
mind. Tn; waves were beating every
moment with greater fury upon the rock
on which lay, and l easily perceived
that if l remained longer would be
washed away. "A drowning man will
catch at straw. Better to chance COM
ing across ghost than to be sure of be
ing drowncd,' l thought, as l clam
bered over the intervening rocks with
some difficulty, aud arrived at the mouth
of the cave. Yes, there at the end Of the
cavern was fire sure enough, and Ii
dropping figure beside it. The entrance
to the cave was comparatively easy to
one who like myself had continuous
practice at clitf-climbing for some weeks,
and once inside progress was easy, al the
floor though rough, was wide, and free
from tissures, and the distant fire gave a
faint but sufficient light to en- bic me TO
make my way. As l came nearer
perceived that the fire was a large
one composed of huge logs of timter,
which, no doubt, had been driven in
by the sea, and hill of turf and fire
brands. The dropping figure was that
time to time uttc:el plaintivc cy-
clamations, but what she was saying
could not ascertain ut the distance at
which l stood. Nearer crcpt, still
keeping in the shadow OF. the caves walls,
until got behind boulder few feet
from the fire. Then saw the outlines
Of a large still just behind it, by which
that illicit cordial, known TO every tour
ist in Ireland by the name of '','ottccn"
is distilled. Again my attention was
directed to the old Groom, who turning
round revealed to me face beside which
that of any of Macbcth's witches would
BE- lovely and pleasant TO behold. Hold
ing up her shrivelcd arms, she cried in
shrill voice strung to the pitch of
agony:
''Pat Morty! won't ye come homc9 Oh,
won't ye come? Will l nivir say We
ag;n2 Och, but the crule wathcrs have
swalied yc, and yell nivir come back to
yer modcr!"
She ceased for moment with long
drawn moan, then again rose her cry
"Och Pat. Pat Cuddihy! Morty. me
darlin bycs. Shure yer los!h, yer losth
to me-"
Pat Cuddihy! Moriy Cuddihy! l
knew them we'll They had always pro-
fcssed to lie the frmest believers in this
spot being haunted, and had frequently
and solcmnly asserted that not only they,
but their father before them had seen the
blue lights, and heard the shricks when
going out of night with their nets, or
making their way home to their house.
which was situated not far from the
castle. saw it ell now. They had been
turning the. superstition of the innocent
villagers to account in order to keep
them from the knowledge Of what kind
of spirits the cavern really contained.
hesitatcd no longer. Stepping from
behind the boulder, | revealed myself to
the old woman. She uttered cry of
terror, and yelling "A spurit, spurit y
rushed of into the innermost recesses of
the cave.
Suspecting that there must be some
mode Of exit beside that by which l
came. seized q fire. brand from the fire,
and searched round. Yes, there was a
rough ladder resting against the wall,
and, climbing up it, found myself in a
miniature cave, where were strewn some
barrels, jars and empty bottles. Survey
ing this place more closely my eye light
ed on lantern with rush light inside
Igniting it by means of my fire. brand,
which by this time had been almost con-
sumed. l saw a steep and long passage
stretching in front Of me. This l pro
ccedcd to climb, and at length found
myself in the open ar and in the center
of the haunted tower. The storm had
somewhat subs:dc in its fury, and shiv-
ering and weary set out for Dunlccky,
whose distant lights l could see twink
ling through the night. l was received
with the greatest rejoicing. Some fish,
crmcn had seen me departing, and on my
non-return, l was given up for lost. But
when I tod them l had been in the
haunted cavern, they all said the "puir
byc's head is daisy from the wather."
However. got the Coast Guard off
GERS who lived some four miles away to
believe me, and the cave was searche /.
A quantity of ''Pottecn" was discovered,