Amador ledger., 1900-03-09
s.c.'.c.e.'....ss.'...c.e
!: THE kERMAID'S VENGEANCE :.
. 00.0.O.0.0.0.0.O.O.O0.

y
A handsome, dashing youth was Den
vii Burke of Bantry castle No bolder
rider had ever backed a horse, no more
reckless player had ever ventured
broad gold pieces upon the uncertain
chance of the dicebox, and so 1t came
to pass that before young Denny
Burke. as he was generally termed,
had enjoyed 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 bloods
have followed. He must marry some
heiress. Not that there was the slight
est difficulty about finding the heiress,
for 1t was a well known fact that the
rich Miss MacNulty of Ballydunderbog
would just give one of her two eyes for
handsome, bold, young Denny Burke.
1t was true that Miss Biddy MacNul-
ty was on the wrong side of 80; true
that a more scrawny piece of humani-
ty 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 Bsllydunderbog.
Denny Burke was In love with fair
young peasant girl, and he hated to
give her up.
Kathleen O'Driscoll was only a milk
maid. but fairer girl never trod old
Ireland's bogs.
Arrange stories the village gossips
told about the beautiful Kathleen. Far
and wide through Bantry Kathleen
was known as the Mermaids Child. 1t
was gravely related and currently be-
lieved that the maids beauty came
from no earthly source.
When she was but a babe, her moth
er had been used to take her at early
sunrise to the limpid pools amid the
rocks by the edge of the sea and there
bathe her in the crystal waters. That
these pools were the haunts of the
mermaids, the fairy queens of the
ocean wave, was well known to all the
dwellers 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 love
affair had grown up between the two.
Kathleen, poor, simple soul. beliey-
ed that the young man meant all he
said when he protested that he would
rather wed her than the richest lady in
the land.
To give Denny due credit he had full
ly intended to marry the girl but
when he discovered how bad 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" he
never went near the milkmaid. but
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
fine morning that the body of the i'll
fated 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
Mr.. Burke showed all the gentle
men In the county the way when the
sly fox broke from his covert. The
beast ran down by Killduffy's bog and
doubled to the sea by Arohoe glen.
The field" was all thrown off the
scent, and Burke, suspecting the fox's
trick, rode off 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
recovered 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
arose-a woman of surprising beauty.
do 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, If the mortal will but press
my lips" the mermaid answered coyly.
Eagerly Burke kissed the coral
mouth of the seamaid, and then a
hoarse laugh came from her lips.
Burke was never seen again In life,
but his body was found the next morn
ing by the haunted pool. The sea
maid had avenged the wrong done TO
her foster child.-New York News.