The record-union., 1894-04-21

| was no one 10 inquire, no one 10 care, anu
the lad had found himself in a not alto
! gether unpleasant bondage, so long as
| the wears library held any unread
book, and he had grown to manhood the
| master Of a useful trade and the confessed
/ lover of Densie Quillian, the sweetest lass
! IN northern Man, into whose willing ears
he had poured his honest hearted VOWS,
and, by proxy, much of the lore from
the wears musty books.
His keenest hunger among these books
was for everything pertaining to Manx
mythology and fairy lore. From all the
old, old folk he also cleaned, compared,
discovered and Identified. The region
about Maughold Head is perfect nest
| of most ancient treasured legends, myths
and superstitions. Not only are the sea-
/ faring folk determined in their preserva-
| ton OF superstitions of the sea, but the
! peasantry behind the shore secretly treas
ure and retain countless idols of fairies
and mythic monsters, despite the most
| strenuous efforts of the clergy to eXtlr-
| pate them.
| The ancient Runic cross near Port e
! uIlin, is an old woman returning to the
| village with some balls of wool in her
arms, who cursed the wind and was
turned into stone. The imam OF the
hills" whose voice is heard in the winds
soughing through the glens and gorges, is
their hocks, while the banshee of Ireland
is here transformed into an intangible
army of gnomeS and sprites possessing
the power to reward the good and punish
all evil doers.
There are, too, the ''tarroo ushtey," the
wild waterbull which destroys cattle,
and the 'glashtin," the furious water
horse which pursues and destroys the
hocks. Besides these are the Moody
Dhoo," or that rank spirit of tatalism
cryStallized as the black dog of death. the
''dooinney oie," or the night-man who
cries ''howlaa. howlaa!' and foretells
impending danger and approaching
storm; that great hoard of ''bugganes"
who are responsible for all manner of i'll
luck. and, above all, that imp of infinite
drollery, the phynnodderee," the Puck
! of Mainland, ever present for lncltement
to agreeable mischief, for actual plying
helpfulness to the weak and for remorse-
less punishment to the sordid, the cruel
and the unjust.
This was the Manx imp most loved by
Harry Summerfield, and it was in his
mind when. the astounding statement OF
the pretended debt OF dead Galley Quill
lian's to his master fell from the latter 8
lips.
81 should think you'd be afraid of the
phynnodderee, Master Cronk,E replied
Harry quietly, as he fastened the muslin
pillow of dried ferns in its place al the
head of the box"
'You lust remember what I've said,
and be ready to make oath o. it, at aw
next Deemster's court" responded the
coffin maker saYagely as he set screw
into one of the coffin handles.
"You don't mean that you want me to
make false oath?''
Il mean Tll have aw Quillian place
afore aw years done. an that's enough"
mo you won't, Master Cronki Ill
swear against you first. Galley Quillian
owed no man penny. You'll not rob
Granny and Densie OF their homei"
The old mans face was knotted and
Quivering from rage. He raised the tool
in his hand as if about to give his helper
a blow, but the young mans eyes looked
! quietly into his own.
"D'ye know where ye stand?" he
fiercely demanded. "D'ye know it's
crime in Maughold to vote falsely? Dye
know ye voted falsely at aw last Election
| for parish clerk? Law says none shal
vote 'cept them as puts out smoke?
! You're naught but a criminal, Mr.. Book
wormw
Truly this is still the parish law at Kirk
| Maughold. None may vote save him
whose domcile possesses a chimney.
YOU'RE pauper. and this shops your
|
none. You voted for me for parish clerk
though Curphey Quayle bested me, am
I'll even wP him yet. Pl put ye in
Ramsey Jail if ye don't do my biddingn'
Harry Summerfeld's first impulse was
| to strike the old wretch down. The next
was TO hasten to the vicar and tell the
whole story, and the next TO fly to Balla-
killev and warn the two helpless women
of their impending danger. But in the
! last i've minutes OF his life its entire out
| look had been changed.
He reflected that ManX law was as stern
as ManX nature. Without friends or
standing he could hope for no mercy.
! He had truly done as the old wretch had
said, though through a kindly impulse
! toward his master, at his bidding, and
wholly without consciousness of wrong
doing. But he was helpless and penni-
/ less.
If he remained at Maughold village he
| must become party to the robbery OF
those he loved, or suffer the shame of be-
! ing known as criminal TO ali whom he
| loved and reVered. While the great
world beyond was vast wonderland TO
! him, somewhere in it there might be
| home and kindred and friends, and, to
him more blessed possibility than all,
| means and power TO return and defeat MS
/ masters villaiuous designs.
As he again looked into his masters
| blazing eyes he felt there was but one re-
| course. That was flight.
QUILL forgive me, Master Cronk?''
he at last asked with apparent humility.
''Fll not forgive ye. I'll watch We am
! jail ye if ye mind not aw steps. Fetch
the cart an TAX aw box Z Ballakilley.
An mind now this: Tell Granny am
/ Densie Pm needin' what Galley Quillian
| justly owed me. Bring me, just as they
| Speyk 'em, their answered wordsp'
With this old Johnny Bill Cronk. who
was also sexton or saxon" ofSt Mauph-
old Churchyard, with parting threaten
| ing glare st his helper, trunded away to
turn the sod' for Galley Quillian's grave.
The stiff-jointed old black pony was
hitched TO the cart, the finished ''box''
carefully tied upon it, and, after Harry
Summerfield had donned his best attire.
secured a few keepsakes in a tiny bundle
and furtively written two brief notes
one to the vicar thanking him for his
| kindness, and one TO Densie telling her
that he had quarreled with his master and
was going away, but would surely re-
turn within the year, during which time
she must be brave and true and hopeful
! whatever trouble came-he set out at the
pony's head and led the lugubrious ami
NAL, vehicle and its grewsome freight to
within sight OF Ballakilley farmhouse.
Here, Tor penny, an old fishwife took
charge OF pony, cart, coffin and the note to
! Densie to their destination, while Harry
| Summerfield, after shaking his fist back
in bitterness and despair toward st.
Maughold church and village, left the old
| life behind and set out at a rapid pace
upon the great Manx highway leading TO