Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-25

uII,. GAME stood waiting OF
the opposite side O
the rutted space which served for ,
road, a wisp of woman, with hair anC
eyebrows as black as the trunk of thu
trammon tree, came to the door ant
Mid:
Come in. my finc young woman
There's nothing to be freckcned Of" ,.
Il was Nan, the witch doctor, anG
Bessie followed her into the house.
The inside was single room with
4 fire at one end and q bed ut the
other. The floor was Of hardened clay
and the scraas of the roof were 70 low
have stood erect under them. Bundles
fafters, and when the old woman closed
the door Bessie saw that the Crosh cuirn
(the cross of mountain ash) was stand
Ing at the back of it..
"1'm in trouble, ma am" said Bes. .
Ee, who was on the verge of tears,
"and I'm wanting to know what to do
and what is to happen to me-"
The witch doctor, whose quick eyes
ksd taken in the situation at a glance,
said:
"Aw yes. boCh. trouble enough. but
knock that cat off the cheer In the choil.
lush and sit down and make yourself
comfortable"
Bessie loosened her fur. lined cloak
ond sat in the ingle, with the fire at
her feet and a peep Of the blue sky
coming down on her from the wide
chimney. ',.ts.
TT. They were telling, me a fine, young
woman was coming, said the W.tch-
doctor tshe meant, the Invisible powers) !:
and 1t was wondering and wondering
] was would she have strength to climb
the brews. But here you are, my chree,
and now cup O. tay will do no harm
At ALL" =
Bessie tried to refuse, but the old
woman said: ,,..
'Chut! a cup o tay Is nothing and
neres my taypot on the warm turf and
the tay at the best. too"
While Bessie slipped at her Gun tile
witch doctor went on talking. but she
took quick glances at the girl from time
70 time and sometimes asked a qucs-
ton.
At length she bolted the door. drew
tnlck blind over the window, knelt
ceiGre the hearth, and called on Bessie
10 the same. SO that they were kneel-
!ns side by side, with no light in the
carKened room except the red glow from
tne fre on their faces and the blue
:Ieak from the sky behind the smoke
from the chimney.
n, after that the witch. doctor mum.
Olea some rhymes about St. Patrick
.nd the blessed st. Bridget. then put her
tsr , 10 the ground. saying she was listen.
n, nS 70 the Shccan ny Feaynid, the in
nslp'e beings who were always wander.
ing over the world. And then she began
On tne fortune, which Bessie, who was
trembling, interrupted with involuntary
Il, There's a fair young man in your
M' MMe' my chree, (Yes) and If you're not
~ 1% equal you're the apple Of his eye.
.h Laeie q poor ould woman, too, and
,n,n|p sne praying and praying for her bogh-
~. ..',sn h TO come home to her (Oh y and
ti1 Mr aons'ng that's taking the woman at
smes Is pitiful to see. Where is my
wandering girl tonight?' she's singing
sh ~hen she's sitting by her fireside and
'rm Tmen shcs going to bed she's saying,
NY ny c,rin. srT',s Keeping naught can harm
~ errinS cn1ld
"A, AZ this Bessie broke down utterly.
'"q the witch doctor. had to stop for
Emoment. Then she began again in a
o'asrent strain:
.1nere's an ould man, too $50 ycs
no (Yes, yesD as i'm.
.,a rt.ent az sin and as bould as a white
.one, and with wise ut him as lond
sa ,S, tfambone. Aw, yes, woman -bosh.
;es, tneres trouble coming on YOU. but
,;.I. aIe heart, gel. for things will come out
wSm. Sm. before long, and it's n proud
R'ah Rv. !ou re going to be some day.
~r ' you must 90 home to the mother.
ly snree, and never take rest till Won re
Si,h Sihg your head under the same roof
pe ,sta. ana will the young man be true to
W. Whatever happcns?" ~
he,rt uc AS true, my chrce, and his
wiI, will thnt warm to you at last that it
'"t MOUNTAINS" .-.0
Do t,,n Hnd will the old man be able to
" MN any iujuryY'' ' ~
hin, Tough bless me, no! Neither IN
and I p.yu, nur you, gel. Roaring and tearing
ino maa as wasp, maybe, but moth
10 10 no harm at ali, >"
psIm Ie's,e had crossed the old woman's
iba tHm with sixpence as she came into
irto INF IouSe: y. but shc emptlcd her nurse
thu thu ~, y going out, and then vent down
hesrtt h Nv with light step and a lighter
,hs N'.ek M Gell was at Derby Haven when
n,oras @ stt back, having been waiting for
down down ,han .h an hour. Seeing her coming
Gushsd' 'he road with her face aglow. he
4 aood a% on , to meet her. and broke into
'TSsIi,eot VI Joyous words.
Lootirn.oa Here you are at last !
'WIs 'WRss.a as fresh as flower, too
thai "aat WA aid say? Didn't | toll vou
.xsteiissa .xtii1a a mad only to get about and take
rail- in n and You would be as right as
lhs,bsadn no time? But, look here, Bess"
'%c@'Ss 'ycS'SSss drawn her arm through his hisI
now tbss, he Kept Inc waiting ali winter md
to asnht aat you're getting better I'm going
tssis as no. no.. more nonsense" s'S
dr. In was laughing.
|lI sHu.dn't let me put up the bans. nm
nw, thinking ban BaidrShms
~ ~ lI'liss = I 4