Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-29
CHAPTER II.
MICKEY AND THE WITCH.

the pig before him. He felt full of Iris
patriotism, for was he not almost taking
pig to the fair? And wasn't the proceed
to go to pay the ground rent of his doome
cabin, before the eviction of his family, an
the demolition of the structure? Mick
lighted his pipe, and as he trudged alon
the road would whistle a bar or two of som
reel or jig between the whiffs of his ''dr
dheen," while his mind was filed wit
Lady Maud's request TO bring up Nora a
her own. "Why rot?" thought Mick1
"Heaven knows we have as much as W
can do to bring up the little vans, and
one was gone there'd be more for the rest;
and then, as if ashamed of this selfish vie,
of the matter, he muttered: "No! give ava
me own flesh and blood? No; better starv
foorst." And then the idea of Nora be
coming fine lady and riding in her car
riage, while people would take off thei
hats to her, took possession of Micky'
brain. "Why not,- indeed? Sure, she's a
pretty as Lord Lorton's daughter, ant
maybe I'd get a chance to be gatekeepe
or roadmaster on the estate. Begorra
Nora can gol Well all be rich wan o
these DAYS"
"G'long there, We divil," said Micky, al
the pig tugged at the rope around his neck
and with the natural disposition inherent il
pigs to 90 the wrong way, he darted be-
tween Micky's legs, upsetting him. The
rope slipping from his neck, the pig started
back the road he had come. Micky picked
himself up and ran in pursuit with many q
wild and wicked oath. ''Bad luck to We fol
q racer; but I'll pay We of for this when
catch ye," said Micky, as he ran for dear
life after heporker. When he captured
the pig, which he did after long chase, he
struck upon a new idea. 'I'lI put the rope
around his waist" said he, land then, be-
gorra, can drive him either way"
The stockyard was reached in an hour,
and Micky sought a purchaser, but no one
seemed inclined to buy a single pig. He
saw them in the pens BY the thousand, but
they had come by carloads from the West,
and there was nobody to buy one lone pig.
Noon passed without giving poor Micky an
opportunity to dispose of his charge.
''Come here, quick, said he, addressing
little ragged boy. ''HouId this darlin'
while 60 TO take bite. I'm hungry, and
must eat or I'll drop with the waitin'. 4"
And giving the pig in charge OF the boy,
Micky skipped off to a shebeen, where he
disposed of two great pieces of bread and
took three noggins of whisky in the space of
half an hour.
Just then an old friend of his, one Tommy
Kane. came in.
"Ah, ha, Tommy! how are We, me bould
bucke? Come have noggin wild me, said
Mlcky. And another drink was the result.
Now Tommy took a turn at treating, and
down went two more glasses. By this time
Mieky was half drunk, and the thought of
the mig took possession of him.
hard Tornu1u % id 10 n
another glass; ''I'll drink no more till sell
the pig" And he zig-zagged back to the
yard.
'fHere is tbs owner" said the boy, who
by this time had got tired OF his charge, and
was talking to a well-to-do looking man;
'9ere's the man that owns the pig"
"Do you want to buy him?" asked
Micky. addressing the man, who was an
oyerseer.
He laughed at the proposal first, but see
ing that Aiicky was in earnest, he listened
to it. A bargain was struck and the pig
transferred to the custody of the new pro-
prietJr, while Micky returned to the She
been to spend the ''luck penny with his
old friend Tommy Kane. Drink after drink
was now the order of the Gay, until Micky
had spent dollar of the money he had re-
ceiyed for the pig, and was SO drunk he
could hardly stand. Tommy had dropped
in dark corner of the shebeen and gone
fast asleep.
1t was quite dark when Micky started
homeward, and with much difficulty he
picked his way through the park skirting
the Hudson and toward his cabin, two miles
away. Micky was not so drunk as to forget
the letter from Lady Maud and her desire
to adopt little Nora, and as he staggered
from one side to the other he would hic-
T. nil ho
Teddy, and me, her fayther, will be gentle
min, begorra."
He was now approaching a deep cut at
the foot of One Hundred and Fourth street.
This was place where Elmwood tradition
said was peopled with fairies. But Mickv
was filled with courage, for the whisky had
fired his blood and he did not care a straw
Tor man or devil. So, with an effort to
steady his pace, and wrapping his long coat
around his legs, he boldly plodded on. He
had not proceeded more than quarter of
mile before the whisky began to die within
him and he felt impelled to sit down on a
rock by the waYside.
Strange music was heard, as if from afar;
so soft and distant that the taintest sound
came to Mickv's bewildered ears Nearer
and nearer it came; now trife louder, now
dying away in the distance. Suddenly the
grass at Micky's feet became strangely
illuminated with tiny glass lamps, which
hung like lighted dewdrops from each blade
of grass, while hundreds of little figures
little men and women dressed in spangied
green, danced and leaped about. keeping
time to the fairy music. These tiny crea-
tures were not larger than pins, yet were
perfect in form and features. They were
merry set, and clapped their hands with
glee, and they laughed and shouted in the
moonlight. Presently from their midst
came one, queer looking old fellow, with
q large red nose and the most comical of
faces. His little eyes had merry twinkle,
and though he was no bigger than Micky's
little finger, he pushed aside his COM
panions, who seemed to hold him in great
esteem, for they ceased their dancing and
shouting at his approach, and bowed most
respectfully to him as he climbed up
Micky's leg and took a seat on his shoulder.
'Oh, bedad, but this is quare party I've
got into. !" said Micky, as he glanced at the
little old man on his shoulder.
"How are you, me dsrlin'," chartered the
old man while the myriads of tiny creatures
at his feet peeped from their shelter behind
stalks, blades of grass and grains of sand, as
if intent on Micky's reply.
"Would you like drink of whisky, me
darlin'," again queried the Leprachain, for
the old fellow was none other.
ST would, indeed" said Micky. "My
mouth is as dry as limeburner's heel"
'Come along, then," said the old man
Jumping from Mick's shoulder to his knee,
and with another jump to the ground. He
led the bewildered Irishman across the road
to a cabin, well lighted and warm, in
strong contrast to the dark pathway. Thou
sands of little fairies, each with his little
lamp lighted up, were in front of him.
ACROSS the roadl By the powers, I'm