Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-05-20
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
The MARRIAGE or O'ROURKE
ny NORA cHgssoN.

ONor the low hro IN the middle OI the
waste place that had boon u banquet.
Ing hall crOuchud Hugh O'Rourkci he
was wet aud chilled ~ the bone with
u long ride through mountain mlnta IN
the heart OI winter There was win
u broken one, and hla name prescribed,
and, whore his lRthoT might have held
together the breaking fortunes Ut
nnmo ana elan by the sheer power uf
voice ana face, Hugh the younger had
ucon hurno by his mother In time Of
tempest aud terror, ana bin face was
wan and unromcly ana his eyes wild
and sad,
lie held his hands Ia the hro, but
thoro was little warmth In H. aud
there was no comfort elsewhere IN all
the great house whore he dwolt, u Ia.
lto kernel In u great shell made for ono
i0lror and stronger fnr than he,
lie took up hla sword ana laid II
across hiH knocH, looking NJ II with
weary eyes, for his was not the sol
dior's nature, ana many u time had
his heart alCkoncd NJ tho thought ~
battle ana blood though he was q
pretty hghtor wnOn tho red time came
und mon were cheering and graphing
together Tor the Rcnd Hand ana the
Wolf,
liut 10 Hugh now, IN this chill tlmo
Of doubt and danger the old lights
tl4tR.tI a tlt..VA 40 "A A.
rising, and he fell 10, wishing that he
had died In the blrlhlnR, or over bis
mother set her cold Kiss upon his un'
Welcome face,
MY father did not well a. take u
woman by force" he said aloud 10 ,"o
BLACK eyes and yellow hair pleased
him we'll, belize, but he pleased not
my mother, nnd she rcyongcd her upon
me who was Innocent and unborn, CIV
Ing me an April mind ana a Craylng
heart Tor her giles on the day that sac
conceived me, That | was little and
ugly hurt not me, nor that ! was sick
lly, for my father loved me as well ~
no loved nanuSOmG Anthony, who II
doad-and God rest him! Hut that
was born Of anger and fear hurts mi
sore, aud shall abyo II 10 the end
Who enters there. In the name Of GOl
l-?' lie sprang mp, sword In hand
and then laughed NJ his cutlery. for Il
was n glrl.Chlld who stood In the door
! way, little maid Of II years fair Il
see, white ~ snOwdrOp, with Dnl'
yellow hair stream from under her put
back hood.
Little maid. you come 10 an Gmpt!
house" Hugh O'HOurle said, but yOl
. are welcome. You do not come alone?
II come alone, Aodh," she said an
/ swcrlng his English with the lrisl
tongue. II shall not MI your house,
. Hugh stood still beside the mr.
while she camo slowly down tho room
towards him, shaking the raIn'drOp
from her flowing hair as she came.
, little way from the fire she stood
/, looking at him with large eyes,
why do you meet me with bar
stoeI?" she said. II looked for Othe
greeting from your fathers son, Hug
lO'ROurke."
Hugh cast down his sword upon NJ
bench he had risen from and took
step forward 10 meet her. Then h
stopped, amazed, for II was not u chill
she was but grown woman II wa
|. that cast on hood and cloak and cam
10 him with eager face and cage
hands.
Hugh O'hourke," she gald, again
y the kindly Irish tongue, have you 10
y gotten me 30 soon"
}. Have ever seen you before. o fa
o One?" Hugh said. Then, because h.
|. fingers were warm IN his hand and b.
r. eyes dwelt ON his, he ceased question
o Ing and had no more wonder or fea
/, a. the fairy change that had passe
y upon her In moment, making a won
Il an out Of child.
ri II am she you have desired
long" she said, with tears and laug
II ter IN her voice. II am she wbOi
n eyes you have seen In many faces thI
H. locked not Kind on you, whose bren
N you have desired 10 lie ON 30 mar
ID times, whose soul your soul has sOugl
=. ana never found. And never won
II you have found me In this life. Yol
D. name means light, Hugh, but the
n was thick darkness on your own ey'
a III tonight NOw"-she fitted tho dee
m 10 the wOrd-"nOw have kissed thGI
ID can they seer"
" And she laid her mouth 10 his m0u
,. ana tho beating heart Of her nuttGr'
ID like q bird against his breast, and Il
n fGary eyes Of her dGrkeBed and lhuR
u cd ana lIgbtoned into his and set
H. his blood on fire.
a little while they chung togeth
40, then he put her from him aud he
Y. her ~ arms length, looking NJ b
with eyes that were a'hungGred.
r.. ~ there spell Of silence up