Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-07-07

part, repaid her care with q passionate
devotion, obeying her slightest wish
and following her about like hel
shadow. He was also fond of Laurence
ride on whose horse constituted his
greatest pleasure ; and, though quite
unconscious of the reason, he under
stood, in his own dim way, that Lau
rence's uncle was angry, and that Grace
was grieved. Anger was very terrible
thing to poor Gerald, who dreaded
stern looks and harsh words as Other
lads dread blows.
Why, he wondered, did Grace want
the four leaved shamrock. An unwont.
ed fit of shy reserve prevented his ask.
ing for an explanation when Grace re,
turned, but he puzzled over the ques,
tion at intervals during the night, and
the wish for the solution of the difficulty
guided his wandering steps the next
morning to his old nurses cabin, which
stood on a green hillside, some three
miles from his home.
The old woman was sitting on hen
doorstep knitting, and basking in the
sunshine. She looked up ioyfully as
Gerald approached.
"Master Gerald, alanna, I thought ]
was never going to set eyes on you
again. What became Of you all this
long while, honey?"
81 don't know, nurse" answered Ger.
aid; 81 must have been busy, I think. "
"Busy," said old Joan, sspoor lamb,
sure it's you that'll never know what be-
ing busy means all the better for you,
maybe. Sit down there, alanna, an I'll
get you drink Of milk"
Gerald stretched himself at full length
upon the grass, and began to drink the
milk, which Joan brought him in lit
tie china mug sacred to his own use.
''How is Miss Grace ~ asked Joan.
'I don't know" answered Gerald
'sshe is unhappy, I think. Her eyes
were full of tears when she came in from
the garden last night. She thought
I did not see them, but I did. Nurse,
what is four-leaved shamrock"
ga four-leaved shamrock, alanna
Why, shamrock that has four little
leaves instead of three"
81 know that, mean. what is the use
of itP
"Well, people say that It's a fairy
charm that brings luck to them that
owns it. l never saw one myself, but
my mother knew a woman that found
one when she was milking her COW in
the meadow, an grew rich an prosper
GUS from that day out. Who was talk
ing to you about it. Master Gerald ?"
sGrace was singing about it last
night, and she said she wished she
could find one. It had something to do
with Laurence's uncle, I think"
"Ah, yes," said Joan. 81 suppose
Miss Grace thinks that if she had one,
she could make things up between Mas
ter Laurence and his uncle"
"And could she?"
"Who knows but she might !? By all
accounts there's wonderful power in a
four-leaved shamrock"
81 wonder if I could find one," said
Gerald.
perhaps you might. Sure it's to the
likes of you that the good people often
send their gifts. Look for it anyway,
alanna. 'Tis pity to have Miss Grace
fretting."
Henceforth poor Gerald's one dream
was to find the four-leaved shamrock,
which was to avert the anger of Lau-
rence's terrible uncle and make Grace
happy. He was accustomed to rove
hither and thither pretty much as he
listed, for no one in all the country
round, would harm the innocent, while
his own Typographical instincts were I'M
erring. Accordingly he wandered about,
day after day, telling no one of his pur-
pose, haunting every meadow and every
eopse where shamrocks grew, seeking
the magic quarterfoil destined to work
such spells. Such freaks of nature,
however, though they do occur, are very
rare, and Gerald's quest was long fruit
less one. He had at first avoided the
neighborhood of Glenallan Mills from
an unconquerable dread of meeting the
terrible Mr.. Latouche, whose stern face
and iron-gray hair appeared to poor
Gerald the embodiment of all that was
awful. At length, after days and weeks
of patient search in other places, he so
far oyercame his repugnance as to go
in the early morning ng-to large meadow
through which the mill-stream flowed,
and where the most luxuriant tufts of
shamrock in all the country round were
said to grow.
It was too early yet for the mill to be
at work the immense wheel was at rest
and slender thread of ripping water
flowed quietly on, giving no token OF the
force pent in by the sluices, and only
awaiting iberating hand to come
rushing down and give life and motion
to the slumbering mill. There was no
lack either of life or motion in the
meadows, however; the birds did not
wait for the sound of the bell to begin
their day, but sang and chirped and
hustled about as if determined to make
the most of the short time they had the
world to themselves, while the rabbits
darted in and out of their holes, or
nibbled the young leaves, their bright
eyes and long ears constantly on the
alert against every danger, real or i'm
aginary. Gerald was fond of animals,
and at another time would have found
much amusement in watching their an
tics now, however, his mind was full
of his quest, and he moved slowly,
kneeling or lying on the ground wher-
ever he saw tuft of shamrock, and
patiently examining it leaf by leaf.
At length he drew near the stream,
which had steep, grassy banks gay with
many flowers. The great bell was ring
ing now, and the workn.or were troop
ing into the courtyard. He should
abandon his search for that morning,
since he would not risk meeting with
Mr.. Latouche. He was turning reluct-
antly away, when he perceived partic-
ularly large tuft of shamrocks on the
steep bank. Some sudden impulse de-
termined him to examine it closely,
and he stretched himself on the grass
above SO as to look down upon it. His
sight was wonderfully long and clear,
SO chat he could distinguish every leaf
let in what to another person would
have seemed confused mass Of green.
At length, to his unspeakable delight,
he perceived the object Of his search--a