Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03

frequent cleaning shone in the freight and lamp
light like threads of silver.
The floor clean as the table, and when
occasionally there little explosion from the
fire, and adventurous spark shot out into the
middle of the room, it was caught and sent back
again by courageous fingers before IL had toucheu
that area of sacred whteness
The only two persons in the room were a girl and
her lover, who sat facing each other very pretty
picture they made, for they were distinguished by
that atmosphere of tenderness which envelopes even
ordinary people with a mysterious ennobing beauty
The love they felt for each other shone in their faces
and irradated the place more than the freight or
the lamIf--it gave glow of color to the picture as
the esvine coors the water and tempered the too ath
letc vigor of the young Irshman's love-makng with
a Tersive grace
These lovers were children of nature as much so
es Paul and Virginia They were employed in the
humble walks of life, where hearts count for more
than coronets. They cane from land fair as the
smile of God but alas, far from peaceful. The young
man had been in America five years and was ctl-
of the republic, and his pretty sweetheart Norah
Clancarty, had landed just five months previous to
the beginning of this story. She was only sixteen
when thev parted at Queenstown five years before,
with of loyalty and she had changed but little,
and that for the BETTER Terence had told her time
and again. in his lordly way.
''There g deeper red in your cheek, darIln ana
a sthrain in your voice like the song of the mavs,
and your two eyes do be as blue as the skies of old
Ireland and, darlin your heart thrue to ne as the
needle to the pole>you cannot hinder me from
KNOWN it, sweetheart -
''What for shoulf thry?'' asked Norah, innocent
ly 81 we come all the way from old Ireland to
strange country to be wife, Terence, and ii not
be after denyin it. -
''Now when will you name the happy day, Norah,
the day that gives you the title of Mrs O'Donovan,
and me the blissful right to call you wife?"
I've told you thousand times, If not more,
Terence, boy, that as soon as iver l can save
money enough to send to old Ireland for my father
and mother to come across the sea to Amer,ky, IL
name the day. An it will be the Gay after they put
foot the soil of this country an that s true for
you
"Your father and mother better off, Norah,
pet; the heavens be their bed Sure they re with the
saints in glory and if they send benedction, twill
be from farer world than this. You know that, me
Jewell
''My adopted parents, then, who for five years
have been so good to a motherless girl that do be
prayn' on my two knees livery night that Lord
will help me the money to bring them here. 1t
would be ungrateful, indeed, for to marry and
they mournin' for their NOrah'
But listen sweetheart. What claim have these
folks that are no kin of yours on you nowf Answer
me that, will you, sweetheart mine?'
He would have taken her two warm hands-small
and shapely any lady s-nto his, but she was EN-
frodering some muslin in tambour stitch, in wooden
hoop, and she kept on at her work dsconcertng the
too ardent lover.
1--we told you again and again, Terence of their
goodness to me-
''And are there no children of their to look
after them in their old age9'' he demanded hotly
None, barrn son-he keeps them but that is
not all they need. What is far away to tho
living presence that would just oil the wheels for them
every day, and make them go round merrlyF You
know, Terence, what the old song says:
''My son is my son till he gets him wife,
But my daughter is my daughter all the days
of my life
Terence had suddenly withdrawn himself and his
chair from the close proximity to Norah that they
had occupied, and now he remarked stiffly:
'It's the first we heard of You never told
there anybody in the family saving yourself. J"
''He was away Mostly
"And married, did you say?'
''No, indeed. That he mott
GA middle-aged, hardfavored man. IN expectin -
'No," laughed Norah, ''but handsome gossoon,
and they loved him more than he deserved
Terence picked up his hat.