The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-08-06

IlOW DTlBnb ana beautiful everything
; looked after the heavy rain The ground
was spongy to the tread the dew still lay
heavily upon the heather and long grass
but the sun seemed to be sucking up the
moisture from the bog. Everybody seemed
to be out that day; and most people were
busy. Old men drove heavily laden
donkeys along the muddy road; young
girls carried their creels of turf across the
bog and by the roadside close to where l
stood, the turf-cutters were busy.
l stood for while and watched them at
their work, and when | turned to 90 / saw
for the first time that l had not been alone
Not many yards from me stood a figure
watching the turf-cutters too.
A young man, with high boots. felt hat
cooked rakishly over one eye, and vest
composed of all the colors of the rainbow
When the turf-cutters, pausing suddenly in
their work, gazed at him with wonder in
their eyes, he gave a peculiar smile and
asked if they could tell where one Nora
OConnell lived he was stranger here and
brought her news from the States In
moment dozen fingers were outstretched
to point him on, and the stranger, again
smiling strangely to himself, walked away.
| stood for time and watched him 90.
then | too sauntered on. | turned off from
the road, crossed the bog and made direct
for the seashore.
Ihad been walking there for some quarter
of an hour, when suddenly huge shadow
was flung across my path, and looking up
again beheld the stranger. His hat was
pushed back now, and l saw for the first
time that his face was handsome. His
cheeks were bronzed and weather-beaten,
but his features were finely formed, and on
his head clustered mass of curling chest
nut hair. He was flushed as fwith excite
ment; he cast me a hurried glance and
disappeared.
Five minutes after as l still stood won
dering at the strange behavior of the man,
my ears were greeted with a shrek which
pierced to my very heart. Running in the
direction from whence the sound proceeded,
| reached the top OF a neighboring sand
HILL and gazing into the valley below me
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 had last be-
held in the moonlight. While / stood hesi-
taling as TO the utility of descending, l Nv
the girl gently withdraw herself from Us
arms, then clasping her hands around his
neck, fall sobbing on his breast.
"Well, Shawn, what's the news?" l asked
that night when Shawn rushed excitedly
into my room. For a time he could tell
me nothing, but by dint of few we'll APP
piled questions | soon extracted from him
he whole story. 1t amounted 10 this that
alter working for two years like a galley
slave, in the black pits of Pennsylvania,
with nothing but the thought of Nora TO
help him on, Miles Doughty found himself
with enough money to warrant his coming
home; that he was about TO return to Stor-
port, when unfortunately, the day before
his intended departure, a shaft in the coal
pit fell upon him and he was left for dead
that for many months he lay i'll, but as soon
as he was fit tO'travel he started for home
Arrived in Storport he was .astonished TO
lind that no one knew him, and he.was about
to pass himself off as friend of his own,
when the news of his reported death and
Norahs sorrow So shocked him that he de
termined to make himself known at once.
And God help the villain that told fer
he was married." concluded Shawn, "for
he swears he'll kill him as soon as Norah-
God bless herl-comes out o. the fever
that she's in tonight"
just three months after that night, | found
myself sitting in the hut where Norah
OCOnnen dwelt The cabin was illumin-
ated so brightly that it looked like spot
of fire upon the bog; the rooms in the
house were crowded; and without, dark
figures as thick as bees in swarming time.
Miles Doughty, clad rather less gaudily
than when l first beheld him, moved amidst
the throng, pausing now and again to look
at Norah, who, decorated with
her bridal flowers, was dancing with one of
the straw men who had come to do honor 10
her marriage feast. When the dance was
ended she came over and stood beside me.
"Norah," / whispered, do you remem-
ber, that night when l heard you singing
songs upon the sands?'
Her face flashed brightly upon me, then
it grew sgrave-then her eyes filled with
tears.
: "My DEAR" 1 added, never meant to
pain you. only,want you to sing a sequel
TO those songs tonight %
She laughed lightly, then she spoke
rapidly in Irish, and merrily sang the we'll
known lines;
"Oh, the marriage, the marriage,
With love and my bouehal foI me;
The ladies that ride in a carriage
Might envy my marriage to thee"
Then she was laughingly carried off to
join in another dance.
joined in the fan till midnight; then,
though the merriment was still at its height,
l quietly left the house and hasteBad home.
As l left the cabin 1 stumbled across a
figure which was hiding behind a turf
stack. By the light of my burning turf l
the features of Owen Macgrath.
Re skunk away when he saw me, and never
NICE that night has he been seen in Stor-
port.-Belgrdcia.
M. Tl,.,,,E