Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-02-11

take breath. Then she whispered her
leave taking. The words never left
O'Connell's memory for all the days of
all the years that followed.
"My-last-words, dear, the-last-
I1l-ever-sp eak-to-yOu. l-l-love-
you = with - all = my heart-and-my
soul-husband! Good oodby, Frank
She slipped from his arms and lay,
lips parted, eyes open, body still.
The struggle was over. She had
gone where there are no petty treach-
cries. no mean brutalities-where all
stand alike before the throne to rem
der an account Of their stewardship.
The brave. gentle little heart was
stilled forever.
And now Peg appears for the first
time and brings her radiant presence,
her roguish smile, her big, frank, soul
full blue eyes, her dazzling red hair,
her direct, honest and outspoken
truth, her love of all that is clean and
pure and beautiful-Peg enters our
pages and turns what was history Of
romance and drama into a comedy of
youth.
Peg-pure as a mountain lily, sweet
as a fragrant rose, haunting as an old
melody-Peg O. Our Hearts comes into
our story even as she entered her ia
theirs life, as the savior of these pages,
even as she was the means of saving
O'Connell.
And she did save her father.
It was the presence and the thought
O'Connell's hand from destroying him.
self when his reason almost left him
after his wife's death. The memories
of the days Immediately following the
passing of Angela are too painful to
dwell upon.
They are past. They are sacred in
O'Connell's heart. They will be to the
historian.
Thanks to some kindly Irishmen
who heard of O'Connell's plight. he
borrowed enough money to bury his
dead wife and place a tablet to her
memory.
He sent a message to Kingsnorth
telling him of his sisters death. He
neither expected nor did he receive an
answer. AS soon as it was possible
he returned to Ireland and threw him.
self once again heart and soul into
working for the "cause." He realized
his only hope of keeping his balance
was to work. He went back to the
little village he was born in. and it
was Father Cahill's hands that pour
ed the baptismal waters on O'Con-
nell's and Angela's baby. and it was
Father CahilPs voice that read the
baptismal service.
She was christened Margaret.
Angela. one night. when it was near
ing her time, begged him if it were a
girl to christen her Margaret. after her
mother. since all the best in Angela
came from her mother.
O'Connell would have liked much to
name the mite Angela. But his dead
garet the baby was christened. 1t
was too distinguished name and too
long for such little bundle Of pink
and white humanity. 1t did not seem
to fit her. SO Peg" she was named.
and Peg she remained for the rest
of her life
Looming large in Pegs memories in
after life was her father showing her
st. Kernan's hill and pointing out the
mount on which he stood and spoke
that day, while her mother. hidden by
that dense mass of trees. saw every
movement and heard every word.
Then somehow her childish thoughts
all seemed to run TO home ruie-to love
of Ireland and hatred of England-to
thinking ali that was good of Irish
men and all that was bad of English
men.
"Why do We hate the English so