Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-10-13
THE WITCH OF YELL.

vi NE SiiCultt smut. ana thou return no morel
-Caryi Battersby in Good Words
THE WITCH OF YELL.
The witch sat plaoidly sewing in her
doorway when saw her first, looking
like nothing in the world but soncie
Zetlander of some 40 odd years, with
fresh color and thick coil of raven
black hair half hidden by her headgear,
a bright blue handkerchief spotted with
white. l gave her good morning and
asked her if she would give me glass
of water and hammock of oatcake, as l
had been walking for some hours and
was both hungry and thirsty.
And welcome" she said, with the
pretty Shetland courtesy, "if you be
from ireland. mistress
81 am Irish, said, '.but wouldn't
you give an oatcake to an English wom-
an, my friend? MOI" as she shook her
head rcsoluteiy .And how is that"
mo food of my baking will pass
Scots CT Sonthron lips, she said harsh
". Sit We down. I" pointing to her own
stool. "Ye're fair tired out, mistress. "
! laughed family as accepted the
seat ~ have been trying towalk away
from myself, / said, "and though I've
tramped through whole forenoon 1
haven't done it yet"
'.Ahl" she said, smiling little-only
with her lips, for her eyes kept their
steady sadness .'It's far way you
have to so, mistress, and you must walk
by night stead O. day. You're mar
ried,'' CHANGING down at my ungloyed
hands. ''Have yo ever borne child?"
| 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, $50 have /,
and lost it too. Poor lassp' And to my
intense astonishment she stopped and
kissed me once and again. How old
was he?' she went on gravely, taking
no heed at the wonder in my face.
"Mino was q man grown, but yours
must ha' been but BARN. Ye have the
look Of BARN yourself +"
Have T." I said, with dreary
laugh. can cid BARN, I'm afraid. My
boy was years old. /"
faye, and your mans alive? Do /
know your man, and what for does he
let you come here to dree your weird
alone?'
'My man knows.t's the kindest thing
he eoald do, Isaid "And l think per-
haps you know him." I added, little
proudly. Nearly every one in the is
lands knows Hector MacKenneth. "
Gay, do they. He's a man" the witch
said onphatically, as she came out of
the cottage with plate of bannocks
and big cup Of milk ''And there's
never soul in the islands but he has
done kind turn or spoken kind word
to--oyen to me. "
"Why even to you?' asked "My
husband has great respect for you. He
told mo yen were the wisest woman in
the islands. Lief. y
'Did he, now? And I his brother s
wife, tho witch said musingly.
started. Whose wife? Not Ronald
MacKenneth' s-Ronald that died in
England?"
''That same Ronald" she said quiet
II. He. died in the south, 1 know, and
some Southron brought the news to
MacKenneth himself But he lies buried
away in the south, heard say. Do ye
know whore, Mistress MacKenneth?"
mo; wish l could tell you, poor
soul," said pitifully. 81 wish could
help you. .
my bonny Ronald" she said, look
ing out to the blue, tumbling waves Of
tho sound, her eyes grave and sad and
her voice very low. ''It's little We
thought of me, but ON the day we were
Manifested ard the day We lay a-dy-
ing" Then she bent down little and
locked sharply into my face.
''Did ever any one i'll the islands say
to We that we two were not man and
wife? Did ever MacKenneth himself?'
Never MaoKenneth, said honest
ly.
''Others have, though. She looked
sharply at mo 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 woman. y
drew my cloak round me with my
4 free hand, and we went slowly together
over the scattered rocks and sand anc
down little grassy slope, till we stood
IN front Of an upright stone with &
round hole in its center.
"There," said the witch, still hold
ing my hand fast in ,hers, there.
I where we were married--my man and L
See We here, Eleanor MacKenneth, d.
/ you love your man, or liked ye you
first lad best?"
cried in my heart to the dead ant
gone Oscar to forgive me, and then
looked the woman fairly in the eyes ant
answered her, 81 love MacKennetl
i best. "
Where were ye married? In kirk. 0
course?''
I'm kirk. yes. We were married in
London church, y said; "the Churcl
I of St. Stephen. /"
Kirk Stephen, aye? Well, this i
Kirk Odin, where thousands have beel
made man and wife in their day. G.
you nearer TO the stone, wife of Mac
Kenneth, and you shall be marrie
there too, if you're no afraid. /"
| '.Do l look afraid:'' said, with
smile, and she smiled back at me.
! Put yoar iiand-closed so-througl