The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-13

A LTHOUGH only one living man OF
~ his own free win ever went among
them there. still any well-leaTned
person in ireland can tell you that the
nbode Of the Good People is in the hol-
low heart of the great mountain SLEEVE
na-mon. That same one man was par
by O'Giu, a cousin Of my other mother
Right and left, generation after gen
Grafton, the fairies had stolen piss
young children. old women, young men
cows. Cummings OF butter from other
people but had never bothered any Of
our kith or kin until. for some myster-
ious rayson. they soured on Darby,
and took the eldest of his three foine
pigs.
The next week a second pig went tie
same way. The third week not a thing
had Darby left for the Balinrobe fair.
You may aisly think how sore ard
sorry the poor man was, an now Brio
get, his wife. an the childhcr carried
on. The rent was due. and all left wGs
20 cell his COW Rosie to pay H. Rosie
was the apple of his eye; he admired
and RESPECTED the pigs, but he loved
Rosie.
Worst luck Of all was yet to come
on the morning when Darby went for
the COW 10 bring her into market bad
scrane 10 the hoof was there: but IN
her place only a wisp Of dirty straw TO
mock him. Millie murther. What a
howlin' and creechin' and cUrsin' DID
Darby bring back 20 the house!
Fairy or no fairy, ghost or goblin
Twin or dead. who took Rosie'l rue the
day he says.
With those wild words he bOulted in
the direction Of Sleive-na-mOn.
All day long he climbed like an ant
over the hill. looking for hole or cave
through which he could get at tle
prison Of Rosie. At times he struck
the rocks with his blackthorn, cryia
out challenge.
No one made answer-at least. not
just then. But at night. as ne turned,
hungry and footsore, toward home
who should he meet UP with on tha
crossroads but the ould fairy doctor
Sheelah Mcguire: well known was she
as a SPY for the Good People. She
spoke up:
"Oh. then. you're the foolish. blum
derin'- headed man to say what you've
said and doing what you've done this
day. Darby OGill." says she.
What do / care" says he, fiercely
"id fight the diyil for my beautiful
COW"
Then go into Mrs. Hagan's meadow
beyant." says Sheelah. "and wait till
the moon is up. BY an by yen see a
herd Of cows come down from the
mountain and yer ownm be amonG
them"
What III do then?" asked Barby,
his voice trembling with excitement.
'SOrra a hair I care what We dc. Bur
thereH be lads there. and hundreds
you won't see. thatn stand no iii
words. Darby O'Gin.
"One question more, man. says
Darby. as Sheelah was moving away
''How late in the night viii they stay
without"
Sheelah caught him by the collar
and. pulling his head close. whispered.
When the cock crows the Good PeO-
pie must be- safe at home. After cock
crow they have no power to help or 10
hurt aud every mortal eye can So
them plain.
It was dark night when Darby
stretched himself on the ground in
Hagan's meadow; the yellow edge OF
the moon just tipped the edge OF the
hills.
To creep quiet as cat through the
hedge and raich the first COW was only
q minutes work. Then his plan 10
wait till cock-crow. with all other so
Der. sensible thoughts. went claEe out
OF the lads head before his rage; Tor
cropping eagerly the long. sweet grass
the first haste he met was Rosie.
With a leap Darby was behind her
his stick falling sharply on her Hanks
The ingratichude of that COW almost
broke Darby's heart Rosie turned
fiercely on him with vicious lunge-
her two horns aimed at his breast.
There was no suppler boy in the parish
than Darby, and well FOR him IL was
80. for the mad rush the COW gave
would have caught any man the lasic
trifle heavy on his legs and ended his
days right there.
As it was, our hayro sprang 20 one
side. As Rosie passed. his left hand
gripped her tail When one Of the
O'Gills takes hOuld Of a thing he hangs
on like a bull-terrier.
Now began a race. the like Of which