The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-11-18
MAD MOLLY.

Her cabin is close 10y lonely lane
that all its length OF miles has not
half a dozen human habitations upon
il; for good Irish mile each side
there is nothing but the loneliness OF
winter fields. Just opposite the
broken gate leading To her door bit
OF road goes between enormously high
hedges TO the high road-a high road
very innocent OF traflic, be IL said
though occasionally snorting steam
tram puffs along il. Presently the
road winds from its placid level
sweep at the foot OF the mountains
and climbs steep shelf OF the hill
into a valley, and disappears through
a gorge into the next county That
bye-lane is the eeriest place | know.
by Mad Molly's cabin stands tall
stone pine, that in the cleaning
10 rs like mill chimney Where
the lane and the road meet there is a
three-cornered bit OF grass, and stand
ing out OF it a tall telegraph pole,
with an irresistible suggestion OF a
gibbet The place is marshy and
looking down at IL OF an evening
from the higher ground stranger
will not be persuaded that the solid
door Of mist below is not stretch of
water The marsh vapors make the
strangest effects. / have walked
there OF an autumn evening with my
hea In my mouth and needing all
my will not TO keep looking appre.
henslvely over my shoulder. have
always companionship; sometimes
human and canine; more often canine
only. But one could des re no whole
somer company than fox tcrTier
| irrevcrently free from morbidness
and st. Bernard, very scrupulous
as to his duties OF guardianship by
myself. nothing would induce me TO
walk that way-not though II were
the goldenest evening summer ever
! saw-not even in the unwinking
moonlight
The first evening | knew Mad Moll
had taken possession OF her own cabin
my experience was ecrie enough, or
rather IL Was vicarlous experience
/ had "A friend with me- girl
Tamped by the life OF cities and ever
eager TO stretch her limbs or widen
her country sensations The sun had
gone down scarlet in an orange sky
AS we walked along the white smoke
OF the mist Logan TO eXhale from the
fields, yellow with old stubblc. On
one side OF the way the fields were
clear. On the other side, the mists
presently covered them impcnctrably
1t was as II the fairies were hiding
their mysteries from mortal eyes. A
wisp Of the mist noated across our
path; breaths Of IL came tangling
about our feet as we walked The
telegraph pole was full OF the voices
OF the wind; for minute we did not
detect where was the mysterious
singing. BY the roadside the marshy
land emptied its waters into ditch
so deep and wide that il was mini
ature pond; under its bushes some
disturbance had set up ghOstly sue
! tion, "A sound OF cbb and flow.
/ shivered a little as the cabin
way. 1t looked what they called il,
haunted. 1t stands on Il little hill
a fairy rath, that no wise human be-
ing would desecratc by his or her in
trusion. The good people did not
manifest themselves there prettily
and pleasantly in the only case / know
where they made their presence felt
II was not an occasion, indeed, for
fairy cavalcaies or dances 1t proved,
tCo, that though they have no souls.
poor little folk, they arc yet friends
OF God. II was In bYgone June.
/ The fields wcrc lush with ovcrrich
grasses; and, like the field Of the
cloth Of gold. with buttercups and
cowslips Every hcdgerow was milky
way OF hawthorn. The cows had lust
come out OF the city and were brows-
ing in exquisite contentment amid
the silver dews and the delicious
drift OF grass They were in charge
OF half a dozen fellows as reckless
and daring as 50 many Texan cow
boys 1t was their first night 20
sleep in the haunted house on the
fairy rath. They were playing cards,
though. IL tbeY bad been out OF doors.
under the large golden moon, they
might have heard the silver flutes "
the fairies There was one old rep
rebate uf their number who boasted
that he feared not God or tho devil.
He was ia bad luck at the cards
and his profanity grew Till 1t dis
pleased even his wild comrades. They
were all clustered. with their heated
faces. about the table with its one
tallow candle. Some who were not
playinC said aftcrward that there
was an OuInous wind about the
house. full OF m aning and wailing,
and that shadows fitted by the small
window. shadows which had no cor.
regroniiuv gutstancp Then tho