Connecticut western news., 1894-12-27
THE WITCH OF YELL.

The witch sat placidly sewing in her doorway when I saw her first, looking like nothing in the world but soncie Zetlander of some 40 odd years, with fresh color and a thick coil of raven black hair half hidden by her headgear, a bright blue handkerchief spotted with white. I gave her good morning and asked her if she would give me glass of water and bannock of oatoake, as I had been walking for some hours and was both hungry and thirsty.
 ''And welcome" she said, with the pretty Shetland courtesy, Eff you be from Ireland, mistress. "
 1T am Irish,' said, "but wouldn't you give an oatcake to an English wom- an, my friend? No?" as she shook her head resolutely. And how is that?''
 "No food of my baking will pass Scots or Southron lips, she said harsh ly. "Sit ye down. pointing to her own stool. ''Ye're fair tired out, mistress.
 I laughed faintly as accepted the seat. "I have been trying to walk away from myself, said, land though I've tramped through whole forenoon I haven't done it yet.
 ''Ahr' she said, smiling little-only with her lips, for her eyes kept their steady sadness. "It's far way you have to go, mistress, and you must walk by night stead O day. You're mar ried," glancing down at my ungloved hands. "Have ye ever borne child?" I looked down at my black dress and nodded silently. The woman drew in her breath sharply as if she were hurt at heart. Aye" she said, ESQ have I, and lost it too. Poor lass" And to my intense astonishment she stopped and kissed me once and again. How old was her" she went on gravely, taking no heed at the wonder in my face ''Mine was a man grown, but yours must ha' been but bairn. Ye have the look of a bairn yourself. !"
 "Have I?' I said, with a dreary laugh. "An old bairn, I'm afraid. My boy was years old. "
 Aye, and your mans alive? Do 1 know your man, and what for does he let you come here to dree your weird alone?''
 My man knows it's the kindest thing he could do,' said. "And think per haps you know him." added, a little proudly. Nearly every one in the is- lands knows Hector MacKenneth.
 "Ayado they. He's man." the witch said emphatioally, as she came out of the cottage with a plate of bannocks and big cup of milk. 'And there's never soul in the islands but he has done a kind turn or spoken kind word to-even to me. :"
 "Why even to you?'" asked. My husband has great respect for you. He told me you were the wisest woman in the islands. Lief. "
 "Did he, now? And his brothers wifeW the witch said musingly. I started. "Whose wife? Not Ronald MacKenneth' 's-Ronald that died in England?'
 ''That same Ronald" she said quiet ly. He died in the south, know, and some Southron brought the news to MacKenneth himself. But he lies buried away in the south, heard say. Do ye know where, Mistress MacKenneth?' ''No; I wish I could tell you, poor soul, I said pitifully. 1T wish could help you.
 My bonny Ronald," she said, look ing out to the blue, tumbling waves of | the sound, her eyes grave and sad and | her voice very low. "It's little ye thought of me, but on the day we were manifested and the day ye lay a-dy- | ing" Then she bent down little and looked sharply into my face. 'Did ever any one in the islands say to ye that we two were not man and wife? Did ever MacKenneth himself?" 'sNever MaoKenneth, !" said honest | ly.
 "Others have, though" She looked sharply at me again, then caught my hand in hers and dragged me up from my seat. Come wi me, you wife of the MacKenneth, and I'll show you what handfasting means to a woman :"
 I drew my cloak round me with my free hand, and we went slowly together over the scattered rocks and sand and down little grassy slope, till we stood in front of an upright stone with a round hole in its center.
 There" said the witch, still hold ing my hand fast in hers, "there' s where we were married-my man and l. See ye here, Eleanor MacKenneth, do you love your man, or liked ye your first lad best?"
 I cried in my heart to the dead and gone Oscar to forgive me, and then ] looked the woman fairly in the eyes and answered her, 1T love MacKenneth best. ''
 | Where were ye married? In kirk, oi course?''
 'In kirk, yes We were married in 6 London church," said; "the Church of St. Stephen"
 'tKirk Stephen, aye? We'll, this is Kirk Odin, where thousands have been made man and wife in their day. Gc you nearer to the stone, wife of Mac Kenneth, and you shall be married there too, if you re no afraid"
 Do I look afraid?" I said, with : smile, and she smiled back at me.
 "Put your hand-closed so-througt the hole in the stone" obeyed witt some difficulty, for the hole was un evenly cut, and it's edges were jagged "Now," said the witch, 'open youl the major, bobbing his watch up and l down six inches from the baby's face. ' "Talk to him; talk to him. Don't you know some baby talk? Here, Joey. here, here" And the major stopped his roar ing and whistled, snapping his fingers.
 His efforts were futile. Joey cried tht louder, and the men left him in the middle of the floor and sat down to { solemn consultation.
 We've got to stop that crying first, ,
 said Simpson. "Now, I remember picked up woman's paper once in , | rc tcA u 1arox, no1,. =, ,,