Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-12-22

didn't have himself how could I have
his picture takeng'
And you telegram. Mrs. O'Leary?"
1 asked.
Well" she said. wiping off the tears
with her blue checked apron, Il was
sittin' here cryin' with the luck OF
Michael. when the praste came III to
tell us about him, and then he opened
the tilligram and it was from the great
Gineral Kitchener, the one that is run
min the war from W. London; and he
said how all England was proud OF
Michael, ana then. before we could git
used to hinkin' of the by as havin' a
medal atall, atall, up comes some more
Kilograms.
oh, dear. oh. dear" sighed Mrs.
O'Leary. Twas l that was only
wishin' TO have me Michael back and
not carin' about hearin' about him
instid.' Then, turning to Mr.. OLeary.
who sat like Il drape completely COW
ering the low stool. h said: "OIeary-
mon. fetch me thin Kilograms
Mr.. O'Leary walked to the cupboard
with q proud stride n after much
manipulation OF Il secret drawer,
brought q bundle of letters, kilograms
and newspaper clippings. They mad
been exhibited at all the recruiting
tands of Ireland, as we'll as the schools
md churches. but Mrs. OI-eary knew
them by heart.
In a sweet. low voice that trembled
she told me their message again ana
again. Here was n from Kitchener,
and one from Sir John French, II
from the king of England. and a sep
arate congratulation to Mlchaels
mother from the queen.
They were from dignitaries of
France, Russia, England, from Cath
Ollie and Hibernian societies of Amer
ica-a wonderful c~ollection-one that
~,;cl1% ,,,oJj 1>,,;,,r f.nH toorS tn Ml.S
O'Leary's eyes as himself took refuge
in muttering into his pipe.
Then she turned back to the sec
ond batch of kilograms and shook
them angrily.
"Twas these that stabbed us to the
heart" she exclaimed.
for l had not heard this chapter of the
story Of Michael.
"They did," said Mr.. O'Leary.
"They came from all the same
friends telling us their sorrow to read
the death of Michael in the papers.
Himself and 1 not radin' papers, how
did we expect it? Oh, it was terrible,
terrible day." Mrs. O'Leary groaned,
though it was an old story now. "All
the people came out to see us and
stayed to our and we made our
plans for the grandest wake Ireland
ever held, and they all took on m
thin terrible, terrible.
Then another tilligram came, and I
was SO used to the sad ones by now
that I had them open it just like the
others, and it was from Michael him.
self, bad cess to him, contradictin' his
death by sayin': I am nayther dead
nor wounded and hopin' you're the
same
And then we had to sen everybody
away disappointed in not havin' the
-y0110 a~N 4Pt4., ph4Ny I'M n11 f1oo0
miles and havin' made plans.
Then there "a the second time the
papers said Michael was dead, and we
went through the same sorrowin' again
and the plans for the wax and all. and
it was terrible. terrible: and thin we
got a tilligram from the by himself
sayin' he vas comm home on lave,
and he vas to be driven through Lon
don in q coach and four; and now"
concluded Mrs. O'Leary, II won't be-
lave Michael is dead until he tills me
so himself"
"God Bless Ameriky."
At the last rays Of twilight 1 rose to
lave the little cottage after a hearty
invitation to stay and SUP from the
the short way through the valley" Mrs.
O'Leary pointed to a straight path, but
1 didn't ask how many miles it was!
Y cam said Mr.. OLeary.
"The Lord love ye,'' she said tenderly
with her arm about me; yell till them
in the states that niver do I forget the
happy. days / spint there. But till
thin we're contint now in Ireland, that
tits best for u; to turn from our wan
derin's to the auld sod at the end. Till
thin. often / sit up here in the noun
tains dramin' of me young days." her
face lit softly: land tits often of an
evenin', as / look across the valley. I
say me prayer: God bless Amer
iky"!'"
May the saints guide we home" Mrs.
O'Leary pressed highland, and l turned
back in my uncertain seat to see him.
self standing against the donkey, and
saying very soberly into his pipe:
"They will"