The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-25
By j. Hartley Manners


What is it. Peg?'
WAS my mother very beautiful. IA
ther:"
"The most beautiful woman that
ever lived in all the wurrld, Peg"
"She looks beautiful in the picture
| We have of her."
| From the inside pocket of his coat
he drew out little beautifully paint
| ed minia ture. The frame had long
since been worn and frayed. O'Con-
nell looked at the face, and his eyes
shone.
"The man that painted 1t couldn't
put the soul OF her into it. That he
couldn't: not the soul of her
Am ] like her at all. father?' asked
Peg wistfully
"'Sometimes We are. dear, very like"
After n l5tle pause Peg said:
eye loved her very much, father,
didn't ye:'
He nodded. Il loved her with all
| the heart of me and all the strength of
me-
Peg.sat quiet for some minutes; then
| she asked him a question very quietly
and hung in suspense on his answer:
do ye love me as much as ye loved
her. father?'
ITS different, Peg, quite. quite diff
! ferent."
"Why is it:" She waited.
He did not answer.
| Sure. love is love whether We feel
it for woman or child" she per-
sisted.
! O'Connell remained silent.
Did We love her betther than We
love me. father?' Her soul was in her
great blue eyes as she waited excitedly
| for the answer 10 that. to her. momen-
| tous question.
why do We ask me that?" said
O'ConnelI.
| Because | always feel little sharp
pain right through my heart whenever
| We talk about me mother. Ye see. fa-
ther, I've thought all these years that
| was the one We really loved
"Ye're the only one have in the
wurrld. Peg
And ye don't love her memory bet
ther than ye do me-
! O'Conne!l put both of his arms
| around her.
"fer mother is with the saints, Peg.
and here are you by me side. Sure
there's room in me heart for the men,
ory Of her and the love of you.''
She breathed little sigh Of satis-
faction and nestled ON 10 her fathers
shoulder. The little fit of childish jeal-
ousy of her dead mothers place in her
fathers heart passed
She wanted no one to share her ia
theirs affection with her. She gave him
all Of hers. She needed all of his.
When Peg was eighteen years old
and they We're living in Dublin O'Con-
! nell was offered quite a good position
in New York. 1t appealed to him.
The additional morey would make
things easier for Peg. She was almost
woman now. and h. wanted her to
get the finishing touches of education
that would prepare her for a position
in the world II she met the man she
felt she could marry. Whenever be
would speak of marriage Peg would
, laugh scornfuIy:
Who would be afther marryin', Id
like to know? Where in the wurrld
would find a man like you:'
And no coaxing would make her car
ry on the discussion or consider its
possibility.
1t still harassed him to think he had
so little to leave her if anything hap.
pened TO him. The offer to 90 to Amer.
lea seemed providential. Her mother
was buried there. He would take Peg
to her grave.
Peg grew very thoughtful at the idea
of leaving Ireland. All her little likes
and dslikes. her impulsive affection:
and hot hatred, were bound up In tina
country. She dreaded the prospect o.
meeting number of new people.
Still, it was for her fathers good, sc
she turned brave face to it and said
Sure it is the finest thing in the
wurrld for both of u.s..
But the night before they left Ire
land she sat by the little window il
her bedroom until daylight lookin.
back through all the years of her shor
life.
1t seemed as If she were cutting of
all that beautiful golden period Sh,
would never again know the free, care
less, happy go-ncky. living from da.
to day existence that she had loved s,
much.
1t was a pale. wistful, tired LITTLE
Peg that Joined her father at break
fast next morning.
His heart was heavy too. But b,
laughed and joked and sang and sait
how glad they ought to BEGGING t
that wonderful new country and. b,
the way. the country Peg was born IL
too! And then he laughed again ant
said how fine she looked and how wei
he felt and that it seemed as If it wer,
Gods hand in 1t ALL
And Peg pretended to cheer up, ant
they acted their parts right to the ent
until the last line of land disappear
ed and they were headed for America
Then they separated and went to thei
little cabins to think of all that hat
been. And every day they kept up til,
little deception with each other unit
they reached America.