The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-26
GRE I Z Owe
ST les
of HIS Try
By Albert Payson Terhune
ROBERT EMMETT AND
SARAH CURRAN
lcowright. D The Authof.l

O.
might have chung and which would
never haye been Shaken But a rude
blast has snapped 1T and they have.
fallen over grave.rsStsp
Thus, In 1903, wrote Robert Emmett,
from his prison cell. The letter was
cut short by the arrival Of the guard
that was to conduct him TO the scat
fold. His last words and thoughts
were for Sarah Curran, the lovely girl
who shared with Ireland the devotion
of his great heart. A blographer tells
in the following lines how utterly the
young patriots affection was recipro-
Gated by Miss Curran:
"She loved him with the disinter.
ested fervor Of woman's first and
early love. When every worldly max
i'm arrayed itself against him, when
blasted in fortune and disgrace and
danger darkencd around his name, she
loved him the more ardently for his
very sufferings."
Robert Emmett was an Irishman Of
excellent family. From boyhood he
showed every promise OF a brilliant
future. At Trinity college, Dublin,
A p,+r,o. where he was a
~ LII -, fellow-student and
80 ne No'e. chum Of the poet.
Tom Moore, he distinguished himself
bya verltable genius for oratory. He
also became enthusiastic over the
United lrishmen" movement and an
earnest worker for his oppressed coun.
try's freedom. On account of his ar.
dent patriotism he was expelled from
college in 1898. Thence the 2O.year.
old lad went to the continent of Eu.
rope. where he remained for two
years. Returning then secretly to Ire.
land, he threw himself heart and soul
into the plan for a general Irish revo.
luton. On July 49,. 1903, he and his
colleagues attempted TO seize the ar
senal and castle OF Dublin. The sol.
diers of the garrison beat back their
assailants and the uprising failed.
Emmett escaped to the Wicklow
mountains, where he bided his time
until he could cross safely to France.
Finally his arrangements for flight
were completed. But before turning
his back forever on his native land
he resolved to run the terrible risk Of
capture by seeking a last interview
with Miss Curran. His friends ad.
vised against such rash act. But
love was stronger than prudence. The
chance for safe escape passed and
Emmett was arrested. He was tried
for high treason and condemned to
death. At his trial he spoke so elo.
quently in protest against Ireland's
wrongs that the English Judge himself
was moved to tears.
Emmett wrote to Miss Curran, and,
according to the story, offered jailer
his watch and all his money to deliver
the letter. Through secret family in.
nuence the unhappy girl is said to
have secured leave to visit Emmett in
his cell the day before his execution.
She Is also said to have sat in a car
rage outside the prison when Emmett
came forth to be hanged, and to have
kissed her hand in farewell to the gal.
liant youth.
After her lovers death Miss Curran
found her sorrow still further deep.
ened by her fathers attitude toward
her. Furious at her devotion to the
unfortunate patriot-martyr, Mr.. Cur.
ran made life so hard for Sarah that
she was obliged to leave the shelter
of his house. Homeless, loveless, she
fell into melancholy from which
nothing could arouse her.
Her sutrerings excited the pity OF
Capt. Sturgeon, an army officer. Stur.
gcon asked her to be his wife. She
replied that her heart was dead. On
Surgeons assurance that he begged
only the right. to protect and comfort
n;., r,a her she consented
Dies From to marry him
broken fear'. Sturgeon took her
to Sicily. hoping the mild southern eli
mate might restore her shattered
health. But the trouble lay too deep
for human care to tighten it.
Two years later Sarah died--liter
ally OF broken heart. BY her ear
lier wish her body was brought back
to Ireland for burial. Her fate forms
the theme of one Of Moores most
beautiful poems.
Emmet's body rests in an unmarked
grave. For he commanded that nc
epitaph be carven above his head un
til Ireland should be free. Yet thou
sands Ut pilgrims have gone to gaze
on the nameless tomb. Almost the
first Of these visitors was slight
dark.haired girl who, two days aftel
Emmet's execution, slipped away. BY
stealth. from the jealous guardianship
of her father and went, under cover o.
night. to weep beside the last resting
place Of the man she loved.