Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-04-06
Over the Water
Story Of a Wedding on
St. Patnck's Day
By F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

lSlduueES are du uSueILleH. III OlQen
times Tory was a lonely place and a
hard place to get to and from. No
priest lived there. The islanders were
all good Catholics. and not to have a
priest handy to baptize them, to marry
them and to shrive them subjected
them to constant trials.
The only sacred thing they had was
the nuns grave" Long ago during
a storm the body of a nun was washed
up on the island. That was the first
time the people there saw a nuns
habit. The leathern girdle and beads
made them think that there was some
thing sacred about the body. They
prayed to be instructed what to do
with it, and a voice told them that it
was the body of a holy nun and they
must bury it where they had found it.
They did so, and to this day not a boat
yer puts out to fish without a handful
Of earth from the nuns grave to pre-
serve the fishermen from drowning.
Many years ago there lived on Tory
island a young fisherman named Fer
gus Tyrone and a fisher lass named
Eileen O'Connor. They were a simple
couple, growing up in a small compass
and loving each other with that fer
vOr which is to be found in those who
live lives close to nature. They were
of the same age, having both been
born on st. Patrick's day. Fergus,
though but twenty years of age at
the time the incident [ am about to
narrate took place, was a hardy young
fellow and, however stormy the wealth
er, never feared to go III to fish in
his boat when any other craft was on
the water. But Eileen did not fear
for him, because she would never let
him &C. without first taking a handful
Of earth and, after praying the holy
nun to protect him, depositing it in
the stern Of his boat.
This simple couple wished to be
married on their twentieth birthday,
which was st. Patrick's day, of
course, and Fergus had induced q
priest from the mainland to agree to
come over on that day and marry
them. Fergus was to row over in his
boat early in the morning of the we'd
ding day, take the priest to the island
and bring him back after the cere-
mony had been performed.
Several days before st. Patrick's
day the lovers began to watch the sky
for indications of what the weather
would be. They feared it might be
cta WY opl Tho nrioc+ would not aro
over, and if they could not be mar
ried on that st. Patrick's day Eileen,
whose heart was set on celebrating
their birthday, their wedding day and
st. Patrick's day together, was re-
solved that they must wait till the
next anniversary, which would be a
year.
So as the days grew less before the
appointed wedding day they watched
every weather sign in the heavens and
prayed constantly for smooth waters
that there might be no trouble in
bringing the priest over to marry
them. But, whether, as Fergus be-
lieved, he had omitted some penance
that he should have done or, as Eileen
believed, she had not prayed often
enough, on the evening of the 10th Of
March a dark cloud appeared in the
west and a wind began to rise.
In the morning, though the water
was quite rough, Fergus said he would
go over and see if the father would
come with him. So, while he went for
the oars, Eileen brought some earth
from the nuns grave" dropped it in
the boat with a prayer, and Fergus,
returning, started for the mainland.
He found the good father resolved
not to go with him. He might be Oblig-
ed to remain a long while on the is
land, and what would his flock do in
the meanwhile without him?
"But I'll marry you all the same,
Fergus, my boy" he said. eco back
to Eileen, and when it is noon come
down to the shore. l will go out on
to the Hornhead and read the service"
"But how shall we know what you
are saying" asked Fergus.
Then the priest told him that when
the service was begun a fire would be
lighted. At another part another fire
would be lighted, and SO on till a given
number of fires denoted that the serv-
ice was finished and the couple had
been pronounced man and wife.
Fergus, overjoyed, started back for
the island. The wind had risen, and
Eileen, who stood watching on the
shore, feared that every wave would
overturn the boat. When it came near
enough for her to see that the priest
was not in it her heart misgave her,
but even before Fergus had made fast
he told her Of how they were to be
married after all.
Shortly before the oOn hour a we'd
ding party stood on the shore of Tory
island watching for a fire on Horn
head, a projecting point of rock on
the mainland. When they saw a fame
burst forth they uncovered and knelt
and watched eagerly for the next fire,
which was to mark a new part Of the
service. 1t was an impressive sight,
this bridal party kneeling on the beach
upon which wave after wave rolled in,
90 fhouph TO crOwn the bride with a