Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-28
The Daily Story
AN IRISH PATRIOT-BY DORA O'NEIL.
Copyrighted. 1913. by Associated Litersry Bureau

Tor both English and Irish persons who
were hunted TO he punished for treo-
son, which meant usually an attempt
to throw Off an oppresSor. O'DonOhue
was worshipcd by his people. and his
young wife had no difficulty in finding
those who would provide ship to take
him to the French coast. A vessel was
procured and stood ready at the near
est practicable point to the Jail where
the prisoner was confined.
Kathleen. having seen this arrange
ment perfected the day before her hus-
band was to be executed. went 10 the
officer who had captured him and beg
ged that she might be permitted TO
spend a short time with the condemned
man that night, the last that he would
spend on earth. The conQueror could
not withstand the pleadlngs. the tears.
of a young and beautiful bride who
was about TO be forever parted from
her bridegroom. He gave an order
that her request be granted.
After darkness had fallen Kathleen.
with her sister, was carried in chair
to the prison, and both were admitted
to the prisoners cell. They remained
with him half an hour when they
emerged. the young wife leaning upon
and almost carried by her sister. Kath-
leen seemed broken with grief. Her
sobs were heartrending as her sister
tried vainly to comfort her. The
guards could not but sympathize with
one who so soon to be bereaved had
just hidden farewell with the one she
loved. The women went to the chair
in which they had come and entered it
amid the sympathetic silence OF their
observers.
Not far from the prison was a wood.
and as soon as the mourning party
were concealed in 1t the door of the
cabin was thrown open and the figure
that had appeared to be Kathleen, but
was really her husband, jumped out.
throwing off his woman's garments. A
horse stood ready. and. mounting it.
he dashed off into the forest.
Meanwhile nothing was suspected
at the jail. At the hour when the last
visit to the prisoner was made for the
night the iailer went into his cell. The
man who was to die on the morrow
knelt beside his cot with his face bur
led on it. The jailer, supposing him to
be engaged in prayer. waited awhile
till he should have finished. But the
prisoner showing no signs of bringing
his devotions to an end. the other ad-
dressed him, asking him IL there was
anything he could do for him.
The figure remained silent, his face
| still buried in the bedclothes.
Now, the O'D3ohue was tall man
and his wife a small woman. This
disparity in size had seemed sure to
| block the plan adopted. To reduce his
! height ODonohue, in leaving the pris
on as Kathleen. had fcignvd to I've SO
! paralyzed with grief as to be obliged
to cling rather than walk with the
| sister. This enabled him TO appear
shorter by bending his knees But
| Kathleen, who was DESTROYS Of con
cealing her Identity in order to give
, her husband time to get as far in his
fight as possible, had no means Of
making herself larger than she was
The jailer stood looking at the dimiuu-
tive form and was puzzled Then it
came over him that something was
wrong. He called again upon the pris-
oner to speak, and, the latter still re
manning silent. he went to him and
J lifted him from the cot He saw at
once wOmans face and knew that
O'Donohue had gone out in his wife's
clothes.
The jaiIer was springinG away to
give the alarm when Kathleen seized
him with a view to delaying him. But
she was no match in strength for him.
and. freeing himself from her grasp.
he rushed from the cell and in n few
minutes men were hurrying TO recap
ture the escaped man
The O'Donohue had been furnished
with the fleeteSt horse that could be
obtained. and he knew every road by
path. bog and tangled forest in the re
gion. The pursuers. surmisinG that he
would make for the coast. followed in
his wake. but while he was helped by
those on the road they were retarded
by obstacles and thrown off their
course by incorrect information.
In the morning the ship I'm which the
/ O'DOnOhue was to sail was riding at
anchor in the ofiing. when he appeared
on a dune above the beach and waved
to them. In jiffy boat was sent
ashore, he was taken aboard. the an
chor was raised. and. the wind filing
the sails. the vessel started on her voy-
age to France
The willy Cromwell was much an
noyed at the escape O'Donohue was
so well beloved in Ireland that the
protector knew he would be "A constant
thorn in his side and dreaded lest the
young patriot should return and head
another rebellion. SO the protector
sent Kathleen to France with a mes
sage TO her husband. Offering him
pardon and the restoration Of his es-
tate II he would swear allegiance 10
the English government BY this time
the O'Donohue had become convinced
that the cause of independent ireland
was hopeless, and. yielding 10 the so
licitatiOns OF the wife. who had saved
bis life. he consented He therefore rr.
turned TO his native island with his
wife. where they enjoyed life there
o.