Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-22
III.



Early in the gray of the evening be-
fore Saint Patrick's Day, two vehicles
might have been seen setting briskly
forth along the coast road to the west
ward from old Galway. One was long
car in which rode three stalwart men,
well clad in coats of frieze and wrapped
in stable-hlankets and rugs. The other
was comfortable, covered wagonette
which might easily have accommodated
six persons. 1t held but one, the silent
driver, and mighty pyramid of straw
and rugs. Peasants along the way,
craning their necks from behind the
coraags, "the ould men of the branches
or wind Tending punches of osiers, be-
fore their cabin doors, shook their heads
and multered mournfully, God help
thin There'll be wan less potheen
sthill in Connamara tn night I" as they
passed at a lively pace.
The long-car kept always q mile or
more in advance of the wagonette; and
this for nearly thirty miles; until the
southern edge Of somber Lake Alligan,
at the precipitous eastern side Of the
Toomboola heights was reached. Here
the long Ger turned to the north along the
narrow eastern shore, and came to u halt
under cover of friendly larch wood
copse. The wagonette and its single &C.
cupant passed on around the southern
shore.edge, and was lost from sight in
the copsewood there, just beyond where
narrow borcen trailed steeply upward
along the rugged face Of an almost per-
pendicular cliff.
Shortly the figures of the three men
from the long car came slowly around
the southern lake edge; CROPPED about
for little until the mountain path was
found; ana then began picking their
way in the hazy moonlight-for fllihy
disc around the moon, boiling the i'm.
memorial drizzle of the morrow, made
their upward progress one of great
caution and some danger-toward the
mountain brow above.
At last tho outlines of stone hut,
perched upon the very cliff edge, could he
dimly discerned. The three now held a
whispered consultation, at the close of
which one of the party, called Larry,
left the other two for reconnoitre, while
his companions crouched down beside
the cliff. In few minutes Larry had
returned.
"We'll have me sundowns in tn wink
o me eye;H he exclaimed gleefully.
They're dead aslape, your-Teddy, l
name. You an Dennis take tn boreen
dure-there's but two-an' I'll guard
the wan furninst the sky. Aisy, now,
an let Dennis give thin TIL word whin
work me whistle !"
They crept to the cabin silently. A
moment of silence followed. Then came
tho oh nc nnn,t.l x.,i, Ala at
night air, and, rs the men stepped
quickly to the separate doors and bore
softly but firmly down upon each latch,
twas answered bya woman's unearthly
screech from within:
"Howly mother but Its tn BAN
shee's cry agin! Childcr, dear Mora ?
-Maureen s-Elic g-AllH
Then there was d loud knock upon
tho boreen-sidc door.
"Its not tn banshee, at all, this night,
Misthress Dreen. Its tn stronger voice
av tn law Misthress Eileen Dreen,
Miss Nora Drecn, Miss Maureen Dreen
an Miss Ellie Dreen-she that's been
peddlin' tn sthutT fur four year gone
we demand yer immejyate surrinder!"
There were smothered screenings and
meanings now and the shutting of bare,
excited feet upon the stone floor, while
the wheeling, whining voice of mother
Dreen gave temporizing answer with,
"Ah, thin, whatll We be havin' wild
four lone craythurs, that niver harmed
soul, wild tuckin' an staryin', since tn
day that liver they wor born 7"
"We'll have first yer four corpuscs
ilagranty, fur snug an tidy stowin' in
Galway Jail, an thin, wild or widout
your lave, we'll be havin' yer two purity
sthills, Misthress Dreenl" came pomp-
ously from Dennis at the door.
our shrill voices here blended In
wild chorus of misery and despair.
"Waste no time, thin,- ladies DEAR"
continued Dennis from without. nWe're
not naygurs nor haythep, ayther. Wen