Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-07-11
CHAPTER I.

,oon as can keep a wife, an then you'll
rot say no to me, win you, alannah?'
ssYou know l won't Denis"
AN so. Just keep thinking of the
Grand days we'll be having then when
we've cot our own bit of farm, with
Mos and cows and chickens, an you're
making the butter an cooking the praties
for dinner, an I'm out blowing in the
4elds-mv very own fields an my very
own plow-just think of it, girl! An
then in the evening, when all the works
done. YOU an I'll be sitting outside the
door on our grand garden seat, me with
nv pipe an you singing, because you
feel so happy. Think of all that, Kathy,
when you begin to feel lonely after me,
an III be thinking the same over away
foreign where I'm going, for I'm thinking
I'll be terrible homesick just at first"
AN OH Denis, I'll be so lonely when
you're gone! What'll l do without you
at all?"
sWisha, then, you'll be too busy to
fret after me at all, darling But don't
forget me anyhow, or take on with any
other boy, you'll promise me that, kath-
leen!"
"Ah, Denis. shure YOU know | wouldn't
do thati It's you that'H be forgetting
me. with all those grand ladies in Amer
lea to talk to, an they wanting to marry
YOU, an make you a Yankee! But oh!
if Won marry one of them, Denis, my
heart'l break. They'll never love you
like | do, an sure, an American lady
wouldn't ever know how to make an
Irish boy comfortable"
Don't be afraid. Kathy dear. I'll not
have one of the forward creatures, not
if they go down on their Blended knees
to me. No. I'll be true to you, whatever
comes. Write to me often. dear. an tell
me all the news about the ould place
who's dead an who's married, an if my
dad or yours is getting any new stock,
an how t.a harvest turns out, and all
the rest of it."
She promised faithfully to keep him
well informed of all that went on at
Ballinahow, and then, as he stopped to
kiss her goodby, she slipped something
into his hand.
Whats this, Kathy?'
1t was only little sprig of white
heather, not a very valuable gift, but
she had been searching for it almost the
whole day, and it was only at sunset.
just as she was beginning to despair of
ever finding what she wanted, that she
had seen the snowy bells peeping shyIy
up from amongst the taller purple and
red spikes.
keep it always" she said. tearfully.
ut will bring you luck, Denis, an per
haps twill bring you back to me again"
"Ill come back. anyhow, Kathy, as
soon as I'm rich" he repeated.
Then thought struck her
But suppose you're poor. Denis. Sup
pose YOU don't make fortune. but only
lose What you've got? VIII you promise
me 10, swear it on that bit of heather
--that if you're poor an in want you'll
come back to me before this day seven
year. hence? Come to me from where
ever you are, unless, of course, you're
loving another girl by that time, an poor
hathleen's forgotten entirely. Will you
swear it, Denis z"
He hesitated a moment. but her plead
ing face oyercame his Celtic pride
Yes, I'll swear it. alannah," he said
Ten minutes later he was swinging
away down the boreen, turning anon to
look hack at the lonely little figure that
was eft standing at the farm gate, wav-
ing to him with valiant attempt at a
smile, though all the time the tears We're
gathering fast in her eyes and falling
upon her cheeks. And so he passed out
OF sight amongst the trees of the little
wood below, while she turned sorrowful-
~ IN TO sit by the roaring peat fire, and
think of ali the lonely days that were
to come
What ails you, kathy, girl?'' asked
her father. seeing her distress. I'm in
dread You'll be siekening for some
disease"
All no, dad" she answered, with a
queer little catch in her voice; mo it's
only tnat Denis Mahonys going foreign
tomorrow, an I've been saying goodby
to him.
oh, that's it, is it?" retorted her
father, good naturally. Cheer up, girl;
he'll come back"
But her mother, who was bending over
the potato pot, put it with some
asperity-
Isn't it ashamed of yourself YOU
should be, Kathleen Neville. having a
case with low fellow like that? Shure
the Mahonys aren't fit to feed the pigs
OF any of us-the dirty. disreputable lot
II 1t wasn't that Denis'll forget all about
you as soon as ever he sets foot in
Ameriky, I'd send you away to be a nun
IKE your two sisters. Have done now
with that crying, an spread the table
for supper"
The girl obeyed in silent distress, tax
ing the fiat round loaf from its pan on
the open hearth and laying it on the
table with the yellow butter for which
Mrs. Neville was famous, and the dish
OF beautiful mealy potatoes bursting
from their brown jackets as if in haste
to be eaten.
Then she made the tea, and brought
from the dairy huge jug OF butter
mllk Supper was ready.
Call in your brothers, girl said the
old lady. sharply.
Things had gone wrong with her that
Gay and her temper was never of the
sweetest.
'Alike-'Nelius! cried Kathleen, step
ping to the door. "Supper's spread"
at her cali two fine strapping young
fellows appeared. the one from the stable.
the other from the cowhouse, quite ready
TO do justice to the meal that awaited
them.
.-l I