Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-20

This went home to Yankee Ian, anu
he remained silent. He was neither
nimble witted nor good tempered
enough to cross swords with his little
girl. He must get rid of her however.
well remedy it all at Condy Mor's,
over yonder," he said, when after a
little while he saw a friendly light
shine from Condy's window away to
the left. TN light your torch for you
there"
THANK ye," she said, I'm obliged"
He left this girl standing at the end
of Condy Mors boreen while he, hav-
ing taken her torch away from her,
proceeded to Condy's and there lit 1t.
AS he came back down the boreen with
the lighted torch he was so bus1ly en-
gagged watching his footsteps that it
was only when he reached the cailin's
side that he looked upon her.
The torch shook in Yankee Dams hand
and almost dropped from it, when he
beheld Oracle O'Friel, in all the glory
of her red head!-for the shawl had
fallen back from it, perhaps by accl-
dent-and the pickering light of the
torch falling on the face upturned to
him revealed a countenance whose
brightness, he thought, put the sun to
shame. His first instinct, when he had
seen the red head, was to drop the
torch and run for his life. But the
brightness of the face riveted him to
the spot.
"I-I-I-he suffered.
''Well?" she said, with m&levolent
mischief
Il didn't know it was you" he said
"Or you'd have rum" she suggested
as a finish to his sentence. well" she
then said, "sure it isn't too late yet
I'll hold the light for you"
Yankee Dan hung his head. For the
first time in his life the shame of cow
ardice stung him. "Gracie O'Friel," he
muttered, you're too hard on poor
fellow Sure, what harm have l done
your"
if Yankee prayers were heard in
heaven the devil would have me ere
this-along with the other red heads. >"
There was a miscellaneous mockery in
her tone which did not one bit relieve
the situation for Dan.
81 didn't mean it," said Dan, lifting
his head and resolutely looking her in
the face.
Are We sure of that?
Sure"
"Then, as it's within three minutes
of Christmas morning, l suppose l must
forgive you. And as I'll be late for
mass if l don't make haste, I'll trouble
you for the torch.'
In Yankee Dams eyes, as well as in
his voice, there was yearning when
still looking her in the face, he said:
Wont ye-won't ye, Oracle, let me
light the way for YEP
But you forget, Dan, that you've no
to- CHI
And can't you, Oracle dear, forget
it too?" he said, laying a gentle hand
on her arm.
Before the look in Yankee Dams eyes,
and under the gentle pressure of her
arm, Oracle O'Friel, SOLDERING from her
mischief, bent her eyes upon the
ground.
racie, let me be a torch for once in
my life-your torch?"
Are we sure" she said, as she vain
ly endeavored to tear up the boreen
with her toe, that you wouldn't sooner
go without company to midnight
mass?"
I'm sure" he said, chat I'd sooner
go with company" Then Yankee Dams
voice sank and his face was lowered
closer to Gracie's as he added: When
that company is Oracle O'Friel."
But the red head?" she said, look
ing up sideways, with a despairing note
suddenly coming into her voice.
"To the DEUCE he said hastily,
with the red-I mean" he still more
hastily corrected himself, chats all old
women's superstition-must be- ne
added again to himself, as he rested
his eyes upon the winsomest race IN
all the world.
'"Then if you're sure of that, Dan.
you can give me torchlieht." And
Oracle stepped out for Muladuff.
Dan McGurk had always thought the
midnight mass impressive, but the
beauty of it never came into his soul
so bounteously as on this particular
Christmas morning, on which he laid
bare before God a contented heart;