Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-12-25
Old Rafferty, leaped to his feet. His

sH NlQ Ranerty PED V0 nls 1eet. Hl0
wife sank weakly into o chair. 5 #s
n a queer. hard look came into the girl's
face. She did not hesitate, though.
She She put her hand IN her pocket and
drew out Q letter. 81 5 81
Sarah sheehy gave me this to give
William" she said, III
Hand it hereln roared old Rafferty,.
He was fairly furious, stamping, foam
Ing. IA At descindint she Of Tim
Sheehy--thryin' to inveighle my son
Into marryin' her, Hand 1t hereI'
He snatshed the letter from her. She
sat there white indeed, with painting
breast and glistening eyes, while old
Rafferty, and his wife perused the brief
but loving epistle. When they had
finished they turned to Hanna. Both
were trembling with excitement -
actually speechless. But suddenly old
Rafferty, jumped up and went spinning
around the kitchen like one possessed
II have itW he roared. 20, Ellen
Jane o, I have It'll we'll make him marry
Hanna-faith we will" I, 4, b
The blood came back with rush to
the girls face. She half rose: n
20, no, sor; o, mop -: T.
He must" still keeping up his frantic
dance of delight. 'sYe must make him.
Hanna. Yell have the farm one Of
these days, an ye'll live here with the
old woman an me, an We'll show the
Sheehys they can't come any Of their
thrioks over the Ranertys - not by
George Washington an the banshee Of
the ORourkesl Well show 'em, Hannal
Be married on Twelfth Day. You an
VIII can drive up to Father Kisha-
lender at Hebron an be back by supper.
Not wurrd, Hanna; we'll show the
Sheehysv' -...E. -.~s4 .s.,4
The day after Christmas old Rafferty,
told his son he must marry Hanna. In
vain the young fellow protested, en-
treated, refused. But his opposition
added to his fathers anger. If he
wouldn't he must surely be disinherited
and the farm was worth S., 1000. On
New Years Day the father had succeed
ed in wringing from him most reluc-
tant consent. A blizzard blew up. The
roads were blocked, almost impossible,
but no excuse would avail with old Raj
ferty. Go to Hebron on Twelfth Day
they must. And go they finally did,
both silent, both pale, both evidently in
utter protest against the world, the
Raffertys, and each other. The sixteen
miles between Bubble and the county
seat were traversed. They were mar.
ried. They drove home. At the kitchen
door they were welcomed by bright
lights, the congratulations of invited
neighbors, the steam of roasting turkey
and odor of pumpkin pies. More than
all by old Rafferty,. He was positively
wild with pleasure. He was capering
around the room, laughing, shouting,
explaining, now putting his head back
to roar the better, now bending double
to slap his leg and writhe in ecstatio
and speechless contortions.
'Now, William, now! Well let the
Sheehys see-now! Thinkin' they
could thrap my son. I'm proud of We,
William! Shake hands! Good girrul,
Hanna! Ouch, but the Sheehys can't
come any of their thricks over ould Raj.
ferty. He's too smart for them. The
fight is still on. What'll they say? oh,
Hanna, this is happy day! You amt
ried."
''Oh, yes, she has!"
Willis voice had peculiar ring. A
silence fell on the gay clamor. Blankly
old Rafferty, regarded his son and heir.
Was that the dismal and frowning
young fellow who had driven off this
morning; that erect, laughing, glowing.
checked young man? And was that
forlorn and frightened and protesting
Hanna? That lovely, smiling, crying,
blushing, altogether happy and win.
some little creature.
"Wh-a-ht do we mean, William?"
''Oh, jest that she did change her
name-that's all! She was Sarah Sheehy,
now she's Sarah Raffertyw
"Williamw
"WHAr!'
pretty wife and bravely held his ground.
''We fell in love with each other
when I was on the trip to Ireland.
knew you wouldn't hear of my marry
ing her, SO we planned I'd get mother
to send home for Uncle Mikes Hanna,
and she, who was great friend Of
Sarah's, would let Sarah come in her
place. And we thought we'd wait till
you and mother had learned to love her
and then tell you the truth and ask you
to bless our marriage. But" with burst
of irrepressible laughter, "you wouldn't
let us wait"
"But, William" family and Devil.
deredly broke in his mother, t'you said
an she heard-an' she said"
Ringingly he laughed again. ''Ot
course we did. That was the plan.
Father!'" he held out his hand. 81 %#.
The old man, mute, wild-eyed, dis
mayed, looked at it in hesitation. -.
"But-but," he faltered, ''she is Tim
Sheehy's choild, an Tim he went an
married Sarah Connolly"
'Well," cried sharply Mrs. Rafferty,
senior, so sharply old Rafferty, jumped,
''what differ did that make to you-eh? ~
20, Monochrome at all, Ellen Janev'
Fiercely he grasped his sons hand, fer
vently he shook it. ''I-I hardly knew
Sarah Connolly-just by sight, Ellen
Jane-O, no, that made no difference at
all--O my, mop -,s., 49,. >. - %, .....
And then he kissed the bride, and
1o,,oI,oI7 n-d 80 /, !,