Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-07-03

IF HARM there is done, tbs not Of
your doing" he told her. Though
II must be contesSlng I'm disap-
pointed"
"-Disappointed?" faltered MORA.
That Finola OReilly should demand
such sacrifice from her girls he said
sternly.
But it isn't my little grandmother's
fault" the girl gasped in diSmay. ITS
its Uncle Willy John. Don't you
understand, Cousin Michael, they think
SO long as he stays in the states for
their sakes, it would be selfish OF them
to follow out their own wishes :.
In fact, they can't if they wanted to-
with Uncle Willy John never settling
down to anything-and grandmother
old-and a living to be made"
Il see!" said Michael Hurley, as he
stood silent, lost in musing. We'll
there's III good thing" he broke out
suddenly. Its your good luck, MORA.
that you have youth and the world
before you. With the grand educa-
ton you're getting, you can turn your
back on the wishing moon and go your
own sweet way" His shrewd old gaze
was studying her young face closely.
But l have no right to go my own
way, Cousin Michael" his companion
returned earnestly. What we need
here is not a fine scholar in the flu
ture, but somebody to put their Shout
der to the wheel right now and help.
And that's what I've made up my mind
to dol"
WHAT. exploded Michael. "You
mean you're going to give up your
schooling for Willy John O'Reilly?"
Not for him, Cousin Michael. /
hate to speak i'll of him-but you car
see for yourself what is going on . i.
And ever since we came across it had
been so Uncle Willy John
pretending to be too homesick to settle
down to anything the family
Shaving to make a comfortable home
for him turning their dearest
wishes aside for him scrap
ing to find the money to send him of
to the races and mountains and on the
boat trips! You see yourself the clever
way he has of working on their feel
ings till he gets what he wants. That's
what is back of his melancholy right
nov! This summer there was no
money for him to get off on the water
as usual, with Aunt Kate being laid
off for a month, and the payment on
the place overdue :"
MORA paused and shook a ~lifeless
head. But he will get his way yet,
Cousin Michael, mark my words. Aunt
Kate will borrow on her wages, and
Aunt Agnes Mary crowd in extra sew
ing, or something! So I've made up
my mind once and for all to this
though not a word must they know of
- ,nuyI fp,ctnnI nf nnInn hnnk m
school, I'm going into the factory with
Aunt Kate. They have burden enough
with Uncle Willy John-let alone me
Michael Hurley's wee bits Of eyes
flashed, and his face turned crimson,
You're daft!" he exploded. "Or is it
that you don't value the grand learn
ing as you should?'
The girl turned a wan young face
toward him in the moonlight. "Oh,
do, Cousin Michael! I've always been
book hungry, and at the thought OF
giving it all up1my heart is just one
big ache But their hearts
ache, too and I'm not going
to add to their burden"
But listen, childeen-" Michael
Hurley began insistently, then broke
off. For across the field came Finola
O,Reilly and Kate, and between them,
a gallant hand on either ARM, walked
Willy John.
There they stand, star gazing!'
Finola said cheerfully.
Moon gazing" Michael corrected
her. Il was just telling young MORA
here about the wishing ring about the
moon. You remember, Finola?"
Willy John threw back his handsome
head and gazed dreamily at the misty
ball.
"Ah, moonl' he said soulfully. I'm
wondering, now, would you be grant
ing my wish?"
The two elder met each
others gaze knowingly. But Michael
glared: Sure, and why don't you be
wishing yourself back in Dunleary,
Willy John?" he snapped. But Willy
John shook a manly head.
There's nothing SO selfish as that
I'd be asking" he declared. only
this I would ask of the wishing o
When I am dead let there be some
way to send be Blackjack to sleep
in Kill o. the Grange by the Irish seal
Which left Michael Hurley no come
back, save to rub his old chin madly.
And SO it was his brief visit passed
with him seething and boiling as he
watched the women folk working like
Trojans-Kate shut up in the factory
all day, Agnes Mary bending uncom-
plainingly over her machine, Finola
and young MORA never having an idle
moment about the place; and all the
while Willy John somheow managed
to do little more than take his ease
wrapped in most palpable melancholy
On the wall of his bedroom was
pinned a map Of the old world before
which the women-folk glimpsed him
more than once standing in pensive
musing. On his window sill was q pot
Of shamrock which he watered zeal
ously night and morning. His dreams
from his own accounting, were mostly
Of the days when he was back home
sailing past Ireland's Eye; dreams sc
vivid that he actually could feel the
settling Of the sails and the spray or
his face!
And just as surely as all roads leac
to Rome, SO did their efforts to divert
his gloom but lead deeper into the
mire.
Can I be bringing you back a book
from town, Willy John?" Agnes Mary
might ask, as armed with her big
bundle of sewing, she set off for the
convent.
There's but one book I'm craving
Willy John would inform her dole.
fully. ".Tis called the "Exiled Son.
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