The Press., 1895-01-10

VI en, lean and withered in the struggle to peat out of the reeking bog.
 What was she doing in this dreary upper world of the barren Irish hills. How could she be the granddaughter of the unlovely crone i'll the corner, and why had generations of ignorance and hunger and rude toll produced her? It aust be that nature had created her for 8 whim, making her sort of image of the wild beauty of this picturesque will derness
 The afterglow of the sunset was abroad when Macha went out again. to roam round the lake in fashion of her own. A strange amber and red refec- tion illuminated one side of the sky and the mountain peaks, intensified by gloomy fringes trailing along the hori- Eon. Delicate green tints overspread the other, and in this fairer skyey field had blossomed the round white moon, bright ening momentarily and shining among the early stars like lily among daisies Earth and heaven were pictured ill the Lake-the gemmed meadows and lurid- Iy illuminated deserts on high, the black ening hills and the moving shapes of orange. brown and purple that caught and rent the fringes of the approaching night.
 Macha clasped her hands over her head and gazed round her half fearfully, enjoying and understanding the beauty of it all. She had heard of shining city beyond the gold and silver gates of the sun and the nloop, also of earthly cities. wonderful, too, but not so beau tiful, that lay down below the moun- tains in the busy world of men. She meant to go to the one, but she did not care to visit the others. Her mountain home, with it's inhabitants, contained the desires of her heart. The old brown crucifix on the cabin wall was her pass port to the final happy destination of all patient souls, whither she and all she loved would depart when the Master should send them a message to come. Nothing natural or supernatural dis mayed or diSgusted her. If there were spirits in the rocks and fairies in the lake, the Almighty knew what they were doing there, and everything was all for the best.
 "Macha, come in, " called her mother from the cabin. Something will get you.
 Aye, mother, l am joming," said Macha, but still she fingered, looking hard at piece of rock that seemed to be taking the shape of "something. |" The clouds are alive and move and change-why should not the rocks! Suddenly a living person seemed to emerge out of the rock and come beside her, and, startled, she would have fallen into the lake had not strong ar11 seized her and swung her into safety.
 ''Holy motherl 1 nearly drowned youP' cried Macha, looking at the same traveller who had passed the cabin in the morning.
 ''I nearly drowned you,'' said the stranger, gazing in wonder at her beau ty, which seemed to have become almost unearthly, as the still warm glow from one side irradiated her hair, and the greenish moonlight from the other whit ened her round cheek and the drapery of her shoulder.
 T thought you were-him who lives down in the lake, ; whispered Maeha.
 Who is he?'
 She looked all round in the air. and her lovely face caught thousand reflec- tions of fitting colors and lights. Then she signed with her hand toward the lake.
 The water is deep, 7 she said, and there is many thing down there But you are living man, for saw you in the morning.
 The person addressed felt a strange thrill as she spokeand put ont her round gleaming arm and touched his hand with her warm fingers, as if to assure herself that her own words were true, and that he was indeed living man.
 And you are a living woman" he said. II almost thought you were a spirit moving along the edge of the lake. Why do you keep so close to the edge? thought saw you walking on the water. ''
 "I like to look in and see what can see," said the girl mysteriously.
 "Doyou aways walk here in the even- ings?''
 "Yes, and sometimes bit at dawn. Mother says something wicked will meet me- But have only met you, and you are not wicked. '
 II am not as good as ought to be, ' said the man tremulously, answering the look of simple faith and approval in