The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-08-18

hlBll on tue Nlluh VI INC nNNNp b"Ah
OF the Loch-a bank richly clothed
this summer evening with heather and
woodbine and blackberry bushes
she and Phil sat. Both were still IN
their bare feet; they had just con-
cluded doing their Station by the Holy
Well, and sat them down without re-
sumlng their boots. On Caltlin's blue
veined, fair feet Phil's eyes were fixed
with a sad look,
The black lashes were dropped over
Caitlin's eyes too, and she was gaz-
ing into the shimmering waters below.
"Ah, PhilT she said, feelingly don't
be so sore on me-
"Sore!-on you? Caitlin, dear sure
We wouldn't think me capable + that?
and here he raised his eyes and looked
in her face with meek reproof
"Ye would not be capable iv IL, Phil,
God bliss ye, ye wouldn't!-but-l
know so we'll that / have desaryod 1t
Of ye.' Caitlin chafed one foot with
the other as she spoke.
mo, Caitn, it isn't to say hard
words to ye-God forbid!-that / aXed
We sit down with me over here, But
Phil breathed deeply-'I wanted to
put II to ye straight, an get straight
answer from yer own lips. Have ye
preferred Dominic Boyle iv yer own
free will an choice? Don't regard my
feelns, Caitlin, me treasure, but
spaik now as / always knew ye spaik,
the bare thruth."
phil" she said, and looked him in
the face, phil, have preferred DOM
inic Boyle of me own free will and
choice" A powerful effort to master
her emotion almost gave a defiant
ring to the words.
Phil looked her calmly in the eye,
look which she returned for moment.
Then he looked below into the lake.
"Thanlly, Caitlln; that's answered
as bravely as I'd expect of ye.' Here
he looked up at her again. An it's a
sad relief to me to know the thing
straightforward from yer own lips"
AS he spoke he placed his hand upon
Caitlin's, which, holding her beads,
rested in her lap Though Caitlin's
countenance still seemed very, very
firm set, there suddenly started from
her eye a teardrop, which rolled rapid
ly down a countenance where the
colors were chasing one another like
sunshine and shadow upon a tickle
day and dropped upon his hand. He
snatched away the hand with a gasp
of pain, as if molten lead had dropped
on it.
"Caitlin. Cainlin!' Caitlin's head
was now sunk. Forgive me for put
tin this thrial on We. did nit for
PAIGE iv mind to meself-an' more
than me-" Phil pleaded. Forgive me,
darlin'"
Phil. dear" Caitlin said, don't
spake that way, for Gods sake Me
forgive you! Oh, Phil, if there's any
wan has the forgiveness in their pow
er, it's wan that has the kind heart an
the good heart to exercise tan
that's you!"
"Yere hurtin me sore, Caitlin. Ye
don't know what yere sayin'.'
Right we'll I know-an' bitterly,
Phil. But | wouldn't like ye'd have
too bad an opinion iv me. Phil"
"Caitlin!"
81 want ye now to know from me
own lips that as l hope God will hear
the prayer ! prayed along that moor
this evenin', never meant to carry ye
on through any bad-heartedness. Mind,
l don't say I'm not to blame; blameful,
indeed l know l am; but it wasn't
wilful on my part. 1t was somethin'
worse than thoughtlessness i NE, Phil,
if ye only knew; l had the lilin' for
Dominic Boyle an had the likin' for
ye; which i yez I liked best it would
"a puzzled me to say sooner. Now,
Phil, l say straightforrid to ye-for
yer own sake-as | sayed to him last
Sunday evenin', me heart has inclined
to Dominic Boyle. Don't blame me
too much, Phil; ! cannot force me
lildn'."
As Phil listened to this his eyes
were upon the penitents, who stood in
the lake and prayed towards the east,
and then, turning them round, prayed
towards the rude altar on the shore.
the waters laving their bare legs.
He turned his gaze upon Caitlin
when she had finished. "An'. Caitlin,
do you think / would blame ye, or ex-
pect We to force yer Iikin? Caitlin,
I'm Altered ye don't know Phil Ma
guire yet. Now, Caitlin, give me yer
han Good-by, an | pray may God
bliss an prosper yet an Dominic"
"Oh, Phil, that prayer puts harder
on me than if ye sthruck me- Wan
word, Phil; heerd that ye an Dom
inic had some words on Sunday night
ITS so-it's so, Caitlin, an | I'm
sorry from the bottom iv me heart
Besides, didn't know them didn't
know" and his gaze again wandered
to the penitents in the water.
"An' know" Caitlin went on, q
have only to ask ye not to say any
thing more to Dominic-not to quarrel
with him; for he's hot. / know have
only to say the word to you Phil"
For that we wouldn't even need to
say. the word to me. If ! sayed an i'll |
word or done an i'll turn to Dominic
Boyle from this hour, Ia feel, Caitlin,
it was to ye | was sayin' an doin' it.
"Good-by, then, Phil"
Her voice was weak and tremulous |
as she said it. Phil, without word
on his part, with face even ayerted,
pressed her extended hand; and as he
did so another tear fell upon his hand.
He bounded away, feeling as If stab
had entered his heart.
He crossed the Paidrin path, where
a line OF men and women and youths,
sirnnnr nnnr nnd hnnlthW nnna Wnre l