The record-union., 1894-03-17

followed this, while the fumes of peat. OF
true potheen and of simmering barley
mash came along with the thin old locks
and the thin old frame from out the mys-
teriouS cavern below.
"Nora?-Maureen? Quick, now, an
whist. aivcks," exclaimed mother Dreen,
calling eXcitedly down the dark aper-
ture, as her frightened eyes discerned the
rent in the roof and the rock upon the
tucking table.
Up they came pell nell, two as fine
and strapping lasses as ever looked
bravely underneath ravishingly long
lashes out of winsome Irish eyes, or
braldeens when the fiddles put the mis-
chief in their own and the Connaught
lads niinble heels.
BE aisy, mother DEAR" came sooth-
lngly from Nora; its but th' frost and
th' wind playin' th' leprachaun above"
Whats ailin' an what's done?" came
from Maureen, last to gain her footing
upon the cabin floor.
Its not what's done. darlints DEAR"
Said the woman mOurnfully, Its what s
doin'. It's th' great harm that's comm.
Och, murtheri-luk at th' stonep'
She pointed with trembling fingers to
the rock upon the tucking table. Upon
one side was the word "Gauger" painted
in black. Friendly as was the warning,
mother Dreen was beside herself with
fear. She sank into the corner by the
fireplace, rocking and moaning pite-
ously, while the girls, comforting her
as best they could, set TO mendIng the
broken tiles, and then to pounding the
cloth upon the table as assidiously as
though their hands never knew other enl-
ployment.
Ellie soon returned She was painting
from running and clambering, and her
face was full of toreboding which could
not be hidden by her all torgivable tales
to soothe the dear old mother there.
81 ran t. th' peak, but not sight nor
sound did | get. Sure, mother dear, it S
only joke by wan o. th' byes!''
"Manim Yea agus wurrah!" (My
soul to God and the Nirgin) she moaned
and muttered, shaking her poor old head
ruefully.
"Och, thin, we're all born but not
buried, mother DEAR" pleaded Ellie coax
ingly.
"Willelul willelul It's twice now
Eve heard th' banshee's wailin' cry.
Whin th third comes, avicks, it's tn
great sorrow'l come after; sorrow like
me poor Phadric loppin' DER tn curragh
side-swate, bad luck t th' blackmouth
gauger min! An ME a lone shinadhree
thin, weazened body an me back bint
double wild toll an dunnus (mischievous
misfortune). Och, am wilielu!''
There, there, mother, dear, don't be
frettn' above Lh' day ye niver saw"
persisted the tender-h hearted Ellie, kiss
ing and patting the troubled face caress-
ingly.
The poor old body would not be COM
forted at once, and gave way to the dens-
est Gaelic and keenest lamentations,
while the girls worked vigorously, IN
time gradually shaming and soothing
her out OF her grief; but Ellie, after many
a grave and warning wink at her sisters,
descended into the cavern with Nora,
and there, while busying herself about
the brew, confessed with tears and mis-
givings that her eyes had really seen
figure skulking cautiously down the
other side of the mountain toward Round
stone and the sea.
Ii the cabin above was curious place,
it was still stranger place in which Ellie
and Nora were now toiling, while ex-
changing their saddening surmises and
fears. Some CONFUSION of nature had
opened large tSsure i'll the solid rock,
forming a cone-shaped apartment, per-
haps twenty feet broad at the base. The
floor of the tuckmill above was reached
by a ladder to the edge of the hole beneath
the tucking table, which opening was
neatly fitted with thin piece of tagging
Light came in and smoke went out
through an opening at the side Of the
cliff ABOVE the Tough. Over this the little
rill fell in such yelling spray as TO rem
der detection Of the cavern, or of smoke
issuing from it, wholly impossible.
Two clumsy caldron kettles, with tin
covers, sealed with clay. were set on
powders above smoldering fires OF peat.
Tin pipes led from the caldrons to the
still-worms, which were coiled in huge
tubs of ice-cold water, and from the
mouth of the worms white and sparkling
potheen trickled into little half-gallon
Jugs beneath, while in a dark corner
were iny kegs filled with the colorless
but powerful spirit and sacks of barley
and OF oats.
All the folk OF this wild region are
"agin the law" This TO them Iegalizes
potheen making with all its dangers and
Its breads. Besides, how could a mar
riage, birth, christening, or wake,
be celebrated, friend welcomed, or
given speed. or any grief or joy be
drowned or lifted,' without drop of
the blessed potheen. the Irishman's right
since long before the flood? Militia, muir
ther, the heart that cannot soften to the
wreIched needs and shifts of such as
these, deserves no gladdening Joy or
tender sorrow OF its owni
"Ah, Nora. dear, it's a sorra life we're
leadin' here" sighed Ellie, pressing the
cay DelMeel lnc COfSI anu tuS StedIHlDS
caidron.
Its all that, Ellie, DEAR replied Nora,
replacing "a jug beneath the trickling
worm. What's got DER th' diviIs
back Is sure u so OF under it, thin?"
True for ye, Nora: but we must kape
grief from th' ou!d mothers heart as long
as iver we can. Oh, wurra, wurra, wild
livin' at ali! But, Nora, dear, what
wud we do if th' gaugers do be comm,
thin?"
"1h' gaugers-comin'?" Nora's eyes
were flashing now. Thin diviPs gaug-
ers come here T. kill us all wild iareer
gairh overwhelming misiortune) en-
tirely?"
The excited girl led Ellie to the aper-
ture beneath the tiny waterfall, and
pointed downward. 1t was i've hum
dred feet TO the dark waters of the Tough
below.