Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-04-08
from the Bangor Commercially
ALLEN CLARY.
A Story Of the irish Famine.

Morning in the " ould country" Ju,
as talr and sweet a morning as ever gla6
dened human eyes. The morning win
sobbed TREMENDOUSLY through the dew
trees, as If shadowy night wept tears {
pain as she f1oated away to make ROOF
for visitant. In the east the horizo
seemed studded with bars of amethyf
and emerald, while flmy, arrowy streak
OF gold shot up and were lost in the bin
overhead. Then the sun gathered abou
him his trailing garments of crimson an
purple and began his upward Journey.
"Dance hight, for nv heart lies unde
your feet, love- the bithe song tloate,
ont through the lattice, which the mex
moment was pushed open, and the fra
grant mir, heavy with night dew that hi,
lam for hours sleeping in bloom ant
roses, rushed in and famed with odorou
breath the face of Aileen Clary.
Soft tendril-ike curls that chung il
ebon rings around the low satin, smooth
forehead; eyes that sparkled like dew
drops on shamrock; cheeks of summer
bloom md lips of summer ripeness made
up face that would have tempted ar
anchorite.
A smile rippled over the face of the
pretty Irish maiden as she caught sight
of tall, young fellow slowly coming
oward the cottage.
"And sure, Neil, she called in a voice
like brook music, "You are rather an
early bird, are you not, for the sun is
hardly up yet, and going to the door
she gayly welcomed him, all the time
wondering what made him so sober. 50
unlike the usually CHEEKY Neil O'Neale.
"Alleen, l am going to America" was
Neils abrupt announcement.
"What" uttered the maid, gazing up
into her companions face, as the smile
faded from her own. "Going to Amer
ica."
You surely do not mean to leave Us, f."
and the radiant light tnat had made her
face 80 enchanting few moments before
faded into ashiness.
Yes, dear, must co."
"No, no, Neil, you do not mean SO.
Oh, if you go what shall I do! All the
long, long days to sit and cry because I
am so lonely. You will not, Neil. Tell
me yon will not
She pleaded as one pleads for life.
and her hard, dry sobs strangled in her
throat, but her eyese were fearless and
her breath came in quick, painful gasps.
Neil gathered the trembling little figure
closely to his heart.
"Aileen, I have been thinking ever
since father died thatpoverty and sorrow
would always be our portion if We should
rsmain here where the rent would eat up
the little I could raise. II I should 20
to America I could soon earn enough to
enable me to come back after you, and
together we would return to that coun-
try where home awaits every man that
is willing to work. So dry your tears
Aileen and bid me God-speed, will YOU
not, mavourneen ?" he said, in low, as
surfing tone.
Smiling through tears at his hopeful
words, Aileen soon became almost re-
conciled 1T the thought of bidding him
goodbye.
"But two years is such long time,
Neil. uemble for fear that you will
not come back" said Aileen, in voice
that sounded as if it came through waves
of tears.
"A1leen, you know that I could not
forget you"
II know it, Neil. But something
tells me in this parting hour that after
you are gone that dark-faced agent.
Morris Leinster, will trouble me. I re-
fused him, you know, aud at the time
he frightened me, he was SO very angry ?"
Could the girl have perceived the
effect of her words on the listener
crouched behind the lattice she would
have screamed from very fear.
A blaze of jealous, white heat spread
over the dark face of the spy; his eyes
darkened with fierce and evil light; his
lips compressed with bitter hatred, and
he ground his teeth together as he NUT
tered TO himself:
"You may well fear Morris leinster
my fine lady, for the day will come when
you, a peasant farmers daughter, will
rue that you sighted the hand Of the
rich agent for the sake of that beardless
son of poverty"
The agent crouched behind the lattice
until be became aware that the Young
couple were coming to the door. Then
he hastily hid himself in a clump of
bushes that grew close by the cottage.
And there he stood, with his ivid face.
compressed lips and eyes cleaning like
basalisk's, while Aileen gave her lover
the promised, cheerful Godspeed, then
silently left the vicinity of the Clary
cottage with terrible unspoken vow
written on the evil face;
"Bread! Bread! We are starviney'
The cry arose, first low, tremulous. as
from sea of tears, then deepened and
swelled into great miserere going up
before the throne of the Eternal Spirit.
It crossed the ocean and vibrated over
the sentient heart-strings of all those
who heard, for it told them that the
"Jewel Of the Atlantic " was holding out
imploring hands, and praying for life
that over the beautiful island stalked the
grim skeleton of famine, converting il
into vast wine-press, though the Grim
son, oozing fluid was not wine, but blood
from those who are among the noblest O
the sons of earth.
"Starving!' We who live in q land O
plenty with its immense storehouses, it.
great granaries filed to OVERLOOKING will
golden grain, hardly know the meanin,
of the word, and God grant that th
hunger wolf may never step over GU
thresholds we may never be oh
uged 10 refuse the demands Of hunge
till it scorches, withers even the grea
passions Of life by SITS incessant calls fc
food.
And famine forgot not the home Of th
Clarys. The rounded form Of Alice
grew thin and wasted; besides era
pallor her face had wan, pinohed iool
the lips, always SO brilliant and laugh
ing, became rigid and ashen hued, an
every feature bore the trace Of .intehs
suffering, but not word escaped he
for the pain Of witnessing the agony
her parents as they SOW their childre
Wasting to skeletons, as they beheld Il
younger children, begging vainly, NUT
y, with little, chaw-1ike hands for foe
that they had nc. strength ia ask TO
nu m even the pangs Of hunger.
Then, in those days Of wretchedne
and woe, came new trial Of the bray
hearted Girl. She nevar fnrnot IN az.