Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-08-23
Ais Well that Ends Well

81 OWN the lane leading to John
~ Delane's farmhouse, one beauti-
full June evening many years
ago, could be seen a steady stream of
vehicles of all descriptions. Every
farmer for miles around had been in-
vited to the wedding Of Mary Delane,
and tonight the auspicious event was
to take place. Preparations had been
made on a grand scale; John Delane
had determined to make this, the we'd
ding of his only child, memorable
event.
The match between Mary Delane and
Shaun Brady had been brought about
and perfected by Pat Mulcahy, re-
nowned matchmaker. Mary was an
exceptionally pretty girl, and as good as
she was pretty. Shaun Brady was
twice her age, possessing an unenvia-
BILE name and many enemies; but, as
John Delane remarked, ''a moneyed
man has many jealous friends" and
money Shaun had in plenty, that COW
cred all deficiencies, moral and physi-
cal, in John Delane's 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 heavy
heart.
The bridegroom and priest had not
yet arrived, but the dancing began,
Tom Harty, the fiddler, playing "The
Wind That Shook the Barley" in fin
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 here!'
'tGod 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.
more power to ye." he said to the
fiddler, as that worthy man finished.
can shure," answered Tom, "it's hay-
ing the loikes of fine bouchal like
yerself beside me that gives me the
power"
Dan joined in the general laugh.
Its about time the groom and his
riverence were here" said Mary's
uncle.
'Oh, 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 abstratctedly into the darkness
outside; Mary watched him from her
place beside her father, and as that
good man arose in answer to a ser
wants call, she slipped quietly over to
where Dan was.
"a penny for your thoughts, Dan, u
said she.
They're priceless. miss said he
''for 1 was just thinking of the wan !
love best in this dreary. bitter world u
"Indadeg' said Mary. "An' shure it's
a nice girl she must be, to win your
love-"
She said this lightly, though her heart
was heavy.
"She is the sweetest woman that evel
put a foot on the ground"
"An' suppose she returns your love
Dan?" she asked, interrogatiyely.
she knows Of the love have for her
and in wan way Pm glad. It's impiden1
she'd think me, widout pinny to me
name, to have serious thoughts abou
her."
"If I'm not too bold, Dan, I'll be aftel
AKIN you who she is, an its anxious
am to know"
But this question seemed to caus,
Dan the greatest, confusion, and
strange to say, when Mary looked a
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 ak me no more, shure it's onl
folly on my side."
"Well, then, Dan, you can tell m
whether she is dark or fair"
"Well. I'll say this much, miss, tina
to me she's the fairest girl in Kerry"
"Give me her initials, thin," coaxe
Mary, "an' maybe can guess"
"Arrah, now. don't say no more abor
it."
"But you must tell me-" she insistet
"I'n not let you alone till you do"
well, thin, since you're SO deta
mined, I'll take the consequences al
tell you; her name is"-here he waite
for moment-"Mary Delane."
Mary blushed like wild rose. an
stammered:
"Oh, Dan, shure you can't name me-
Dan looked her full in the face as /
said, quietly:
"It's you, name, Mary; but don't /
angry; shure thought I'd cut m