The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1895-01-25
A PUGILISTIC GHOST.
THE STRANGE TALE or MIKE
or THE CLoNEoALLA.
nis Adversary 10 Life. jack Of Kisausrh,
Hscams Ms Opponent After Death
The combat In the Churchyard Of XII.
bride uiko'. One Regret

Mike NNreNan tossed awake IN the
moonlight The gulls we're quiet, and
there was no noise In the night save
The sound that had rocked hl. cradle
the Atlantic ioaming up the narrow
ravino before his door and withdraw
ing itself with loud sucking noise.
Tho cabin was pcrchcd on blcachcd
hillside. 4 stony. narrow path went
by the door aud climbed the ravine TO
She world bed Of slaty dock slanted
sheer below Il 10 the white tossing
water.
Mike. with his six feet six Of man.
hood, was we'll In request at the
country gatherings. year ago a
wrestling match between him and
Jack Tierncy had gathered two coun.
ties 10 soc II. No man could say
which was the champion Now one
was tho victor. again the other. They
kept steady pace Ia their victories.
Jack. too, was captain Of the XII.
sallah team OF hurlcrs. Mike Of the
Cloncgalla
The country people scarcely guessed
90 the time their two champions b.
came enemies. It only showed itself
m now hcrccnos- and determination
In their encounters. Each had sworn
Ia himself 10 conquer the other. The
soreness between thcm cam, about
when by some sad mi-chancs they fell
In love with tho sans girl. Worse
luck. she wanted neither oi them. for
she was vowed 10 the convent. In
the long run one or tho oth,r might
have tempted her 20 an earthly bridal.
but she made no choice between them.
and each mans chances scsmcl about
equal whom she Slipped from thcm
both into kilbrdc churchyarl. Whom
she lay there neither man could say
she had distinguished him hy special
kindness from the other. AMI thrir
rivalry waXol moro furious with the
woman In her grave.
iut siN months later. and after IA,
battle, still undecided. jack Ticrncy
fell sick and followed Ellen u XII.
bride. Then Mike Shochan wa, With
out an equal for many miles But
little comfort Il was 10 him. with tho
girl Of his heart deal. and the one
man he had dosircd 20 overthrow dead
and unconquorcl. lIe secluded him.
self from the sports Of pastimcs, and
lived lonely In his cabin among tho
gulls. eating out his unsatisaod heart.
kilbrido churchyard il high on the
mainland and lies dark within It's four
stone walls. The road 10 II Il by
tunnel Of trees that make a shade
yelycty black even when tho moon Is
turning all the sea silver. The church.
yard is very old and ha, no monu-
monts Of Importance. only green
headstones bent sideways and sunk To
their neck and shoulders In the earth
A postern gate, with light OF stone
stops, opens from Kilbridc lane.
Hero every night you may see the
ghost OF Iobiu, tho murderer, climb.
ing those steps with rigid burden
hanging from his shoulder
But Us Mike Shoohan asccndcd tho
steps out Of the midnight dark he felt
no fear. llo changed the cato Of the
sacred, quiet place la way that set
tho silence ochoing. Some mad pas
sion was on Mike Shochan surely or
he would no, hayo dosocrateds tho
quiet rcstlng-placc Of the dead.
There 10y The ruined gable Of the oil
abbey, was II frcsh mound unusually
great In size. Mike Sheohan paused
10y Il, jack" he cried In a thun.
dorouS voice. hoarso with H. passion.
"romc' let rs once for all settle
which l. the better man. Come and
fight me. Jack. and II you throw mo
lot Ellen be yours now and forever
As he looked to right and left sub
stantial things had vanished, but no
saw ON either hand long rows Of shad.
owy faces watching him. Many Of
them he know. They were tho boys
and girls. the men and women OF his
own village who had died In many
years. Others were strange. but no
guessed them ghosts from Kilsallagh.
beyond Roscarbery. the village where
Jack used 10 live. lie looked eagerly
among the folk he remembered for
Ellen's face There was one who
might be- she. the ghost Of woman
yelled In her shadowy hair. whose
eyes he could not sec. And then Jack
was upon him.
There was a great wrestling IN Kill
bride churchyard. The dead man
wound about the living with his clay
cold limbs, caught him In icy grips
that frOze the terrified blood from his
heart. and hreaihed upon him sound
lcssly chill breath OF the grave that
seemed 10 wither him. Yet Mike
fought furlously. as one who fights not
only To satisfy u hate. but AS one who
fights TO win a bride. lilo had dim
knowledge OF the fight no was making.
"A dim premoniilon that the dead man
was more than his match. The ghost
~ spectators pressed forward more
eagerly, their shadowy faces peered,
their shadowy forms swayod In the
mist. The ghost had Mike Sheehan
In IA death grip, His arms were inn
prisoned his breath failed, his flesh
crept, and his hair stood up. lie felt
himself dying OF the horror
OF this unnatural combat. when
there was a whisper nj mis- ear. Dimly
ho seemed TO hear Ellen's voice :
dimly turning his failing eyes. he
seemed 10 recognize her eyes under
tho veil OF the ashen fair hair. DRAW
him 10 tho left on the grass" said the
yOico stAud trim him His old lava