Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-04-15
[ EA RI

1 19 TX
Ing coi1ures stavrd supercliously right
through her. She felt most uncom-
Portable in such strange company.
On the piano she found perfectly
carved bronze statuette of Cupid. She
gave little elfish cry of delight. took
the statuette in her arms and kissed it.
"Cupid. me darlin':. Faith. it's you
that causes all the mischief in the
wurrld. ye divil ye." she cried.
All her depression vanished. She
was like child again. She sat down
at the piano and played the simple re-
frain and sang in her little girlish
tremulous voice one of her fathers
favorite songs. her eyes on Cupid:
"Oh. the days are gone when beauty
bright
My hearts charm wove!
When my dream Of life. from morn till
night.
Was love. still love!
New hope may bloom
And days may come
OF milder. calmer beam.
But there's nothing half so sweet in life
AS loves young dream.
No. there's nothing half so sweet in life
AS loves young dream"
AS she let the last bars die away
and gave Cupid IL little caress and was
about to commence the next verse u
vivid fash OF lightning played around
the room. followed almost Immediate.
ly by a crash OF thunder.
Peg covered down into deep chair.
All the laughter died from her face
and the joy in her heart She made
the sign Of the cross. knelt down and
prayed.
Into the room through the window
came young man. his coat collar turn
ed up. rain pouring from his hat. In
side his coat was u terrified looking
dog The man came we'll into the room.
turning down the collar of his coat and
shaking the moisture from his clothes
when he suddenly saw the kneeling
figure of Peg. He looked down at her
in surprise. She was intent on her
prayers.
"Hello!" cried the young man.
Frightened. eh?"
Peg looked up and saw him staring
down at her with smile on his lips.
Inside his coat was her precious little
dog. trembling with fear. The terrier
barked loudly when lie saw his mis-
tress. Peg sprang up and clutched Mi
chael away from the stranger just as
another binding fash played around
the room. followed by deafening re-
port.
Peg ran across to the door, shout
ing: "Shut it out! Shut it out!' She
stood there trembling, covering her
eyes with one hand; with the other
she held on to the oyerjoyed Michael,
who was whining with glee at seeing
her again.
The amazed and amused young man
closed the windows and the curtains.
Don't come near the dog. sir. Don't
come near IT, She opened a door and
found 1t led into little reception
room. She fastened Michael with IL
piece OF string to chair in the room
and canae back to look again at the
stranger. who had evidently rescued
her dog from the storm. He was u
tall. bronzed. athletic looking. broad
shOuldered young man Of about TWEEN
ty-six. with n pleasant. genial, mag
netic manner and playful humor
lurking In his eyes.
AS Peg looked him all over she found
that he was smiling down at her.
Does the dog belong to you:" he
eueried.
what were you doin' with him?"
she asked in reply.
II found him barking at very high
spirited mare"
"Marey' cried Peg. "Whcre?"
''ried to the stable door"
The stable door? Is that where
they put Michael!" Once again the
lightning flashed vividly.
Peg shivered.
The stranger rcassured her.
Don't be frightened. It's only q
summer storm"
Summer or winter. they shrivel me
np," gasped Peg. She looked at the
young man and said in an awestruck
voice:
'"They say II ye look Mt the sky when
the lightnin' comes ye can see the king
dom Of heaven. An the sight OF it
blinds some and kills others-accordin
to the state of grace ye're in
You're Catholic?" said the stran
ger.
"What else would | be?" asked Peg
In surprise.
Again the lightning lit the room. Peg
closed her eyes again and shivered.
Doesn't 1t seem he is angry with
us for our sins?' she cried.
with me perhaps-not with you"
answered the stranger.
"What do ye name by that?" asked
Peg.
''You don't know what sin is," re-
piled the young man.
AN who may you be to talk to me
like that:" demanded Peg.
''My name is jerry" he said,
'Jerry?' And Peg looked at him en-.
ricusly.
Eyes. What is yours?'
"Peg! And there was sullen note
OF fixed determination in her tone.
-'Peg. eh?' And the stranger smiled
She nodded and looked at him Curl
ously. What strange name he had
Jerry. She had never heard such a
name before associated with such a