Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-11-14
MONA SCULLY;
TIL fish Bride Of an EngIishman.
A STORY OF THESE TIMES.

their expectant gaze. Before them is a |
large room If so it can be called, pos |
sessed of no flooring but the bare brown |
earth that Mother Nature has supplied. |
To their right is a huge fireplace, |
where. upon the heaTth-StOne. turf lies |
burning dimly. emitting the strong arO-
matte perfume that belongs to it. OPP
posite to her is pig, sitting quite erect, |
and staring at her blankly, without the
slightest regard to etiquette or nice
feeling. He is plainly full Of anxiety,
yet without power to express IT, except |
in so far as his tail may aid him. which
is limp and PROSTATE, its very curl beng
thing of the past. If any man has i'm
pugned the sagacity OF pigs, that man
las erred.
In the background, partly hidden by
the gathering gloom. some fifteen men
and one or two women, are all huddled
together whispering eagerly. with their
faces almost touching. The women,
though in great minority, are plainly
having the best Of it.
But Mona's eyes see nothing but one
object only.
On the right side Of the fireplace, "
ing along the wall is a rude strctcher-or
what appears 10 be such-On which,
shrouded decently in white cloth, lies
something that chills with mortal fear
the heart, as it reminds it Of that to
which we all must come some day, Be
meath the shroud the murdered man
lies calmly sleeping, his face smitten
into the marble smile Of death.
Quite near to the poor corpse woman
sits young, apparently. and with a
handsome figure, though now it is bent
and bowed with grief. She is dressed
I'm the ordinary garb of the Irish peas
ant, with short gown we'll tucked up,
naked feet, and the sleeves of her dress
pushed upwards until they almost
reached the shoulder, showing the
shapely arm and the small hand that,
as a rule, belong TO the daughters Of
Erin and hetray the existence Of the
Spanish blood that III days gone by
mingled with theirs.
Her face is hidden; it is lying on her
arms, and they are cast, in the utter
Tecklessness and abandonment Of her
grief, across the feet Of him who,
only yesterday, had been her man
her pride and her delight.
Kitty, can do anything for you?n
asks Mona, in a gentle whisper, bending
over her and taking tie hand That lies
in her lap between both her own, with
pressure full of gentle sympathy. Il
know there is nothing | can S0iE but
can ] do nothing to comfort yOu?'
THANK ye, miss ! name it kindly,
] know" says the woman YEARLY.
but the big world is too small to hold
one dhrop Of comfort for me. He's
dead ye See!'
The inference is full Of saddcst mean
ing. Even Gcoifrey feels the tears rise
unbidden to his eyes.
Poor soul. poor sonll' says Mona.
brokenly; then she drops her hand, and
the poor woman, turning again to the
hfelcss body, as though in the poor cold
clay lies her only solace, let's her head
fall forward upon it, and turning sor-
rowfully away, she drops some silver
into the poor widows lap; wherron,
Godfrey, who has been standing close
10 her all the time, covers it with two
soVcregns.
"Scnd down to the Farm, and | win
give you some brandy says Mona to 4
woman standing by, after heightened
gaze ut The PROSTATE form of Kitty,
who makes no sign of life. "She wants
it" Laying her hand OH Kitty's shout
der, she shakes her gently. Rouse
yourself, She Says kindly, yet with en-
ergy Try to think of something
anything except your cruel misfortune"
II have only one thought" says the
woman, sullruly. Il cant bctthcr it.
An That II, that it was u bitthcr day
when | first saw the light"
Mona, not attempting to reason with
her again, shakes her head Responding
ly, and leaves the cabin with GCOffrcy
at her side
For i little while they are silent. He
Is thinking Of Mona; She is wrapt in
remembrance of all that has just PASSED
Presently, looking at her, ne discover.
that she IS crying, bitterly, though
quietly. The reaction has set IN, and
The tears are running quickly down her
checks
Mona, il has I'LL been too much for
you eNclams hv, with deep concern
as, yes. that poor. poor woman. |
cannot get her face out of my head.
How forlonl how hopcloss! She has
lost all she cared for: there is nothing
To TALL back upon. She loved him: and
10 nave hun So cruelty murdered for no
crime, and to know that he will never
again come IN the door. or sit hy her
hearth, or light his pipe by her frc-oh
IL Is horrible! 1t is enough TO kill her!'"
says Mona, somewhat diScomcctcdlv.
limo will soften her grief" saws
Rodney; with an attempt at soothing.
ANA she IS young. She will merry
again. and form new ties"
;, Indeed she viii not, says Ncna. in
9ignanlly. Irish peasants very seldom
90 that. She will, am sure, be faithful
forever to the memory of the man she
loved. " ''''' WV
rs that the fashion here? Tiff mn
loved a man, would you be faithful 60.
him forever"
But how could hclpit?" saws Mona.
SIMPLY. "Oh, what a wrctrhcd st9tr.
Tins country is ml turmoil and strife
nom morning till night And. vet to.
TAX TO those very people, To miX with
,heh they seem such CourtcCus, honest.
loveable creaturcS,"
The tears are still lingering ON her !
iaShes; her mouth is sud. Yet af tbs
instant, even as Geottrey is gazing q, |
her and wondering how he shall 1n.ip, |
dlSpel the cloud of sorrow that sits IN |
on her brow, her whole EXPRESSION |
changes, \ merry CLEAN comes into |
aer wet eyes, her lips widen AID lose
Iheir lachrYmosc look, aud then sud
lehly she throws uphcr mead and breaks
INTO . gay little i&&gh
"Dld YOU see the pig. = sne So,
ting up by the fireplace? An through
l couldnt take my eyes of him. IIp
slruck me us So cnmieal There he sal
,nhnhlhg ms smau eyes and tryirr TO,
look SNmpdthetc. | am convinced ne
Knew al about it. lueyer saw SO solemn
8 pig, y '''''
She laughs again with fresh delight
~ her own thought. The pir i'm liza
canlh mad come back to her. filling lar
with amusement. GC0ffnry resr3rls mar.
with puzzled eyes. What n sfr.nra
IS this, where smiles and
Tears can mingle'
hat a curious child You a-er' he
'ays, at length. "Iou are never the
alne Tor two minutes together
ethapS that Is what makes me so
ace, retorts Miss Mona. saucjly, the
ehse OF tlln stu full upon hvr. making
nm small gr'mace, and GcStOwinr IN
IN hlm a beWltching glance from under
Ter long dark laShes THAT lie like sh3d-.
'Ws on her checks.
es, 1t certaiuty is charm" saws
Ieotfrey, slowly, but it puzzles mr. |
'annot he gay one moment and sad the
lext. Tell me how YOU manage il.
Il can because | don't kIsaN myself.
It is my nature. However depressed |
nay feel nj one instant, TIE next n pass
ng thought may change my tears into
, laugh. Perhaps thas is why we are
allied tickle; yet Ii aus nothing to do.
With II; II Is mere REGULARITY of tenn
permanent, ami a rather merciful riFt.
,or which We should be grateful. De
,ause, though we return again To our
troubles, still the moment or rwo Of
.orgettuneSS sootheS us and nerves MS
.or the conflict, | speak. Of course. of
,nly minor SORROWS; such A grief p.
poor kitty'S admits of 40 alleyia,io,.
It Will las, for her life-Ulme."
Vii it, says Godfrey, oddly.