New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1882-02-08
..And shall I stay, mavourneene"

''And shall stay, mavourneen?"
mo. Phil-go! Would you stay for
bit of foolish girl like me. after all
your brave plansp But I'd not let you,
dear heart! You've worked hard to
get the money to 20; you've shamed all
those as have slandered you, and who
knows but there's fame and q fortune
waiting for you in American
':And if there is, Kathleen, it's wait
ing for you, too, cush.a.''
''Ah! but it's many the long day it
may wait fol- me, Phil" sobbed Katl,-
leen.
''But when you can, you'll come,
won't you, Kathleen? You'll come as
soon as you camp
':Ah! but it may be long, dear. And
you may get tired waiting 80
kathleen. sweet soul, would you
send me away with such cruel words?
Don't 20 for your sake? 10 make a
home for you? And shall I ever get
tired of the getting ready for you?''
''And you will wait-wait until I am
free to marry you?''
Il shall wait if it 8 till my hair turns
grey. mavourneen, for you to come.
| Whether it is a month or years from
now that you cross the seas, you will
find Phil Bracy watching for you, and
his home ready for you. Isn't it for
Just that I'm going, Kathleen acushla?
And you-you promise to come to me,
as soon as you can, but soon or late to
| come?''
eyes, yes; unless my heart should
break, Phil! For, oh, how I'm to live
when you are gone-I don't see.'
They chung to each other in an agony
of sorrow. They sobbed in each others
arms. They wet each others face with
their bitter tears. Thdy pledged again
and again their vows of constancy.
They said farewell hundred times and
! yet could not unclasp their prisoning
hands. At last-it was Kathleen who
tore herself away, and staggered home
in the starlight, white and wan,- and
took up the burden of her lonely life.
Years passed away-one, two, three,
| four, five, six, seven; and the Kathleen
| Donovan of nineteen was woman of
twenty-six, with worn, sad face, and
hands hardened and roughened by toll.
The farm was gone. The earnings of
! years were gone, too. For months
Kathleen had fought bravely to keep
| the wolf from the door and surrounded
her invaded old father with comforts.
At last he was dead, and the brown
earth covered him; and the daughter,
whose life he had made miserable for
eight weary years, was quite alone in
the world. She disposed of what little
was left to her, and turned her face to-
wards the western seas.
1t was long time since Kathleen
Donovan had heard from Phil Bracy-
at least four years. But what of that?
He had said he would wait for her; she
had promised to 60 to him as soon as
she was free. Now she was free. and
she was going to him. She knew she
was not worthy of him, she had grown
so old, and so sad, and so faded; but
he would be watching for her, and she
must not disappoint him. 1t never
occurred to her to doubt him. His pres
ence had been as near and as real to
her through all these years as if she had
held him nightly in her arms and pill
lowed her white cheeks above tile
warmth of his heart. Women like
Kathleen Donovan never outlive their
love. 1t only dies within them. and
they trust as blindly as they love.
1t was in the spriDgtime-in sweet
May-when, after long and comfort
less voyage, Kathleen Donovan arrived
at New York. sick and forlorn, and
looking more like wrath than NOR
tai woman. But one hope animated
her, one belief nerved her feeble steps;
Phil was near; he was watching for her;
she should find him soon.
1t was this intensity OF belief that he
was watching and waiting for her, and
that she should find him very soon,
added to her natural cleverness, that
led Kathleen to seek an ho.el. Fortu-
nately she drifted into comfortable
and safe place. though of course the
scantiness of her means forced her to
seek shelter in the least fashionable
quarter. There, in small top room,
she was glad to give herself up to hours
of repose, because she had come near,
very near, she fe.t, to her husband.
ut is seven years ago to-day-seven
years to-day-since Phil went awayw
she cried, softly, to herself, when she
crept out of her bed next morning.
And she slipped down upon her knees
and prayed the sain' to Let Ler find
him soon-very soon!
But the days slipped away, and with
them Kathleen's little store of money,
and the saints seemed to pay no heed
to her earnest suoplications. July, hot
and sultry, too, hal come, and made
fearful drafts upon her strength. Yet
feeble as she was, work of somo kind
was now an imperative necessity. She
had made one friend, though; tho
housekeeper of the hotel kindly obtain
ed her position in the restaurant, and
there Kathleen worked through the hot
summer.
One day as Kathleen was leaving the
restaurant, TO fill an order, party of
guests entered and seated themselves
around one of the tables with noisy
talk and laughter. What familiar tone
struck upon Kathleen's ear? She turn
ed back, stepped quickly across the
room, and appeared before the new
comers-a white-faced. shining-eyed
woman. with thin hands clenched tight
~ across her painting breast.
One of the men, well-dressed,
portly, handsome fellow, threw up his
hands in wild. Mortified way.
''Merciful powers! Is it Kathleen
Donovan? Is it you, Kathleen?' he
cried.
Eyes, Phil, I've come at last" she
said, with a smile that lighted her face
for moment as sunshine ]ightens
marble; and then she ree'ed and would
have fallen but for the ready arms out
stretched to catch her.
They carried her into another room,
and Phil Bracy was there when she
opened her eyes and looked around.
1T was weary long waiting, love,