The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-09-07

/ said, crossin' meself with one hand
while dashed me horse with the 9TH
or.
But in spite of me whip and me
spurs and me prayers the iend behind
me. seemin to be pushed on by the
windstorm. kept gainin' on me, till at
last could hear him runnin me neck
and neck, for diviI a bit of him | could
see for the blackness. The divil has
power over the ightnin', for, although
there was thunder. not fash came
bright enough to show him to me
plain. Once one brighter than the
rest gave me a glimpse Of him. but he
was not like Satan at ali. He wore a
dress like a woman, black as the
night, and a long cloak stood out be-
hind him In the wind. and. worst of
all. be was slowly gainin' on me.
howled to the saint to give me horse
wind and strength, but it did no good,
and | was thinkin that he, KNOWN
l was bound to be too late, had gone
on to prevent the loss of the plate
himself Anyway the divil kept gain
In and gainin', DRAWN on before me
till at last l could hear the clatterin'
far ahead.
About that time. lookin' up in the
sky, / saw a rift in the clouds and the
moon, with little star beside it
mebbe for protection or companion
ship In the big heavens-lOokin' as
serene as saint just out Of purgatory.
But all about rolled the black clouds.
now and then lightn' up like big fire.
flies. some of 'em sendin low roars
like a sullen army that's been beaten
and movin' away in the distance. And
somehow it set me to thinkin' that
after all the forces of good had beaten
the forces of evil.
1t was at that time that | saw some
thing shinin' in the moonlight just
over the withers of me horse. Putin
me hand down near where it was,
what did | feel but a little cross. |
tried to take it away, but somethin
held it. Runn1n' me hand up to the
horn of me saddle. found hangin' to
it string Of beads. / took it off, and
1t was rosary.
Then | changed me mind, not be-
levin it was the divn that had been
ridin' beside me. but st. Patrick him
self. who in passin' had hung the
rosary to my saddle horn to tell me
that he was himself goin' to save his
own and that / needn't trouble me-
self about the matter.
After this | rested me horse a bit,
be BLOWN like a porpoise. Then
went on at an easier pace. By this
time half the west was quiet like and
glitterin' with stars, and the moon
kght was soft on the wet hills and
trees. In the east the black clouds
were rolIin' away and no sign left
of the storm except water runnin' be-
side the road and the streams roarin'
and boilin' down under the bridges.
And what made me feel better than
might at somebody-for | wasn't
sure it was st. Patrick or the divil-
Gttin' ahead of me in the race was
the moonlight on the drops of water
hangin' on the trees and the fences like
tiny diamonds | went on till. lookin'
ahead, | saw a high buildin' all lit up
1t bein' the middle of the night l won
dered what new miracle was on foot,
but when came nearer | cried out:
"Bedad it's the church,
Thinkin' the robbers were there. l
pushed ahead. wonderin' what the beg
gars would be doin' lightin' up their
sacrilege. but hopin' to scare 'em off
before they could git away with the
plate. | galloped up to the front door.
leapt from me horse and was gOin' in
but for the door bein' locked. ran
around to the door in the rear, where
the priests are used to goin' in. and
found it open. Runnin' in. was ready
to cry, "Avast, We robbersr' when |
stood still, speechless.
There was Father Conover at the
altar reciting the Litany.
| went in. crossed meself. bendin' me
knee at the same time. and when the
father had finished he saw me standin'
before him.
'1f you've come for the plate" he
said. you'll have to pass over me body
to get it."
'Father!' cried. Don't ye know
me? I'm Mike Mulcahey!'
And what are We dom here?"
Il come to save the plate"
"Ye're too late. Pm here ahead of
ye."
"And how do We think to save the
plate by lightin' up the church and
sayin' the LitanyY'
I'm hopin' that if they come to
take it, seem me here at the altar,
they'll fall on their knees instead of
committin' sacrilege."
How did ye git here?'
Zone of them that weakened came
to me and told me what was brewin'.
1 borrowed a horse and set off. pass
in one OF the beggars on the road"
'Oh, father. it was me We passed.
At first | thought We were Satan, then
! thought We were St Patrick"
'And what made We think me ST.
Patrick?'