The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-08-21
A MIRACLE OF LOVE
BY WILLIAM L. SHANNON.


tIls sunup an sunset, Oonagh, dar- |
I'M" he said, putting down the saucer
and wiping his mouth on the back of |
his brawny fist, "seein we're three
days married now"
Oonagh, on the other side, a slim,
pretty girl, with wistful blue eyes. AN.
swered softly as she sank her head: |
Three DAYS, Jerry. An what
charm is it you're expectin'?"
Jerry eyed her fondly. Not ex-
pectin',' he amended, lust hopin!"
The girl flushed and threw a half
frightened glance at him.
"Hopin for what?" she asked with
slight Quayer in her voice.
Before replying, Jerry reached big
fist across the table and gently took
Oonaghs hard little hand, that had
been nervously crumblng a bit of
bread on the red-checked cloth.
Its hopin am, mavourneen," the
words We're vibrant with eager long
ing, that today I'll be havin kiss
from you-of your own free will en-.
tirely."
Oonagh WINGED, and the pink went
out of her cheek.
OH" she moaned, her lips Quiver.
ing her eyes brimmed with tears,
mot yet, Jerry, not yet"
Why, Oonagh darln'," he urged,
the yearning still in his eyes, though
the Joy had died out of his face,
"shure there amt no harm in kissin',
now that you're my wife,"
I'm KNOWN that she groaned,
toying miserably with her knife; but
| must-get used to you, Jerry"
A brief silence followed. Pain and
disappointment lined Jerry's counte-
nance aus he drew his hand away from
!, Oonagh who hid her face in her arms
| and wept
is it as bad as that?" the man
muttered at length, the words rolling
out slowly, heavily.
The sorrow in his voice hushed
Oonagh's woe
Il told you, Jerry" she said after
a minute, looking up at him, and deep
sympathy was mingled with the sad
ness in her eyes-'I told you before
the weddin' that didn't love you.
An when Larry said | was to marry
you, Jerry, told him, too
81 know" he answered, "an' it's not
that I'm thinkin' you deceived me-
Oonagh-but | hoped it would be diff
ferent For more than a year an a
half | was lovin you above my own
soul. An ! wanted you SO bad, ma
vourneen, that. whin your brother said
1t was you that was Willin to have
me, couldn't wait for you to love
me. An took YOU, Oonagh, trustin
that by kindness an my love, that's
never been given to another, Id make
you fond of me, Oonagh, dear, so thai
some day we would be happier than
, all the folks in Ireland. But if it.
: that, after almost two years Of court
in YOU, and three days of married
, life, that you feel that you must ge
, used to me, Oonagh-ah." he criet
! out bitterly, his voice breaking
! Heaven pity the two of US"
. Oonagh just stared before her, he
hands clutched in her lap while Jerry
pushing back his chair, got up un
steadily from the table and took hi
/ hat from a peg in the kitchen wall
When he had gone she wept for
few minutes, then dried her eyes an
brooded Rising at length, she mt
chanically cleared off the table an
: washed the few dishes they had use
at breakfast. After that a few de'
ferrous changes had almost ordered tn
little room, when loud rap sounde
on the door
Il Though Oonagh started at the sun
mons, she did not answer 1t at once
| Instead, she hurriedly dofed ne
apron and smoothed the ginghal
| dress, set snugly to her body Hf
| red ewes had to be rubbed, and he
disordered hair tidied. The neigI
bors we're not to think that she ha
| ouarreled with Jerry.
L Her preparations finished, 81
opened the door. A tall, dark, han
some young fellow, abnormally pa
and thin, whose tight black su
served but to emphasize his lanknee
faced her on the threshold. His sun
en- eyes sparkled with JOY at sight
her,
ooonagh" he exclaimed. MY da
% ling"
% She was as pale as the man wh'
g :, she gasped. Patrick" and backed o
g Of his reach as he tried to catch b
% in his arms.
9 "What? he protested remarkil
) her evasion. An is this the greet
q vou have for me after these two lol
. years." .,
E It's glad am 10 see you, Patrick
) ,erv glad" she taltered, and stroye
g smile the welcome she dared Il
g offer
g "shure, l know 1t" he agreed 81
. 70 interpret her manner favorao
e oTt's near killed you are with the 81
. ,-,ee an, It's a brute l am, dear, L
n send you a word Of my coml
> vot vas that anxious to put eyes
{ Won that no messenger could ha
) hoot me TO Roscommon after