The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-03-06
THREE KISSES.

QuiIe tEue, SOH' 4no young mhS-
theirs writ the news to madam that he's
to be wed at Michaelmas to an earl's
daughter, no less, wild oceans of goold
to her fortune. Hasn't he made the
fine match Of itP"
"Begorra and you're right there. It's
the luck he's got. But talking Of fine
Matches" said Con O'Moore, as he
brushed his masters boots outside the
kitchen door, while Nora Rooney rub
bed the spoons not far away-'.talking
of fine matches, Nora, honey, didn't
my great-grandfather throw away just
the foinest chance you ever heard OFF
And II he'd taken It, it isn't living at
service I'd be, but In my own castle,
with bags Of goold and bundles Of bank
notes to my hand; and, maybe, In this
warm weather, my own man bringing
me the iced wine, the while swore at
him for not being speedier." '.,f'
Whats that you're telling us now,
Con O'Moorep" said Nora. t'As II we
were green enough to behave the loike
of thai"
"But, indade. you moight. them"
said Con; "and, indade, you've be-
laved more lies than I'll tell you, and
my great-grandfather, the man 1t hap
pened to, and he was q Connaught
man, and a very handsome fellow, the
loike of me, I'm tould; six feet In his
boots with eyes no girl said No to-"
"Sure, the vanity of mem" said
Nora.
swell, honey" said Con, "this same
great-grandfather, by name Larry
O'Moore. knew we'll enough his advan-
tages, and he was in no hurry to mar
~. And it was thirty years old he
was, when, being out walkin' one
Christmas Eve little farther from
home than usual, he came to funny
looking lot of rocks; and taking good
look at them, what did he see but the
opening of cave. It was dark-look-
ing place; but he was lad that didn't
know what fear was, was my great.
grandfather, Larry O'Moore. So into
the cave he went, and before he'd gone
far. 1t began to grow lighter; and, af-
ter while, 10 and behold! instead Of be-
ing in cave he was in garden, with
flowers and birds and fountains and
green grass, and In the middle of it,
Just the prettiest castle you ever set
your two eyes on, and the sun shining
on all around just for all the world as
II IL was the middle of summer instid of
deep winter. It was all very foine; but
he knew by the look of it it was fairy
land, and another man would have
been frightened again, but, as told
you, there was no scare in Larry
O'Moore; and what did he do but walk
up to the door and knock on It wild his
shillaly, and walk in without bye
your leave;' and, to be sure, when he
walked In, he just stood staring, for the
sight he saw was one no man ever saw
before.
Right before him was big pond Of
water with marble brim to It, and In
1t swan about the prettiest crayther.
The head Of her was woman, with the
prettiest golden hair and black eyes,
and cheeks like roses; and you never
saw prettier arms than she had, and
whittier hands or nicer shoulders; but
all below her waist was the loike Of .
fish. A great goold fish, you might
say, and she was swimming about In
the pond loike salmon.
"tComein. Larry she says, as soop
as she caught sight Of my great-grand;:
| father. I've been expecting you oil
day. Come in.
$50 in he walked, making his man.
nors, and says he,-
". Il hope your ladyship finds herself
quite cool and comfortable this warm
| afternoon
More than loike,' says the fish
lady, with sigh. sit down bit,
Larry, and I'll tell you something. I'm
a princess, Larry, and the wealth ]
have, the goold and jewels, Is just past
| countin.'
'Troth. it's aisy believing that by
the foine diamond crown you have on
your head, me lady, says Larry.
Just look into some Of those big
Golfers there, says the lady. Lift the
kivers and look in. You're no thafe,
but you couldn't stale a guinea II you
wanted to, for you'd be caught by five
hundred little gnomes and chopped in
to mincemeat the minute you touched
one. Lift the kivers and look In
$50 Larry lifted the kivers, and the
sight he saw was enough to make q
miser crazy. Every wan av thin carved
oak chests was fun of silver and goold,
rubies and emeralds and pearls, and
splendors Larry didn't know the name
OF.
It's not bullrush to all I have,
says the lady. I've lashings in all
sorts; and the day marry they'll all
be me husbands.
|" The gintleman goldfish is in the
luck, me lady, whoever he may be,
"I don't know who he'll be yet,
said the lady. Now listen, Larry, and
I'll tell ye my story.
| "I was once o beautiful princess,
but was fool enough not to know
when was well off, and nothing would
suit me but to take peep into fairy.
land. knew the cave you came in BY
was the way there, and so one day ]
ran away from my court ladies, and In
crept; and, sure, beautiful place Il
was, and illigant enough for an angel.
So called all the lords and dukes. and
the loike of them, and ! had me pal
ace built, and here we lived in luxury.
And the pond you see me on was oul
bathroom, where ] and the rest OF the
great ladies used to battle.
land we used to laugh and dance
and say, "A fig for ell the fairies on the
earth; they can't hurt US. I" But little
we knew what we were saying. The
fairies were mad enough with us. Ane
what did they do but creep into the
!, palace ono night, and bewitch the wa
ter of the bath; and when i rose from
! nv bed at the break OF day. to take my
Az, ~ 49, ta,.r,lla thing that hannah