THE LEGEND OF KNOCK- A-TH AMPLE. 1 93 



of maternity returned precisely as they came : to expend 

 holy water on such antique customers was almost a 

 sinful waste — their presumption was unpardonable — 

 it was enough to vex, a saint, and even put the blessed 

 Patroness of Knock-a-thample in a passion. 



Holy water, like prophecy, appears to be of little 

 value at home, and hence the devotees usually came from 

 some distant province. The soil, indeed, might then 

 have possessed the same anti-Malthusian qualities for 

 which it is so remarkable at the present day. Certainly 

 the home consumption of Knock-a-thample was on a 

 limited scale — and the herdsman and his wife, who 

 then occupied the ruined cottage near the church, owed 

 their winter comforts to the munificence of the strange 

 pilgrims, who, during the summer season, resorted in 

 numbers to the well. 



It was late in October, and the pilgrimages were over 

 for the year — ^winter was at hand — ^the heath was 

 withered, and the last flower had fallen from the bog- 

 myrtle — the hoollies* were abandoned, and the cattle 

 driven from the hills. It was a dark evening, and the 

 rain which had been collecting on the mountains began 

 to fall heavily, when a loud knock disturbed the inhabi- 

 tants of the cabin. The door was promptly unbarred 

 and a young and well-dressed stranger entered, received 

 the customary welcome, with an invitation to join the 

 herdsman's family, who were then preparing their 

 evening meal. The extreme youth and beauty of the 

 traveller did not escape the peasants' observation, although 

 he kept his cap upon his head and declined to put aside 

 his mantle. 



* Temporary huts for cowherds and milkmaids for use in the 

 summer and autumn on mountain pastures. 



O 



