The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-22
..christmnsas.ll be here day afther to

morrow, whit on Mrs. Fagin. IAN, I've
come to give you friendly waTnin'."
You're a wise woman an I'll DO any
thing you say" mosned Della
well, thin" rayplied Mrs. Fagin. 81 We
heerd tell that the changeling never ray
mains over Christmas. For we know YER
self that all unblessed spirits must lave
the airth durin' that holy sayson So.
purity soon the lad therelI take sick an
purtend to die-stop cryin', foolish wom-
an. an listen. IL We can get rid of him
before Christmas day yen maybe get
back yer own child in its place.
.Whatn / do at all at alp walled De-
liza.
''Sorra, know / know says the wise
woman, but there's au ould fairy doc
thor named Sheelah Mcclure who lives
down the Ballinderg way-sfe has great
art in charn,s-rd take present down
to her an ak advise at once, so would, .
says Ann
Well. the next mornin' what does me
brave Della do but wrap Up dozen of
the black Spanish hin's legs an foot it all
the way to the mountains till she found
the place where the fairy docthor lived.
Sheelah listened to her throuble an
thin said:
Il don't know says she. whether it's
n nat'ral d:sayse yer chiids took with or
whether it's yer own child at all a all
that's in it; but I'll tell ye the way ye can
find out says she.
do We go home now an on yer way
pick up the biggest acorn cup from under
the biggest oak tree that you pass. Whin
you go into your home this night. says
not one word good, bad, nor Indifferent
to any one. nor give the lad bite to ate
nor sup to dhrink
But in the mornin whin you get out OF
bed begin to make a powerful stir an
potther about the house as if yeZ were
expectin' great company. Be that time
the ladlI be starvin' with the hunger. Let
teh first worruds yez'l thin say be: L
have to make stirabou; for foive ridgi-
ments of sojers.' Thin Yell take the
acorn cup and put it in the ashes: afther
that put in one dhrop of wather, one
grain Of salt. an afther that one dhrop
of wather, one grain CT salt. an afther
that grain OF oatmale. If it's fairy
that's in it be that time it'll make itself
known, an If it makes itself known Jake
the broom to it an don't spare ie''
Well. be this and be that, Mrs. McNulty
did as she was bid. Not wurrud did
she say whin she raiched home. nor until
bright and airIy the next morning. whin.
as she was movin' the chairs this way
and that, an pushin the table first here
an thin there, an slammin' the tins an
kittles outrageous. she begun whining
at the top of her voice: 20, haven't 1 the
hard fortin' to be FORCED to make stira-
bout for foive Regiments of sojers; All.
haven't l the bad luck to be obleeged Ia
make stirabout for foive Regiments OF
bligards.'
Well, the lad on the began watchin'
her. with every eye in him as big as a
taycup. The more she worruked the more
interested he grew, TILL when she put
the acorn cup in the ashes for billing on d
think the two eyes of hind pop out Of
his head.
Careful and slow she put the dhrops
of wather in the acorn cup, never pur-
tendin' 10 notice the led at all at ALL
though we'll she knew he was leaning half
out of the bed watching her operaytions.
=
male she thought he would tumble out on
the top of his head, but whin she was
putin in the grain of salt a harsh,
cracked voice spoke up to her. indignant.
Il thought you was soin' to make stir
about for foive Regiments of sojers," it
said
$50 I am-it's what I'm dein,'' says
she, without lookin' round
Well" croaked the voice, aystonished
but very dayliberate. Eve seen in me
time an acorn grow until an otk. an the
three>rot to the ground. am I've seen an
acorn from that three grow until an
other oak, an that one rot TO the ground,
an five acorns afther. succeed aich other.
for foive Regiments of sojers made in one
acorn cup
eff we've seen all that. me foine i'm
posture" says Mrs. McNulty, jumping up
and raiching for the broom. yer thou
sand years ould at Taste ard yer too ould
to be good company for the loikes of me. 4"
At that she aimed a wivious crack at
him with the hard ind of the broom. but
she only struck the Imply air, for, 10 and
behold yel the lad was gone an she was
alone in the room. But there at the open
door stood the purtiest woman yeZ ever
laid yer two Twin eyes on, an she hould-
ing by the hand little Patsy McNulty. an
he lokin exactly the way he looked be-
fore the sickness came on him
Here's your child. Della McNulty.'
says the sthrange woman. '-As you've
sent back before his time the one we left
SO we must rsyturn the one We took. But
we've thrayted Your child far kinder than
you have Just thrarted ours. says she.
Sayin' which she was gone like a fash
and little Patsy throtted in TO his moth
ers arrums Sure. it was a happy Christ
mas mornin that dawned for Della Nc
Nulty.-Herminine Templeton in Chicago
Tribune.