The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-26

"ARE WE TO THE BRINK9" HE ASKED.
net through it. They have great wish
to please the buyers in the English ships,
and the Scotch and Manx. oh yes; but
a oreel OF gold would not tempt them to
meddle In "Mnrty's PATH" They steer
their boats far TO one side and bless them
selves as they pass in the manner OF their
fathers and grandfathers before them.
These poor men having not much of the
Irish now and not rightly understanding
what their elders may have heard the
truth OF say this snake-like forbidding
stretch bears its name from Mutry Oge
O'Sulliyan. Their thought is that the
uncanny boiling began in the wake of the
English Speedwell, as the corpse OF the
vanquished privateer spun and twirled at
her keel through the foam on its savage
last journey from Castletown to Cork.
But II is enough to look down at this
evil place, to see that the malediction
upon it must be older than Murty Oge's
time, which, in the sight OF Dunloogher,
was as yesterday. Why, men are living
this year who talked with men who saw
his head spiked over South Gate. There
were no great curses left unused In Ire
land at so late day as his. And again,
would it be the waters Of Dunlogher that
would tear themselves for an O'Sullivan?
No, the curse threads back a dozen
strange currents weaveNand twine and the
greasy foam spreads and gathers, gathers
and spreads in the path of another whose
birthright Il was that they should baptize
him. The true tale is Of Murty the Proud,
or il you will have his style from the book
OF SchulJ-Murtogh Mordha O'Mahony
chief In Dunlogher. And his time is not
SO distant in one way as men take ac-
count OF years But in another ii is too
remote for any clear vision because the
sslittle people" OF the old, fearful kind
have left every other part OF Ireland, and
they were just halting together for fare
well pause in Dunlogher, by reason of IL
being the last end OF the land and their
entertainments famed up n vapor about
Murty Mordha to his undoing. And ii
is as II the mist still rose between as and
history.
When the sun began to sink out OF
sight, down behind the sea, two men
stood on the edge OF the great cliff OF
Dunlogher, their faces turned to the west.
The yellow fame from the sky shone
full in the eyes OF Murtogh, and he held
his huge, bare head erect with boldhess,
and stared back at it without blinking.
His companion, a little shriveled old
man, whom he held by the arm, had the
glowing light on his countenance as well,
but his eyeiids were shut He bent him.
self against his chiefs thick shoulder,
and trembled.
"Afe we to the brink itself?" he asked;
his aged voice shook when he e'spole.
"Here, where 1 stand, when L would
grip you, and hold you forth at the
length of my arm, and open my hand,
you would fall hundred fathoms in
the air." Murtogh's free hand and arm
made the terrible gesture to fit his words,
but he frightened his protecting clasp
upon the other, and led him back few
PAGES. The old man groaned his Sigh of
relief.
at Is you who are the brave noble
man, Murty" he whispered admiringly.
"There Is none to equal your strength, or
your grand courage, in all the land. And
the heart of pure gold along with itvr
Murtogh tossed his big head, to sh AXE
the twisted forelock OF his hair to one
side. 81 looked straight into the sun at
noon on St. Johns day, he said, quietly
with the pride OF child. 'If IL were
q hundred times as bright, would look
at it, and never fear of my eyes. would
hold my own son out here, stretched over
the abyss, and we would be no safer in
bed. Whatever i wished to do would
do it,"
"You would-O, you wouldp' assented
the old man, in tones OF entire sincerity.
The chieftain kept his eyes on the sky
line, beneath which, as the radiance
above deepened, the waters grew ashen
and coldly dark. Musing, he held his
silence for time. Then, with abrupt
ness, he asked:
"What age were you, Owny Hea, when
the MacSwiDeys put out your eycs2 We're
You strong enough 10 remember the sun
well?"
~ was OF no strength at all, " the other
whimpered, the tragedy OF his childhood
affecting his speech on the instant. AZ
was in my mothers arms There were
the men breaking in through the wall,