Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-04-18
The Marriage of Hugh O'ROurke
IN NORA CHEsSON.

wet and chilled to the bone with a long
of winter. There was winter in his
heart, too, for his sept was a broken one,
and his name prescribed, and, where his
father might have held together the
breaking fortunes of name and elan by
the sheer power of voice and face, Hugh
the younger had been borne by his
mother in time of tempest and terror,
and his face was wan and uncomely and
his eyes wild and sad
He held his hands to the fire, but there
was little warmth in it, and there was
no comfort elsewhere in all the great
house where he dwelt, little kernel in
a great she'll made for one fairer and
stronger fay than he.
He took up his. sword and laid it
across his knees, looking at it with
weary eyes, for his was not the sol
dier's nature. and many a time had his
heart sickened at the thought of battle
and blood though he was a pretty
fighter when the red time came, and men
were cheering and graphing together for
the Red Hand and the Wolf.
But to Hugh now, in this chill time
of doubt ard danger, the old lights
seemed dim and there was no new star
rising, and he fell to wishing that he
had died in the birthing, or ever his
mother set her cold kiss upon his unwel-
come face.
my father did not well to take a
woman by force" he said aloud to the
sinking fire that was all his COMPANY
BLACK eyes and yellow hair pleased him
well, belize, but he pleased not my
mother, and she revenged her upon me
who was innocent and unborn, giving
me an April mind and a craving heart
for her gifts ON the day that she con-
ceived me. That | was little and ugly
hurt me not, nor chat | was sickly, for
my father loved me as well as he loved
handsome Anthony, who is dead-and
God rest him! But that l was born of
anger and fear hurts me sore, and | shall
abye il to the end. Who enters there,
in the name of God" -? He sprang
up, sword in hand, ad tnhe laughed at
his cutlery, for it was girl child who
stood in the doorway, little maid of
ii years, fair to see, white as snow
drop, with pale yellow hair streaming
from under her put back hood.
Little maid, you come to an empty
house." Hugh O'Rourke said, "but you
are welcome. You do not come alone?"
Il come alone, Aodh," she said, an
swering his English with the Irish
tongue. Il shall not fill your house"
Hugh stood still beside the fire while
she came slowly down the room toward
him, shaking the raindrops from her
flowing hair as she came. A little way
from the fire she stood, looking at him
with large eyes.
why do you meet me with bare
steelf" she said. Il looked for other
greeting from your fathers son, Hugh
URourkC"
Hugh cast down his sword upon the
bench he had risen from and took step
forward to meet her. Then he stopped,
amazed, for it was not child she was,
but grown woman it was that cast off
hood and cloak and came to him with
eager face and eager hands.
Hugh ORourke," she said, again in
the kindly Irish tongue, have you for
gotten me SO soon?"
Have | ever seen you before o fair
:" Hugh said. Then, because her
fingers were warm in his and her eyes
! dwelt on his, he ceased questioning and
had no mere wonder or fear at the fairy
change that had passed upon her in II
moment, making a woman out of child.
| Il ana she you have desired so long"
She said, with tears and laughter in her
| voice Il am she whose eyes YOU have
seen in many faces that looked not Kind
| ON YOU, whose breast You have desired
| to lie on 50 many times whose soul your
| soul has sought and never found. And
never would YOU have found me in this
| life, beloved, if | had not sought YOU
out Your name means light, Hugh. but
there was thick darkness ON Your eyes
| till tonight Now'-she fitted the deed
to the word~"now l have kissed them,
can they seeg"
And She laid her mouth to his mouth
and the beating heart of her fluttered
like u bird against his breast, and the
fairy eyes of her darkened and laughed
and hghtened into his and set all his
blood ON fire
\ little while they chung together so:
then he put her from him and held her
at arms length, looking at her with eyes
that were anhuugered.
is there a spell of silence upon YOU
Hugh!" cried the woman. Speak Il
me. beloved, and look the while!"
Might die looking!" Hugh said. q
should not then think-and grow cold
to think-of nothing on the other side.
~Nothingy Where is your faith
! O'Romke!H
My mother taught me no faith. fan
one. My father taught me only sword
play, and myself has taught myself te
distrust myself, and no more"
Learn faith in yourself. then. of me
ORomke. Shall l not be on that othe,
side you speak of. For l came thence
tonight"
III dared only think of it. beloved
Hugh said. Yet YOU have morta
beauty upon your face and body"
What do you know of mortality
Hugh O'Rourkeg And beauty is thai
core of our little life that cannot pas,
away, though the fruit that covers 4