The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-03-01

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they were, everybody knew what was
in everybody else's mind.
When Mickey Manus, thinking he
was first, and feeling as proud as a
new hat, said: Il dance with you,
miss, if you Place" he thought he had
everybody else cut out; but you
wouldn't give farthing for the looks
of him as Eileen, with her sweetest
smile, replied: "Im sorry, Mickey;
but I'm already bespoke for this reel
wild Tim Rogan."
1t was then that Mickey whispered
eagerly: Il wish you were twins,
Eileen But since you're not, how'd
the next dance for me, won't you?"
The piper had quick ear, even If
he couldn't see. He heard what hap
pened because Mickey was standing
close beside him, and he says, so that
no one else could hear Mickey, why
don't you get another partner? Shure,
there's more than one girl in the
room"
ALL IL . luGhy lOi yOu lhdI JNu iO
not bothered wild eyesight, piper an
swered Mickey, for if you could see
you'd know well enough that while
there's plenty of faymales in the room
there's only one girl, afther all, an
that's Eileen Oge."
Misfortune is a consolation some
times" says the piper, and then he
played the merriest tune that ever
made people tickle the floor with fiut-
tering feet, and the dance was on.
Under the enchanting spell of the
piper's music Ardmore and all its
cares were soon forgotten, and in i'm
agination the barn became palace
with lords and ladies bright in it, in
stead of the boys and colleens of the
village. Then, between the dances,
the piper played THE Snow-Breasted
Pearl" and to the surprise of every
body lifted his voice in melting ac-
cents to the words of the dear old
song:
There's a colleen fair as May,
For a year and for a day
/ have tried in every way
Her heart to gain;
There's no trick of tongue or eye
Fond youths with maiden try,
But I've tried with ceaseless sigh
And tried in vain"
After the pipers song the dance was
renewed till you couldn't tell which
was north or south by the stars in the
sky. Then the delighted dancers, who
were good and tired, took a rest, and
the piper felt his way out into the
cool air to timber his legs and his
fingers for the rest of the program.
Eileen Oge was sitting beside Tim
Rogan with party of boys and girls
praising the pipers fine singing, when
small boy came into the room and
says: Il don't want to frighten you,
Eileen, but your mother was taken
sick of suddint, an there's man
on horse at the dure waitin' for you
to go wild him to the priest"
Eileen rose up at once with look
of sorrow in her eyes, and, pulling
her shawl about her head, started to
go. All the boys in the room wanted
to keep her company; but the case
was urgent, and, thanking them, while
the tears stood in the beautiful eyes
of her, she went and was helped to a
seat behind the horseman, everybody
thinking it must be some neighbor
anxious to do a kindly service.
man in a whisper, and then they gal
loped away.
Eileen said nothing. You would
think her heart was filled with grief
for her mother, and that she only
thought of being able to reach her in
time so that the faster the horse went
the better she liked it,
When it was time for the next dance
to begin the boys had taken their part
ners and we're ready, there was no
sign of the piper.
Where is the piper, at all?" asked
Tim Rogan.
Maybe the poor man got lost in the
dark outside" says Mickey Manus.
tits as much as a man with the use
Of his eyes can do to get around of a
dark night like this, let alone a blind
man. Let some O. we look for him.
There's his pipes by the chair he sat
in. Sure, he can't be far off,"
Search was made for the strange
piper high and low, but neither hide
nor hair of him could be found, and
the dancers wondered until nearly
dawn what in the world could come
over him. Some said that maybe the
good people" carried him off. but
Tim Rogan declared that it could not
be, because the fairies never bothered
their heads with old men, and would
not have anything to do with the
blind.
The mystery was deepened the next
day when the neighbors called to see
Eileen's mother, and found that she
was not sick at all, and learned, more
over, that Eileen herself had not re-
turned home since she went to the
dance the night before.
Then you may be sure the village
was disturbed in its mind; and there
was MANY a sOrp heart Among the hove