The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-04-10
Peg o My
Heart
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'eThis is my father, Sir Gerald
Adair."
"we'd introduced ourselves al.
ready" said O'Connell good naturally.
eying the unexpected visitor all the
while. "And what might ye be dom
In New York;" he asked.
II have never seen America. take
an Englishman's interest in what we
once owned
IAN lost through misgovernment
"Well, we'll say misunderstanding"
"As they'll one day lose Ireland"
II hope not. The two countries un
derstand each other better every day."
The bell rang again. Peg started to
go, but O'Connell stopped her.
'Its McGinnis. This is his night to
call and tell me the politics of the
town. I'll take him into the next
room, Peg. until yer visitor is gone"
"Oh, please" said Jerry hurriedly
and taking step toward the door. "al.
low me to call some other timer
"Stay where ye are!' cried O'Con-
nell, burrying out as the bell rang
again.
II want to ask ye somethin', Sir
Gerald" she began.
"Jerry" he corrected.
"Please forgive me for what said
to ye that day 1t was wrong Of me
to say it. Yet 1t was Just what ye
might have expected from me. But
ye'd been SO fine to me-a little no.
body-all that wonderful month that
it's hurt me ever since. an didn't
dare write to ye. 1t would have look
ed like presumption from me. But
now that we've come here ye've found
me out, an l want to ask yer pardon,
an l want to ask We not to be angry
with me-"
II couldn't be angry with you. Peg"
He paused. and as he looked at her
the reserve of the held In. self contain.
ed man was broken. He bent over
her and said softly:
''Peg, l love your
The room swan around her.
Was all her misery to end?
Did this man come back from the
mists Of memory because he loved herr
She tried to speak, but nothing came
from her parched lips and frightened
throat
Then she became conscious that he
was speaking again, and she listened
to him with all her senses. With all her
heart and from her soul.
II knew you would never write to
me. and somehow wondered just how
much you cared for me-if at all. So
I came here. love you. Peg. I
want you to be my wife. I want to
care for you and tend you and make
you happy. love you!"
Her heart leaped and strained.
"Do you love met" she whispered,
and her voice trembled and broke.
II do. Indeed do. Be my wife,"
"But you have title" she pleaded
"share 1t with me-" he replied.
eyed be so ashamed o. me-"
mo. Peg; I'd be proud of you. /
love you"
Peg broke down and sobbed.
II love you. too. Misther jerry"
In a moment she was In his arms.
1t was the first time any one had
touched her tenderly besides her ia.
Their
Jerry stroked her hair and looked
into her eyes and smiled down at her
lnvinr1v aa ho oslko6.
"What will your father say?'
She looked happily up at him and
answered:
do you know one of the first things
me father taught me when was Just
4 little child?''
ut was from Tom Moore, oh, there's
nothin' half so sweet in lne-as loves
young dream"
When O'Connen came into the room
later he realized that the great sum-
mons had come to his little girl.
The thought came to him that he
was about to give to England his
daughter in marriage! Well. had he
not taken from the English one of her
fairest daughters as his wife?
And silent prayer went up from
his heart that happiness would abide
with his Peg and her Jerry and that
their romance would last longer than
had Angela's and his.