Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-10-06
ROSALEEN.

| Mr.. O'Leary and Mr.. Lynch were we'll
| TODD farmers residing in a charming and
| richly cultivated section of Tipperary ad-
| joining the Golden Nale"-so-called from
| its exceeding fertility. 1t was, indeed, a
! romantic spot. A pretty trout stream
| divided the two estates. The cottage of
| Mr.. O'Leary formed a picturesque APP
| pearnce, with its profuson of roses and
| woodbne trained by the lind of taste to
| Irvine around the lattice. A small grove
| of trees in front where the wild flowers
| grew in rich luxuriance and the black bird
breathed his notes of joy and love cast an
air of rural beauty over the scene.
The OLearys had only one child, a
lovely daughter; her name was Rosaleen.
! The peasantry, by whom she was idolzed,
| called her Fair Rosaleen, the flower O.
the Golden Vale.
From the period of her sunny child
| hood it had been the dearest wish of her
| parents to see her united TO Darcy Lynch,
| the only son of their prosperous neighbor.
They gazed with parental pride on the
opening beauty of the fair young Rosa
leen as she bounded through the pleas
ant, green meadows in quest of the bloom
ing wild flowers or rode with Darcy by
merry ringing laugh and fancied care
| would never touch a heart that beat so
lightly.
Alas they little thought that even then
the cloud of sorrow was gathering over
that young head-that the bright, young
dream of happiness was soon to be
broken
Darcy Lynch, the companion of her
happy childhood. the sharer of every joy
her heart had known. was about to leave
his fathers house and proceed to England
on a business trnsacuon which would
compel him to be absent for at least six
months
The evening before his departure he
walked to Mr.. OLeary's cottage to bid
farewell to his youths companion. young
Rosaleen. 1t was a lovely night in the
glorious month of June. The sun was fast
sinking in the western horizon and it's
last departing rays had rested on the gray
ruins of an ancient abbey where this
young. conflding couple had seated them
selves to enjoy undisturbed the last even
ing they might pass together.
Darcy's dark eyes were bent in tender
ness UPON the face of Rosaleen. She
raised her eyes and, meeting that deep,
tender gaze. inquired in a sweet voice the
cause of his sadness.
"Rosaleen." he exclaimed with pas
sionate earnestness, Il am about TO leave
you, and perhaps ere | return you will
be the bride of another. 1t is this mad
dening thought that falls like a dark
some cloud over my spirits, and at this
our parting moment, makes me sad in
deed"
Rosaleen spoke not but Darcy saw the
struggle for com2osure, which rent her
bosom. and in a moment he was breath
ing in her ear the dearest wish of his
heart, and there, within that quiet sane
tuary of ages long gone by, exchanged
VOWS of eternal constancy.
Weeks passed on. Darcy was far away,
and fair Rosaeen was left to wander
alone by the gentle lake or in the grassy
dells to pluck the wild flowers which
Darcy had so often we've in garlands to
Irvine around her golden tresses. She
strove in vain to disoel the melancholy
which was 2reying c.. her spirits: her
wild, gay laugh was hushed, her bound
ing step became languid and slow; the
rose had faded from her cheek and the
sparkling luster of her blue eyes was dim
Her parents saw with alarm the fading
blossom yet knew not the cause of her
decay for the secret lay buried in her
own bosom. Months passed on and still
she heard nothing from Darcy. The win
ter ended. spring returned again, with the
birds and flowers. but it awoke no re-
sponsve note in the bosom of Rosafeen-
the thorn was ranking in her heart; the
sorrow which kills but means not, was
preying on her hearts core. She would
sit for hours near the ruined abbey where
Darcy first breathed to her the burning
words Of love. and muse upon the happy