Free press., 1901-09-07


30 look for butther on their cnurnin's
lnagh!"
sMushas God bless yei" cried Mollie
Doheny,
But the old bag shrugged herself, and
went away in the dark of the enchant-
ed might.
Early next morning came Noreen
O'Driscou to milk her little cow under
the hedge of thorn outside Heffernan's
meadow, that being the little cows
favorite place of pasture.
''What in under Heaven brings Mol
lie Doheny up here at this hour?" Won
/ dered Noreen to herself, see ng the
widow-Woman walking through he wet
meadow. Mollie never imagined that
there was anybody up but herself nor
ever saw sight Of Noreen O'Orisco1l,
for the hedge of thorn was thick, and
it was through a wee break II the
boughs that the widow-wOman' rival
had caught a glimpse cf her shawl and
her white apron.
The widow went over the daisies
where the dew. was melting fast, and
came upon the silvered hollows. She,
stopped and swept the dews IL her
apron.
"Alrs mine, alTg mine!.'' she said, as
she did this.
''Bedad, it's not" whispered [oreen,
just for fun, and with no meaning in
what she said. Half it's mine The
little cow munched the grass, waiting
to be milked, and the rising su3 grew
smaller as he went up the sky.
The widow-woman went on The next
stretch of shadow. and swept the dew
into her apron.
'tAlI's mine, aI's mine" said she
again. This time she was very cose to
Noreen O'Driscoll.
'Bedad, it's not said Noresn, ou7
loud. 'tHalf it's mine."
Saints and angels!' cried the widow
woman, oyerhearing. Its tn fairies is
afther me-" And she took to running,
and never stopped until she was out Of
the meadow on the far side
Noreen O'DriscolI thought that Mollie
had lost her five wits to get on with
such work. But there was no time for
thinking, as the COW had to be E1ilked,
and the hens fed before breakfast. So
Noreen milked the COW, and maybe she
was not astonished to find the pail full
up to the brin in few minutes.
'"Tis the new grass is agreein' with
tn crathure, God bless her!" said
Noreen's mother when she saw the can
full of rich milk. Then Noreen told
her the goings-on Of the young widow.
'WeH, we'll" said the mother,
there's no mindin' what's done Of a
May mornin'. Mebbe tn crathure was
manoevrerin' for another husband" >"
And so the matter passed, and no more
was said about it.
From May-day out, the yield Of the
little sickly cow was surprising. and
very soon Noreen began to take the
butter around to the farmers houses to
sell. By the end of the month she had
sold sufficient to pay the price of a
strong calf.
They're gettin' along" said the faith
er of Dan Heffernan. He was Up the
fields one day, looking for some sign Of
his crop of wheat, and he put on in
quisitive eye upon the lone cabin in the
cleft Of the hill. ''Mebbe I night as
well Withdraw me objections" When
he went down to his house, he told his
son that he had his consent to marry
with Noreen O'Driscoll.
Its new calf, ready-reared, that
see above wild them" he said. GOOD
an Industrious people they must be tc
have that same. Likely tn colleen Il
look to your cows better nor they're
| looked to now
''She'd want to-, said young Dan
''For 'tis scarcely a tent Of milk they'r4
givin' this while back"
And small blame it was 20 the
beasts, seein' that their milk had beer
stolen by the fairies and divided be
tween Mollie Doheqy and Eoreer
O'Driscoll
After a bit, Dan Hefernan an(
Noreen were married, and no sooner
was the bride brought home, but Dams
COWS began to improve, while the iittl'
one Noreen had for her portion wen
back in her milk But between then
all there was full and plenty for TIL
young people, and they were as happ!
as the day is long.
Meantime, the widow-woman rjpent
ed herself to her witchcraft.
''Musha, what at all at all will I do
she said in her own mind. .; 1 tel
Father John he'll send me to the Bishol
for meddlin' wid tn like-faith, I'll g'uI
! to the wise woman, an get her 10 Iii
tn charm. Dishonest buther ras
tang in the mouth.
But the wise woman only said: cit
aisy to light fire, but not so 10 put
out" And she scowled on Mo.iie Dc
heny with such an evil eye that She poo
creature was fain to run away as quic
as her feet would carry her from th
cabin of the ws;e woman.
So all that was left for her to do, wa
this. After every churning she ser