The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-02-08
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|: THE MERMAID'S Vengeance {
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A handsome, dashing youth was Den
vii Burke Of Bantry castle. No bolder
rider had ever backed horse, no more
reckless player had ever ventured
broad gold pieces upon the uncertain
chance Of the dicebox, and SO II came
10 pass that before young Denny
Rurke.' as he was generally termed,
had enioyed his ancestral acres three
short years the "dirthy money" be-
came scarce and creditors pressing.
One course alone was open to him
the road which so many young 0loods
have followed. He must marry some
heiress. Not that there was the slight
est difficulty about finding the heiress'
for II was a well known fact that the
rich Miss MacNulty Of Ballydunderoog
would Just give one Of her two eyes FOR
handsome, bold, young Denny Burke.
It was true that Miss Biddy MacNul-
ty was on the wrong side of 30; true
that a more scrawny piece OF humani'
~ could not be found in the county
But she had the golden guineas,
though, and after many groan Denny
Burke made up his mind to become the
master of BallydunderbOg.
Denny Burke was In love with a fall
young peasant girl, and he hated to
give her up.
Kathleen O'Drlscoll was only a milk
maid, but a fairer girl never trod old
Ireland's Dogs.
Strange stories the village gossips
told about the beautiful Kathleen. Far
and wide through Bantry Kathleen
was known as the Mermaid's Child. II
was gravely related and currently be
leved that the maids beauty came
from no earthly source.
When she was but babe, her moth
or had been used to take her at early
sunrise to the limpld pools amid the
rocks by the edge Of the sea and there
battle her In the crystal waters. That
these pools were the haunts OF the
mernaids, the fairy queens Of the
ocean wave, was well known to all the
jewellers by the shore.
No one doubted such stories as These
In the least.
Denny Burke had been in the habit
OF meeting the girl, and quite a love
affair had grown up between the two
Kathleen. poor, simple soul, beliey'
ed that the young man meant all be
said when he protested that he would
rather wed her than the richest lady In
the land.
To give Denny due credit be had full
" intended to marry the girl, but
whep he discovered how bad a state
his financial affairs were in he came
suddenly to the conclusion that ugly
Miss MacNulty and the broad acres
OF Ballydunderbog were far superior
to pretty Kathleen and love in a cot
tage.
And as Denny detested "scenes" be
never went near the milkmaid, but
quietly married Miss Biddy ofhand
and left to Dame Rumor the task OF
Informing Kathleen OF his treachery.
Burke was married. He could drink
and game and horse race now to his
hearts content.
And Burke was not at all discom-
posed when the news was brought one
hne morning that the body Of the III
lated Kathleen had been cast up by
the sea near the Mermaid's pool. The
girl had committed suicide.
The day Of the annual hunt came,
and, radiant In scarlet and white, bold
ar. Burke showed all the gentle
men In the county the way when the
ely fox broke from his covert The
beast ran down by Killduny's bog and
doubled to the sea by Arohoe glen.
rhe 'feld" was all thrown of the
scent, and Burke, suspectlng the fox's
trick, rode of alone, trusting to head
the beast by the Mermaid's pool
Coming down the slope, Burke's
brown mare caught her foot and threw
Denny over her head. When Burke
secovefed his senses, for he had been
stunned By the fall he found himself
lying on his side close by the edge of
the pool
From the clear water female form
efoss--a woman Of SURPRISING beauty
sDo not fear, handsome stranger"
said the seamaid IN tones both low
and sweet And then Burke felt a
strange fascination creeping over him.
"Oh, wonderful creature, can you
love a mortalT he cried.
"Yes, II the mortal will but press
my bps" the mermaid answered coyly.
Eagerly Burke kissed the coral
mouth Of the seamaid, and then a
hoafse laugh came from her lips.
Burke was never seen again In life,
but his body was found the next morn
ing by tho haunted pool. The sea
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