The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-11-12
A WITCH BEWITCHED.

A water lily fell at Mona's bare feet.
She knew quite we'll what it meant. She
knew whose boat was coming around
the bend in the river, but she did not
stir nor look up. She was leaning against
the old oak tree at the waters edge, and
idly picking to pieces a spray of golden
rod The sunbeams sifted through the
tree and flickered over the dusky head,
slipped down past the lowered lashes,
kissed the dimples on the bare elbows.
The oars in the water ceased their regu-
lar plash and the boat glided up to where
she stood
The bits of goldenrod floated by on
each side
can, Mona, did we have no greetin
for mep Why did We comet"
Mona drops the last scrap of flowers
and looks at him.
els it that You think have come here
to your she laughs Gerald, sure ye
don't think that2"
"And why notF' he says, in an injured
way. 81 told we Sunday was goin' to
the Shadows; didn't l ask ye thin to
come DOWN."
perhaps" she says. 81 have forgot.
l came down to pick the cress; It's busy
am"
So she flashes one glance at him and
picks up her basket, as yet empty.
"Cress Why, Mona" he says, "come,
get We into the boat. This cress is not
half so lush as some bit further. Come
on" he urges.
Mona hesitates, and swings the basket
up and down. Back across the green
slope of land she looks, across the stile
and just beyond the hill, where faint
film of smoke creeps up curling from the
little chimney barely visible.
Gerald follows her gaze. "Come,
Mona," he says "They won't miss ye."
"Well," she says slowly, "well." In
reality she is longing to go, but of course
it would not do to let him see it, Eye
needn't help me. can get ill.,"
Lightly he dips his oars, and they
glide down the river Mona laughs.
"They will be after me soon," she
says "Aunt Mollie will be a-callin'
me, but she won't know; will she, Ger
aldY'
mo, Colleen" answers Gerald in de-
light at the smiling face she turns to
him. He rests his oars in the oarlocks
and lets the boat drift.
Mona" he says, bending toward her.
"Mona, listen"-
"An' won't / catch it, toor' she says
with peal of laughter, as though catch
ing 1t would be a festive occasion.
"Here's the place; yes, GeraldT'
eyes," he answers moodily. "Wait,
I'll get the stuff; ye needn't move" f.
She catches hold of the bending branch
of willow and draws the boat close in
shore. One small bare foot swings back
and forth in the water as she balances
herself on the PROV and huns softly to
herself She knows he is angry; she
guesses what he had started to say to
her moment ago, but what does she
care for that? The lips are demure and
serious as she thanks him, but the violet
eyes are laughing.
"Gerald," she says, when the oars COM
menced to move, "Aileen's here"
"Aileenr
Eyes. She has the chance to see us
now while Lady Lindores is at home
She is still my lady's maid, We know.
Aileen Is, and it's myself would like to
be in her place"
"Monal Ye would like to go away
from-from KilgarnockP"
eyes," she cries, surely"
The boats keel ran up to the landing
place. She jumped out and then turned
away with the basket in her hand. One
glance she gave him over her shoulder
"Ap' would ye care, GeraldP'
"Faith, tits not the likes of me she
would be afther plasin'," he said to him
self as he watched the little figure trip
up the green sward and over the stile.
He forgot about the fishing expedition
he had planned. He leaned back in the
boat and fell to thinking. All the
witches in the world are not yet sup
pressed; there are still some few left to
tangle up the senses Of man and leave
him in bewilderment. The witch in
Kilgarnock must have taken up her
abode in Mona Carey's small head. To
torment the lads of the village, to be-
guile and capture each unsuspecting
heart, were accomplishments in which
long practice had made her perfect.
There seemed such sunshiny atmos-
phere always around her that 1t made
her as dangerous as she was lovable and
winning.
Unlucky Gerald All her life he had
known her, even back to the time when
she had begun to talk in broken baby
phrases.
Although he was years older than she
Mona treated him in the same careless,
laughing way in which she did all the
other suitors. And though not one of
them could boast of any especial mark
Of favor, yet each one believed himself
to be ahead in the race-each one except
Gerald Shearn. Daily he questioned
himself, tried to understand her; "but
no." he thought bitterly, ''it's an omad-
haun am; she laughs at me-"
With all the love Of his passionate,
Irish nature he loved the maid, wor-
shipped pretty Mona, who would look at
him 30 roguishly from under long lashes
and would not listen. And now he
heard her voice calling:
LlgntIOot, LlgntIooU, collie up, cone
up; come to me, accushlal'' and the tinkle
of the cowbell echoed back again. He
pictured her sitting on the little stool
and milking the COW; he knew how she
would look-he had often watched her.
The sleeves of her frock would be pushed
up over her round arm; the dark rings
Of her hair would lie loosely over her
head and float against the dull dun of
the cows side. He imagined he could