Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-04-27

Sa3S$sS bJ be seen a steady
ISE INK Ill stream of vehicles
//E&N ssrNA of all descriptions.
+ Every farmer for
80 miles around had
been invited to the wedding of Mary
Delane, and tonight the suspicious
event was to take place. Preparations
had been made on a grand scale; John
Delane had determined to make this,
the wedding of his only child, mem
orable event.
The match between Mary Delane
and Shaun Brady had been brought
about and perfected by Pat Mulcahy,
a renowned matchmaker. Mary was
an exceptionally pretty girl, and as
good as she was pretty. Shaun Brady
was twice her age, possessing an I'M
enviable name and many enemies;
but, as John Delane remarked, "a
moneyed man has many jealous
friends" and money Shaun had in
plenty, that covered all deficiencies,
moral and physical, in John Delanes
eyes.
Mary Delane had no love for Shaun
| Brady, she well knew that her life
would be, in many ways, hard one;
but she had been badgered by her
father until she had said yes with o
heavy heart. As she came into the
parlor that fateful evening, dressed
simply in white muslin, white rose
nesting in hel raven hair, every eye
turned upon her; she bore the scrutiny
bravely, and welcomed the assembled
guests in her own hospitable way;
they we'll knew that her heart was not
included in to-night's bargain.
The bridegroom and priest had not
yet arrived, but the dancing began;
Tom Harry, the fiddler, playing "The
Wind That Shook the Barley" sfn-
ished style. Mary did not participate,
reserving her first dance for her future
husband. She received the guests as
they came, standing proudly beside
her father, her face white as marble.
Her thoughts were wandering far
and wide when a voice aroused her
and sent the blood to her cheeks.
"God save all herel"
"God save you kindly, Dan," she
heard the company respond in unison,
and then Dan Reardon was shaking
the hand which she mechanically out
stretched.
In moment he had gone, mingling
among the guests.
''It's about time the groom and his
reverence were here" said Mary's
uncle.
COB, they'll be here directly now"
said John Delane. "Shure she'll be
taken from me soon enough"
Dan Reardon sat by the porch door,
gazing abstractedly into the darkness
outside; Mary watched him from her
place beside her father, and as that
good man arose in answer to SER
wants call, she slipped quietly over to
where Dan was.
ga penny for your thoughts, Dan, !"
said she.
They're priceless, MISS" said he,
'for I was just thinking of the wan I
love best in this dreary, bitter world. "
"Indade" said Mary. can shure
it's nice girl she must be, to win
your love-"
She said this lightly, though her
heart was heavy.
''She is the sweetest woman that
ever put foot on the ground"
"An' suppose she returns your
love, DAMP" she asked, interrogatively.
ooh, no, no, miss! Shure it's lit.
tie she knows of the love I have for
her, and in wan way I'm glad It's
impident she'd think me, without a
pinny to me name, to have serious
thoughts about her"
eff am not too bold, Dan, I'll be
after akin you. who she is, an it's
anxious L am to know"
But this question seemed to cause
Dan the greatest confusion, and,
strange to say, when Mary looked al
him, and their eyes met, she also grew
confused.
"Och, shure, Miss Mary" he STAN
mered. you'd be the last one I'd tell.
Don't axe me no more, shure it's only
folly on my side
"Well, thin, Dan, you can tell me
whether she is dark OF fair"
"Well, I'll say this much, miss, that
to me, she's the fairest girl in Kerry.
"Give me her initials thin" coaxed
Mary, can maybe L can guess.
''Arrah, now, don't say no more
about it"
"But you must tell me-" she in,
sisted. 9TH not let you alone till
you do"
well thin, since you're SO detar-
mined, TIL take the consequences an
tell you; her name is"-here he waited
for a monent-"Mary Delane."
Mary blushed like wild rose, and
stammered-
"Oh, Dan, shure you can't name
me?"
Dan looked her full in the face as
he said, quietly
/ cts you / name, Mary; but don't