The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-02-13

mo. To care for you, to protect
you"
Protect me?'
IF can"
That's strange"
II heard you speak today" She
paused. "You mustn't go to prison."
Its the lot Of every lrishman today
who says what he thinks"
ut mustn't be yours! 1t mustn't!"
Angela's voice rose in her distress.
She repeated: ut mustn't! I'll appeal
to my brother to stop it."
III he's anything like his father it's
small heed he'll pay to your pleading.
The poor wretches here appealed to
old Kingsnorth in famine and sickness
mot for help. mind We, just for lit
tie time to pay their rents-and the
only answer they ever got from him
was Pay or go!"
II know, know" Angela replied
sand many time when was child
my mother and cried over it."
He looked at her curiously. "You and
yer mother cried over us?'
we ulu. lnueeQ we ulO.
"They say the heart of England is in
its womankind. But they have moth
ing to do with her laws
"They will have some day"
It'll be long time comm, I'm
thinkin' If they take so long to free
a whole country how long do We sup
pose it'll take them to free whole sex
and the female one at that?"
ut will comet" she said resolutely.
And you cried over Ireland's sor-
rows?"
LAS child and as woman" said
Angela.
"And ye'vc gone about here tryin' to
help them. too. haven't yc?"
Il could do very little"
well, the spirit is there-and the
heart is there. If they hadn't liked you
It's the sorry time maybe your brother
would have"
He paused again. looking ut her in.
tently. while his fingers clutched the
coverlct convulsively as If to stife
cry Of pain.
MAY ask We yer name?" he gasped.
angela" she said, almost in whis-
per.
angela" he repeated. angela!
It's we'll named We are. It's the min
isterin' angel we've been down here
to the pcople-and-to me-"
Don't talk any more now. Rest"
REST. is it. with oil the throuble in
hn I'M In,
throbbin' in me heart?"
TRY to sleep until the doctor comes
tonight"
He lay back and closed his eyes.
Angela sat perfectly still.
In few minutes he opened them
again. There was new light in his,
eyes and II smile on his lips.
aye heard me speak, did ye?"
"Yes."
"Where We're VET"
"Above you. behind n bank Of trees"
A playful smile played around his
lips rs he said, at was good speech,
wasn't it?'
Il thought 1t wonderful" Angela an
swered.
And what were yer feelin's listen
In to man urgin' the people against
yer own country?"
II felt wanted to stand beside you
and echo everything you said.'
did you?" And his eyes blazed and
his voice rose.
you spoke as some prophet spenk-
ing In n wilderness Of sorrow trying to|
bring them comfort
He smiled whilusically rs he said in|
weary voice:
II tried to bring them comfort. and II
got them broken heads and buckshot ~
ITS only through suffering every
great cause triumphs" said Angela.
Then the Irish should triumph some
day. They've suffered enough, God
knows"
"They WILL" said Angela eagerly.
"Oh. how l wish Id been born man
to throw in my lot with the weak, to
bring comfort to sorrow. freedom to
the oppressed, Joy to wretchedness!
That is your mission. How envy
you! glory in what the future has In
store for you. Live for it! Live for
itv'
II will:' cried O'Connell. "Some day
the yoke will be lifted from US. God
grant that mine will be the hand to
help do 1t. God grant am alive to see
1t done. That day'll be worth Twin
for-to wiring recognition from our ene-
mics. to-to-to"- He sank back weak.
~ on the pillow, his voice falling to a
whisper.
Angela brought him some water and
helped him up while he drank it. She
smoothed back the shining hair-red
shot through gold-from his forehead.
He thanked her with look. Suddenly
be burst into tears. The strain of tho
day had snapped bis self control at
last. The 6oodgates were opened. He
sobbed and sobbed like some tired,
hurt child. Angela tried to comfort
him. In moment she was crying too.
He took her hand and kissed it repeat
edly. the tears falling on it as he did 80.
God bless We! God bless yer he
cried.
In that moment Of self revelation
their hearts went out to each other.
Neither had known happiness nor love
nor faith in mankind.
In that one eniightening moment of
emotion their hearts were laid bare to|
each other. The great comedy of life
between man and woman had begun.