Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-07-31

eye, dUu d feot COll pOSeu vi ali Tue COI-
ors of the rainbow. His big brown fng-
ers were profusely bedecked with brass
and steel rings, a massive brass chain
swung from his waistcoat, and an equ-
ally snowy pin adorned the scarf at his
throat. When the turfcutters, paus-
ing suddenly at their work, gazed at him
with wonder in their eyes, ne gave pc
peculiar smile and asked with strong
Yankee accent if they could tell him
where one Norah O'Connelllived; he was
stranger here and brought her news
from the Statesi In a moment dozen
fingers were outstretched to point him
on, and the stranger. again smiling
strangely to himself, staggered away.
[ stood for time and watched him
go. then [ too sauntered on. 1 turned
off from the road, crossed the bog, and
made direct for the sea shore.
| had been walking there for some
quarter of an hour, when suddenly a
huge shadow was flung across my
path, and looking up again beheld the
stranger. His hat was pushed back
now, and | saw for the first time that
his face was handsome. His cheeks
were brouzed and weather-beaten, but
his features were finely formed, and
on his head clustered mass of curling
chestnut hair. He was flushed as ii
with excitement; he cast me hurried
glance and disappeared.
Five minutes after, as I still stood
wondering at the strange behavior OF
the man, my ears were greeted with a
shrek which pierced to my very heart.
Running in the direction whence the
sound proceeded, reached the top of a
neighboring sand-hill, and gazing into
the valley below me 1 again beheld the
stranger. This time his head was bare
his arms were outstretched, and he
held upon his breast the half-fainting
form of the lovely girl whom 1 had last
beheld in the moonlight. While stood
Ehesitating as to the utility of descending.
[ saw the girl gently withdraw herself
from his aims. then, clasping her hands
around his neck, fall sobbing on his
breast.
"Weil, Shawn, what's the news?' !
asked that night when Shawn rushed
excited into my room. For time ne
could tell me nothing, but by dint of a
few well-applied questions l soon ex,
| tracted from him the whole story. Ii
amounted TO this, that working for two
years like a galley-slave in the black
pits of Pennsylvania, with nothing but
the thought of Norah to help him on,
Miles Doughty found himself with
enough money to warrant his coming
| home; that he was about to return to
Storport, when unfortunately the day
before his intended departure, shaft in
the coal-pit fell upon him and he was
left for dead; that for many months he
| lay i'll, bat as soon SIS he was fit to travel
he started for home. Arrived in Stor,
port, he was astonished to find that nc
one knew him, and he was about to
pass himself off as friend of his owp
when the news Of his reported death
and Norah's sorrow so shocked him that
he determined to make himself known
at once.
'And God help the william that told
her he was married." concluded Shawn
''for he swears he'll kill him as soon as
| Norah-God bless her!-comes out O
the fever that she's in tonight"
Just three months after that night
found myself sitting in the hut where
Norah O'Connell dwelt. The cabin was
Illuminated so brightly that it looked
like spot of fire upon the bog. The
rooms in the house were crowded. anG
without dark figures gathered as thick
as bees in swarming-time Miles Dough
ty, clad rather less gaudily than when
first beheld him, moved amid the throns
with bottle and glass, pausing now anC
again to look affectionately at Moran
who decorated with her bridal flower!
was dancing with one of the straw men
who had come to do honor to hel
marriage feast. When the dance was
ended she came over and stood beside
me.
''Norah," I whispered, "do you re
member that night when L heard yor
singing songs upon the sands ?"
Her face flashed brightly upon me
then it grew grave-then her eyes filled
WITH tears. ~ Is. IT,. --
"My DEAR" l added, 81 never. mean
to pain you. [ only want you to sins
a sequel to those songe tonight"
She laughed lightly, then she spok,
rapidly in Irish, and merrily sang the
ell-known lines:
| 'Oh, the marriage. the marriage,
| -- With 2loye and me bouchal for me,
| The ladies that ride in carriage
Might envy my marriage TO 9ne."-- 4'