Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-06-07
LOVERS LUCK.


of meal on his back, he caught sight
of MORA Nolan washing linen in the
little river thet brawled its way
through the village of Ballymoran.
The brook gushed and sang over its
pebbles, and Moira's young voice sang
with it as her white arms flashed in
the clear water. She was on her
knees, straight and supple as willow,
her bare feet tucked under her with
only the rosy heels showing. The
wind caught strand of her hair and
whipped it out till it shone like litten
gold in the sun. Berry paused, daz-
zled, and gazed at her, his mouth
agape, his sack Of meal forgotten on
his back. Presently the girl was
aware of his presence and that he was
watching her.
What are ye gaping at, at all ?"
she questioned.
"At the loveliest girl in all Ire.
land" said Barry, never taking his
eyes from her.
Sorrow be to ye if your mother
knew it, laughed Mora, bending to
her work again. "And angry she'd
be to find ye here. "Ye'd best go
back to her"
Barry flushed till his cheeks were
redder than his hair. "It'a here that
III stop he said, decidedly, dump
ing down his sack and seating him.
self on the grass.
Moira's thrust had been keen
one, for all the village knew that he
lived in fear of his mothers tongue.
"Shure, it's the sting Of wasp she
has entoirely," was the verdict of her
neighbors, from whom the widow
O'Gill held somewhat aloof, though
now and again she condescended to
call on Mrs. Terhune for "a bit of
gossip, and dish of tay."
Barry was Mrs. O'Gill's only child,
and the idol of her heart. Did he so
much as look at a girl, Mrs. O'Gill
was filled with alarm. So while the
other lads fingered about the church
steps after mass that they might see
their sweethearts, Barry was hurried
off homeward by his mother. There
fore it was with sense of reckless.
ness and novelty that he gave him
self up to talk with MORA. She
bade him help her wiring the clothes,
and then laughed at his awkward
ness and splashed him with glittering
drops. The time went quickly. 1t
was noon before they knew it, and
Barry sped home to his dinner and
scolding. Yet he hardly heard the
words his mother heaped on him, so
engrossed was he with the memory of
Moiras gray eyes and the exquisite
curve of her lips. Love comes swift.
ly when one lie young in Ballymoran.
He and MORA met often after that,
sometimes at the edge of the little
river and sometimes on the roads by
which the hawthorn hedges bloomed,
a mass of pink and green. The more
Barry thought of MORA the more he
realized that his mother would never
consent to their marriage. MORA 8
beauty was the only dowry the girl
had-of all the poor folks in Bally-
moran she was by far the poorest.
Nor was Barry much richer. 1t
was his mother who held the purse
strings. Once, in desperation, he
thought of giving up Moira, and for
three whole days he did not see her.
Then quite by accident he met her
coming across field. She wasabout
to pass bim with averted face.
"Moira |" he cried brokenly.
At that she turned. She was pale
and there were deep shadows under
her eyes. All that Barry had kept
pent in his heart rushed to his lips,
and Moira listened, looking down and
plucking at a bit of hawthorne she
held in her hands. A lark rose from
the long meadow grass near BY, and
soaring into the air poured out song
that seemed but an echo of the ecstasy
that was in their hearts. 1t was
Moira who made the first return to
earth.
"Does your mother know of it2'
she questioned.
"Divvle a bit,' said Barry cheer
fully, "and where would be the good
of telling ber2 She'd niver consent