Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-02-04
PEG O. MY HEART
By Hartley Manners
of the


Tor showing something we EnSllSu
are always boasting OF feeling our
selves and resent any other nation
feeling patriotism:
stop" commanded Kingsnorth
III 70, AXE that sick. wretched
man out X this house it will be a
crime began Angela.
Ixingsnorth stopped her. He turned
to the magistrate, Kindly take the
man away
Roche moved to the window.
Angela's heart sank. All her plead
ing was in vain. Her voice faltered
and broke:
Very well. then. take him. Sen
tence him for doing something his
monument to him for doing The mo-
ment the prison door closes behind him
thousand voices will cry Shame. on
you and your government and Il thou
sand new patriots will be enrolled.
And when he comes ont from his tor
ture he'll carry on the work of hatred
and vengeance against his tyrants. He
will fight you to the last ditch You
may torture his body. but You cannot
break his heart or wither his spirit.
They're beyond you. They 're-they're"
she stopped suddenly as her voice
rose to the breaking point and left the
room.
The magistrate went down the drive
In few moments O'Connell was on
his way to the courthouse. closely
guarded prisoner.
Angela. from her window, watched
the men disappear. She buried her
face in her hands and moaned MS she
had not done since her mother left her
just u few years before. The girlhood
in her was dead. She was Il woman.
The one great note had come to her
transforming her whole nature love.
And the man she loved was being
carried away to the misery and degra
dation Of Il convict
Gradually the means died away
The convuIsive heaving of her breast
subsidized.
A little later when her sister, Mont
ca. came in search OF her, she found
Angela in dead faint.
BY night she was in fever.
One day in November Angela receiv-
ed the following letter:
Dublin, Ireland. Nov. l6. IS
Dear Lady of Mercy-l have served my
sentence. / am free. AT first the horrible
humiliation of my treatment. of my sur
roundings. of vhe depths ! mad to sink to-
burned into me. Then the thought OF you
sustained me. Your gentle voice. youi
beauty. your pity. your unbounded faith
in me, strengthened my soul. All the
degradation fell from me. They were but
tgnoble means to noble end. 1 was tor
tured that others might never know sor-
row. was imprisoned that my country
men might know liberty. And so the load
was lighter.
The memory of those three wonderful.
days was so marvellous. SO vivid. that il;
shone like star through the blackness
of those terrible days.
You seem to have taken hold of my
heart and my soul and my life.
Forgive me for writing this TO you. but
1t seems that you are the only one I've
ever known who understands the mann
springs of my nature. of my hopes ana
my ambitions : indeed. Of my very
thoughts.
Today met the leader of my party. He
greeted me warmly. AT last ! have PROV
ed myself a worthy follower. They think
II best l should leave Ireland for awhile
III take active part at once | shall be
arrested again and sent for n longer sen
tence.
They have offered me the position OF
one of the speakers in a campaign IN
America to raise funds for the cause "
must first see the chief in London He
sent message writing in the highes,
terms of my work aud expressing u wish
to meet me. | wonder if it would be
possible to see you in London?
lf 1 am sent to America it would speed
my going to speak to YOU again If you
feel that ask too much do not answe,
this. and ! will understand
Out of the fnlness of my heart. iron
the depths of my soul and with the wlioi.
fervor of My being. ask You 10 acceI,
all the gratitude of a heart filled to over.
flowing
God bless and keep you. Yours in HON
age and gratitude.
FRANK OWEN o'coNNELL..
Her answer:
London. Ncv. 10. ls-.
My Dear Mr. OConnell-i am glad in
deed 10 have your letter and to Know so;
are free again. ! have often thought o
your misery during all these months an,
longed 10 do something to assuaGe it. 4
is only when "A friend is in need and al
avenues of help are closed To him that
woman realizes now helpless she is
That they have not crushed your spiri
does not surprise me. | was as sure o.
that as ] am that the sun is shining to
day. That you do not work actively II
Ireland at once Is. am sure. wise Fool
hardness rs not courage