[From Shadowland in Ellan Vannin, 1880]

CHAPTER II.

The unlucky fairy money — Betsey Criggal — The changeling.

IT is now six years since Clague was relieved from his difficulties by the fairy gift, and he has kept so steadily to work and to home, and been withal so kind a husband, that his wife-who has never varied in her faithful affection for him-has almost forgotten the two unhappy years of her wedded life, or has come to regard them as little more than a painful dream, best banished from the mind. But though Richard is all she could desire, and money troubles and anxieties are no longer felt, yet there is one source of sorrow and disappointment to both the Clagues and their faithful, sympathizing servant and friend, Betsey Criggal. Three children had been born to them-to all appearance, fine, healthy babies-and who, for a month or two, seemed to thrive, and gave every promise of living, when, without apparent cause, they would droop and fade away before their parents' eyes. Medical men from Ramsey, and Duglas too, were consulted, and prescribed to no purpose ; and though doctors, as a rule, are never puzzled about the ailments of their patients — or rarely confess to so much — yet the insular Æsculapii had to avow themselves unable to do anything, and the babies were too young for the usual prescription of a baffled doctor, 'Try change of air!' And now there is again trouble and anxious watching. Their fourth infant-a little girlis, as Betsey says with many tears and shakings of the head, 'going like the rest.' There had been great hopes of this child being spared to them, as she was now six months older than the longest-lived of her predecessors. Till the day of N~-hich we write she had seemed bright and well. Richard and his wife started betimes in the morning to attend a fair at Kirk Michael, leaving the infant in perfect confidence with Betsey.

When the hour approached at which she expected her master and mistress to return, the faithful woman, after hushing her precious charge to sleep, placed her gently in her cot near the fire, and then busied herself in preparations for supper, laying everything on the table in the same room as where the child lay peacefully and quietly, one tiny dimpled arm showing above the patchwork quilt that covered the cradle. Her preparations all complete, Mistress Criggal took up a stocking she had been knitting, and with this stood for a few moments at the door plying her needles, and glancing now and then in the direction in which she expected her master and mistress to appear. ' They're late, surely,' she thought ; 'but as like as not they'll be gone to Misthress Kneale's-they've been promisin' times to put a sight on her when they'd be her way.'

About ten minutes more she waited, and then returned to the kitchen. All was apparently as she had left it, the kettle singing above the fire in the wide ' chuilleig,' the large red tailless cat purring an accompaniment. On the table the bread and homemade cheese and jough, all ready waiting, and baby evidently still sleeping, for no sound or movement came from the cradle. The little arm had disappeared under the coverlet, the only apparent alteration in the state of things since Betsey bad left the room. She roused up the fire, and, tucking tip her blue petticoat, seated herself before the glowing embers, to wait with what patience she might the return of her people from the fair. Ere long she succumbed to the soothing influences surrounding her, and fell into a quiet doze. The stocking on which she had been engaged slipped to the ground, and presently she gave unmistakable indications of sleep, joining by vigorous snores in keeping up the chorus with puss and the kettle ! However, she declared after that she was not ' that sown" but that any noise or movement in the room-especially if near the carefully-tended babywould have instantly roused her; that she at once wakened from her semi-slumber on hearing the approach of the cart in which Mr. and Mrs. Clague were driving to the door ; that the first idea she had

of anything being amiss was when she was startled from her gossip with 'Billy the Lag'-who had had a lift in the cart, and was giving her some of the news of the day-by hearing her mistress cry, ' Betsey, Betsey, come here, quick!' and when she obeyed, she, like the poor mother, stood horror-struck and dis mayed at the sight that met her view. Richard, who was just going round to the yard with the horse and trap, threw the reins to the man standing near, and rushed into the house, startled by the cries of the women. What was that piteous object that lay before him-in the cot where so often he had gazed with delight on his child, his beautiful, ruddy, bright-looking babe, as she had lain in rosy smiling slumber, or else with wide-open blue eyes, following the movements of all they rested upon : the waving of the rosebushes, laden with their blushing scented blossoms, that peeped in at the window ; the birds or butterflies that flitted hither and thither, or, sweeter still, when those same looks fixed themselves upon his face in apparent recognition and love, while his darling cooed forth some song in baby tongue?

The child lay where Betsey had placed her; but instead of the healthy, chubby-indeed, one might say lovely-specimen of infancy, that she had been when put into her bed, she now looked thin, pinched, and wrinkled. Long skinny arms lay motionless at her side, whilst the once sparkling eyes seemed to have sunk into her head, from whence they glared as if in anger and dislike at the trio who stood near, gazing in dire distress and horror at the spectacle before them. It seemed impossible to realize, and more like some awful dream from which they would awake, so sudden, so awful was the change.

'Oh, Richard, Richard! what can we do? Oh, my darling! my boggey veg millish ! veg vien !' the poor mother cried in her anguish, as she tenderly lifted the poor stricken one in her arms.

'Do !' exclaimed her husband in agonized tones, ' do nothin', nothin' ; there's some curse or spell upon us ! It's that unlucky fairy money that I had to use. Och, och ! a judgment upon me for the bad life I'd been livin.' But the Lord be good to us ! what had you done, or the poor childher either, for that matther, that the like should come upon ye ? Oh dear! oh dear!' and as he thought of the little creature he had left crowing in the nurse's arms, and to all appearance in perfect health, when he and his wife had driven away that day, and saw it now in this pitiable state, strong man though he was, he broke down utterly ; whilst Betsey rocked herself backwards and forwards, uttering loud lamentations. What had so lately been a bright, happy household was changed into one of sorrow and deepest anxiety.

All night long the wretched mother, father, and their servant sat up trying all possible and 'impossible' remedies, but without avail. The child lay much in the same state, unless when anyone touched or moved

it, when it would give utterance to a low snarling cry, and the eyes would settle upon whoever meddled with it with the glare of an enraged animal prepared to spring upon a foe. How could the hitherto soft, gentle blue eyes wear such a look? What agony to the watchers' hearts to see these restless orbs blazing like coals of fire in the dimly-lighted room, never resting long anywhere, but always charged with loads of hate and enmity wherever they travelled. And thus the weary night wore on, and a new day began, without bringing one ray of hope or comfort to the distressed household.