Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-01-27
LOST AT The MILL.


n the beautiful district Of Ysans..
gwilly-the Lake OF Shsdows--iIvod two
poor families. celebrated far and wide a.
the best neighbours over known or
heard Of.
II Nartin wanted hand with his
harvest Donnelly wes ready to sivo IL
aad ask no wages. and tho kindness was
returned when tho potato digging came
on. Their wives also lived In the great.
. eat harmony, sad they wsre such close
neigheora that they mot continually. for
naroof covorod tho two houses.
This long cabin. or rather range OF
cabins. stood on tho banks OF Mulroy,
an inlst Of the Atlantic, 80 landlockod a.
TO look like lake. Behind lowered gi-
gantie heather-crowhed mountains; In
front lay tho high road lood!ng from the
eoa 60 Milford, the nearest market
town, winding road. hard and whlto
from limestone. now dipping down Into
valley. now mounting up sharp hill,
and always keeping close TO the bius
waters Of Mulroy. divided from It by q
blno.
MuIroy was studded With mnny islands
islands sacred 10 the ..woo folks:'
islsnds In possession OF tho sen birds
islAnds whore sleepy broad.browed souls
basked on warm evenings.
Beyond Mulroy rose moro mountains,
tho nearer hills cultivated to their sum
mlts. the moro distant 40 pnls and In.
distinct that they were like smoke.
colored phantome against the sky.
ErriSal. cono-shapod mountain, tho
last point OF Irish earth seen by tho
cmigrnnts as they sailed TO America,
and Muckish. the pigs back. wore most
prominent In tho rnngo.
Tho Martins and Donnollys did not
know that they wore looking at ono OF
tho loyoliost landscapes In tho world.
They thought Mulroy wild. desolato
place.
Sometimes tho doep silonco OF the
place was broken by tho koenIpg OF
mournurs or the chant OF priests and
thon the children In tho cabins would
run out 10 tho road. and look up and
down.
long procession wound from tho
scaconst. and on Its way to yondor burial
ground bencnth tho chapel at tho edgo
OF tho lnko--a holy spot, marked by a
forest OF black wooden crosses. Tho
priest walked lrst then camo tho coffin,
followed by n motley compnny-mon In
long gray stooklngs. knse breaches and
broguos. mounted on shaggy ponies,
and women seated behind thom dressed
In homcspun and scarlet headgear.
The koening woke tho mountain
echoes. tho fairy glen throwing back tho
sound TO tho 1aK mill that stood, gaunt
and grim, by the roadside; thon tho
crying and chanting died nwny and
hooks OF curlow and plover cIrollng ovor-
head Gang shrill rcqulom.
Two of tho children-wore wont to fol-
low the rocession--Tcaguo Martin and
Hary Donnolly. They worn inse,,arablc,
toddllng hand In hand to school, hand In
hand 10 chapel. playing together, horsilnH
tho cows together on tho knowes They
would follow the procession together ma
fer a. the fax mill. milo from their
own doora. and would stay thore TO play.
The goaalps Of tho country remark od
the tender friendship OF tho children,
end forotoid TINT II would end In mat
trlmony.
The arst separation OF thoao iittlo
freado took place when thoy wero
thfEteen years old. and Teaguo was hired
BY farmer. Mary mopsd and frettsd
vhae no Was COMO. wandering sadly 10
the Hsx miii. thcir old play place. and
hoagias down. But sho found nome con.
soistles In knitting his socks. washing
his clothes. and carrying tho ilttlc bundle
70 hin on Saturday At tho faim-
house.
Thipgs did not turn out as the noiqh-
bors eapected. Tho friends did not be.
come lovers: thoy remained devoted
fn@ds. but thoy married strangers.
Years won't by. Tho old Martins and
Donnellys were "gathoro,l 10 thcIr
fathera.r and Mary and her husband.
and league and hts wlfo, lived on In tho
old cabin. "undor tho roof vi other"
and She good nelghborhood Was the
eeme az ever. Tlmo passed; thcy grow
middle aged. thon old tho days whom
they had played ut the flaI MILL wers
very far away.
Ono day Mary was takon very iil.-so
III that the priest was sont for, Che
Iscotved tho last rites Of the church
cad then sho asked for league. lie
vas at distance-gone to Milford with
eattlo 60 sell-would not return homo
tli lsto. Mary watched she door az long
a her sight lasted.
constant question. His nsmo wss tho
lest upon hcr lips.
A voefuI man was league when he
found his old friond gone. He walked
beside her husband after the comm. and
sev her laid low In the churchyard mould,
and then ho came back 10 the cabins, tho
truest mourncr she had. But work had
70 be done, though hlsrhcart WAS heavy.
and tho next morplng ho took hls lsx 10
the mill.
As ho logged along tho limestone road
In ME cart no was suddenly awnro OF n
figure seated behind him on the bundles
ot flax. How had shee got thore? He
thrilled with terror. and II was ail hs
could do to look round and $50 who wns
his companion. An old. woman? Yea (;
and her rod shawl, the gray hair. the
festurea. the blue eyes which had noreY
lost theis brightness. all reminded hin,
OF Mary. He looked oloser..
II was Mary certainly. and hs must
conquer his fear and bpcak TO her for
tho sake Of thcir lifelong friendship.
Must Mary be q restless wandorer bs,.
CAUSE her old comrade failed herr No
"A thousand times no! SO, with o
tremendous effort. he conquered his
dread
Mary, dariin'. Is II youl" ne ialtored.
"It is. Tongue, dear; II is."
"An' what is II. Mary. that's koepin'
you frne your rest? Sure you had the
priest. an he gave you the yiaticum.'
Tho voice no knaw 40 woiI nnawnrnd