Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-08-10
TWO sQDES OF THE QUESTION.


Across the broad brown peat field with sprngng step
she bounded,
Light. he irted btheSOne Kathleen, last of Old Ma
gulre'' long race
Singing with the thruslcs.
Gathering straight green rushes
TO plat mimic corone her maiden brow to grace.
Poor she was, but poverty was poweress to demean
Or DER her happy maidenhood to throw cloud or
Health and youth carcssed her,
Beaulys dowry blessei her,
And innocence from breath of guile to guard her still
was fam.
blithcly DER the turf like white fawn she went
springing
To the hcdgerow where the hawthorns Old were young
again with May,
The clustering b ,ckberrics
OF the ivy hung like cherries
Midst the white and fragrant thorn flowers, seemed at
hide and seek to play.
Upon ptoc she stretched eagerly the highest branch
to gathc,
For like other lOngcdOr treasures still the farthest
seemed most fair;
I,nt she ia led, for mother Nature
In The molding of her stature,
Though twas symmerys perfeclion left her not an
inch to spare.
And while wstfuily she eyed them, she heard merry
A step came near-she turned and saw with flushing
Her ncighbor, the Young farmer
All sure il would not harm her
Should he stop and kindly gather her the Whitest,
sweetest bough.
But she took it shyly, fearing lest sharp reproof
might meet her
Should they know at home that even thus she met
For carei uly they'd taught her
That she, true Churchs daughter.
Must keep from breath heretcal the ancient faith and
ofeeu'
But through the heap Of blossoms in her smile
she sent him;
And her bashful thanks were murmured with coy
and tmid grace.
Then she turned to leave him;
Well she knew twouh grieve him.
For her own bright smile mirrOrcd in the love-
light on his face.
"Oh! Kathleen STAY, lie pleaded. Don't you see
And coaxng Us to learn by heart her spellingbook of
lOvc?'
sih" sac said show could
Wouldn't it be sinful should
Stay listnn' words sweet they'd lure the backbird
from the grove
And, indeed. we should be enemies, remembering ell
wrongngs
Since you hcretics with Cromwell came poor Erin 10
DESTROY;
And the woe and desolation
Or Our broken hearted nation,
When batraycrs base!y sold her and turned to grief
her joy!'
The hot blood flushed er forehead. her eyes flashed
vivid glauceS,
But young Alech led her gently to messy, flower
starred seat.
"Oh, Kathleen! darling jewel.
Sure your sweet mouth, dear, never made such
bygones tor peat
And I'm thinking, dear, story could tell would set
you aoubting
If the wrong al our side in the wicked feuds
of yore;
But I'd scOm, ashore, to mention
he bitter black contention
When the wou "9S" the land o'rilowed with tears
and gore.
Never mind it al, my Kathleen! Is fair Ireands face
less lovely?
Are the primrose and the hawthorne 10th their sweet
TO bcStOw
Because of all the fighting!
Why, a"ushla! Twill be righting
little bit OF all the wrong if rc strife forego."
And Kathleen nestled closer, while her bright ewes
sofy glowing,
Lit up dia Onds the lashes wet with loves reent-
ing tears
"Ah. would you with your wiling
Voice Il I'd words beguing.
W hIth my fond heart steal away from me the faith of
early years ~
no, my darling, keep it-would rob the nesting
CIshat
OF thr shetering wing that guads it from the rough
and chilly ?
And when 10 heaven yotre bending
My blessing III be sending
TO the saint that sent me such JOY you, my Kath-
leen far
So they sat till twilight folded its soft gray robe about
them:
The birds conentcd, went to sleep when all the tale
was told;
The evening star came smiling
To see the reconciling,
While Love made heavenly harmony of discords harsh