Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-28

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The little man let dry laugh out OF
him and says: "Your fish will gel
away and that will be a loss to you
entirely"
''Faith, there's plenty more If II
Does" and Farragh didn't take his eyes
for q minute off the leprechawn.
II think I'll be goin' now" says the
little man.
"You can't bulge till I say so. an
have me wish," says Farragh.
"An' what would you like to have?
Would you like to see Ireland free, an
have a country of your own?" asked
the little man with grin.
'"That would" said Farragh. "but
it isn't in your power to give me a
country of me own. The stranger
has too hard how'll Of it,
eve will see about that" says the
leprechawn, and he began walking
round and round Farragh. who got
so tired trying to keep his eyes on him
that he fell fast asleep there on the
edge of the great cliff, with his line
tied around his wrist and fish tug
ging away at it far below.
When Farragh woke up it was the
morning of the next day. and, wonder
of wonders, great thing had taken
place! The part of the cliff he was
perched ON was cut as clean as if you
cut it with knife off from the main
land, a distance of q hundred feet or
more, maybe.
There Farragh found himself lying
on the top of narrow pillar Of rock
that rose straight out Of the sea about
five hundred feet or so, like round
tower. Between him and the main
land a roaring sea was plunging, and
it gave him an uneasy feeling to look
around and see himself as helpless as
anything.
"Troth, the little man has kept his
word" says Farragh to himself. II
have a country of me own, but not
the sort of a country wanted, at
ALL"
Farragh was one of the best runners
and jumpers you'd find in days walk,
but that leap was too much for him.
There was no sign or token Of the little
man, and Farragh was afraid to bulge
for fear he'd fall off that tall rock
with the wild sea beating about its
base like all possessed. i
AS the day wore on the people of the
village flocked to the cliff and Won
dered nightly at FarragRs fix. He
called out for help, but sure no one
could do anything more than wonder at
him. He could see Molsh Mooney
among the people, shaking her finger
at him, and he could hear her sharp
voice above the discourse of the waves,
as she cried out: "Aha! Farragh
Flynn, knew you'd come to no good.
The fairies have their revenge on you,
and there's not man or woman IL the
world can save you. Now. maybe
you'll give in to the good people"
yourself and the good people can
go to a place I won't MENTION" shout
ed Farragh back at her. "I've coun-
try of me own, at any rate" and he
sat on the rock and lit his pipe as
calm as you please, not wishing to
show fear, although you may be sure
he was badly bothered.
The people came from far and near
that day to look in establishment at the
man who was cut off from the world,
like, and him still alive and in posses
sion of his seven senses.
Toward evening the wind softened to
a whisper, and the sea, that had ragged
round Farragh's rock all day, grew as
still as sleeping babe.
Then the people on the cliff wondered
still more TO see small boat with
woman in it rowing for dear life
through the shadows toward the en-
chanted rock in the ocean. So far be-
low was the boat that they couldn't
tell who was in it; but they watched it
with all their eyes, thinking that it was
a fairy boat going to carry Farragh
far out into the middle Of the sea,
where he'd be lost forever. It was a
time Of wonderment, you may be sure.
Every eye was on the boat and the
girl. She rowed straight to the foot
Of the towering rock. Leaning over
the edge of. the boat she caught hold
Of Farragh's line that was still fas-
tened to his wrist at the other end, and
tied strong rope to. it., Then looking
up and raising her voice, she shouted:
"Pull up your line. Farragh!'
He started like one in dream. and
looking down. saw the face that he
loved. It filled him with hope. 1t
made his heart leap. It was the face
Of Kathleen Tigue.
kathleen, aroon" he cried. 1T was
the saints that sent you"
pull up the rope, Farragh; sfasten it
to something and save yourses =
1t didn't take him long to take her
advice. He drew up his line. with the
rope at the end Of it. Kathleen held
the other end of the rope steadily.
Farragh then made the rope fast to a
skelp Of rock as strong as Gibraltar
itself, and soon, to the establishment
of everybody. he was climbing down
hand over hand against the face Of the
cliff. In little while he stepped into
the boat beside Kathleen.
Then you may be sure there was a
wild cheer from the people, for, in
spite Of Molsh's maledictions, they
were sorry to see poor mortal in such
a fearful place as Farragh was in.
Soon Farragh and Kathleen rowed
round to an easy landing OH the Clad
dagh. and the welcome they got made
everybody glad that night, and there
were dancing and diversion in Rath-
Na-Gar