The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-12-10

| be Of Kathleen once in while, felt
three strong tugs at his hook that told
him there was a fish there. That very
minute, all of a sudden he spied the
queerest man on two feet at his side.
Although disbelieving in the good peo.
pie. Farragh knew at once that the
dawny little man was a leprechawn,
and that as long as he kept his eyes on
him he could get any wish he wanted.
why don't you pull in your line?'
says the little man: 'don't you see
there's a fish on it,"
I'm better employed now" says
Farragh, "an' I'll keep my eyes on you,
never fear"
The little man let a dry laugh out Of
him and says: Your fish will get
away and that will be a loss to you
entirely"
Faith, there's plenty more if it
does" and Farragh didn't take his eyes
for a minute off the leprechawn.
IT think I'll be goin' now," says the
little man.
"You can't bulge till I say so, an
have me WISH" says Farragh.
cam 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 I 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,
1--WE 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 1t was the
morning of the next day, and, wonder
Of wonders, a great thing had taken
place! The part Of the cliff he was
perched on was cut as clean as If you
cut It with a knife off from the main
land, a distance of a hundred feet or
more, maybe.
There Farragh found himself lying
on the top Of a narrow pillar Of rock
that rose straight out Of the sea about
five hundred feet or 80, like a round
tower. Between him and the main
land q roaring sea was plunging, and
it gave him an uneasy feeling to look
around and see himself as helpless as
anything.
"Froth, the little man has kept his
word" says Farragh to himself. Il
have a country Of me own, but not
the sort of a country 1 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.
AS the day wore on the people OF the
village focked to the cliff and Won
dered nightly at Farragh's 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 a man or woman in the
world can save you. Now, maybe
you'll give in to the good people"
yourself and the good people can
90 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 astonish1nent 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 10
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 a 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 1t
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. 1t was
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 ut the other end, and
tied a strong rope to it. Then looking
I'D and raising her voice, she shouted:
Pull up your line, Farragh!'
He started like one in dream, ana
looking down. saw the face that he