Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-19

the big room: Il was cosy and one side
was fashionably covered with unfashiOn-
able crOckery. and the others were made
beautiful by life-lkc portraits Of leading
politicians. In one corner hen was
cluckliug EystericUlly aud near her a
pg-stretched at full length-blinked at
her with gloomy eyes, us IL he suspected
that IL was at hun She was laughing.
Though there was n pig-stye and n fowl
house in Tie yard they preferred human
society, Bridget was broad and deter.
mined; she seemed to treat Andy with n
stern kindness, but that was one Of his
black days and IL was hard TO got a
word out OF him.
| remember thinking that Ike the fai-
ries, he could only be happy when he was
alone OF with those who were fond Of
him. that he would gladly have given the
comfort Of the farm for the bare walls
and the scauty ana crazy furniture of
his cabin ana that he could not look
back without repinng ON the time when
he was penniless aud had friends
Now he stunned the village, for If he
passed through il the chattering groups,
and the gossips shouting conversations
across the street from their doorways,
grew suddenly silept and the children ran
frightened into their homes. lie had
no friend left but Larry Rohan, who l.
u man Of so big and warm heart that
he loycs everybody except his own wife
But Larry is fond OF so many that no
one values his affection.
Sometimes found Larry sitting with
Andy under the trees. Tie grave courtesy
Of the people was wonderful; IL was
Mister Louerggn, SIR and Mister lto-
nan between them. For that matter
one often sees fine courtesy among
the older peasants In Ireland. Last sum
meg as | was driving along the LisdoOn-
yana road, scnrecrpw of an old wo-
man, sqattiug on q heap Of stones by
the roadside, hailed my ragged driver
r'AsHn' your pardon, sir fshe said,
but did sc happen to meet loaf on
the roadI I'm thinkin' l dropped one as
/ was comm
"A loaf, is IT,. ma'amY he answered,
most respectfully, taking of his hat with
flourish; "a loaf, is it, ma'amY I'm
sorry ! did not them
WHO was She | asked him.
Sure, an | don't known then" he
said. '''lis some poor ould body that's
lost her loaf and will be- gOin' TO bed
hungry tonight"
As Audy grow older he talked more of
the fairies and sometimes with child
ishuess that had Lcen missing from his
desolate childhood; grew more moody and
restless, could not sit still while the wind
was up, aud spent night after night out
or doors. Ny friend, Father Peter Elan
merry, who, next to Larry Roman. Is my
chief authority for this history, told me
that Often riding on his sick calls by
night IN stormy weather. lie met Andy
staggering along the rough roads.
At last one November eve--the night
| when the fairies have power. and the
I dead wake and dance reels with them
the blind beggArmau started ont from
the farm An Atlantic gale was shatter-
ing seas against the cliffs, the air was
salt with foam, and thrObbed with the
pulse of the breakers. Bridget tried In
VAIN 10 stop him; he said the Little
Good People" were calling him. She
watched him disappear into the dark
ness, the whmperng OF his fiddle died
into the shlieks of the wind IT'S "A
gnarse devil, he IS she said; God help
Once in the night she thought she
heard snatch of the Fairies Reel;'
/ but Andy never came back Next morn
ing they found Bonaparte whining on
the edge of the cliffs; there was no sign
Of ms master. lie must have gone over
the cliffs IN the darkness, but the waves
| gave no token
Some folk in Moher believe that the
/ fairies took him back their child, and
that the blind fiddler lives now in the.
/ Kingdom Of TyrnaL oge. aud makes music
for their dances in that enchanted coun-
| try' where the old grow young and the
bind see. some say that he still haunts
/ the crossroads, and Larry Roman, com
ing back late from the Ennistimon fair,
saw blnck, shadowy figure under the
trees aud heard broken-hearted voice
cry, Remember the Dark Manw Lar
I ~ 3 surprise accounted for his being
| found the next morning asleep IN the
! ultch. BUT Il is agreed In Aioher that
! Ahuy leit life on November eve, whether
he became the playfcllow OF the fairies
OF the play thing of the waves,