Motion Picture Story Magazine (Feb 1914 - Sep 1916 (assorted issues))

60 THE MOTION PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE pered, "that I'm afther marryin' his danghther come ( landlemas Day.,, "Indade!" cried Miss Peggy, sharply. "Well, maybe 'twould be so if me sisthers hadn't been born byes, an' me brothers 'ad been a gurrul, an' I hadn't been th' ownly childher av me parints, besides !" "Ach, ye heart-breakinest av acushlas!" begged Jerry, opening his mouth, only to put his foot in it, being a plain, honest blacksmith and no lady 's man. ' ' Sure I 've skimmed th ' crame av th' marnin' to come here and ask your feyther f 'r ye. There's no manner av doubt I've lift two or three shillin's in thrade sthandin' forninst th' shop, an' I've worn an inch off th ' mare 's legs besides, hurryin.' Shure, shmile a bit, mavrone, an' show me .you're gladful I'm come." There's no saying whether or not Peggy would have smiled, and all would have gone merry as a kirk bell, if at that very moment old Michael himself hadn't stuck his hairy face thru the door, sent, no doubt, by the Auld Wan, knowledgeable man, to make a world of trouble in a troublesome world. If he had stayed two moments longer, by the clock on the mantel-shelf, the kiss on Jerry's lips would have been blooming on Peggy's instead of withering into stupid words. 'Tis a queer w7ord, that "if," and it's done a deal of harm. ' 1 Marnin ', Jerry, me bye ! ' ' Michael roared, smashing the pleasant little silence to bits and making the two of them jump in their shoes. "Sit yesilf down and have a bite and sup wid us. 'Tis a bit of bacon 'ud go foine, I'm thinkin', Peggy gurrul, an' a noggin' av cider, wid maybe a dhrop or two av th' rale chrather in t' warrm our four bones." 'Twas the worst he could have said, ;iinl poor Jerry blushed to his cowlicks, for bacon and love-making are queer tongue fellows, but he spoke up resolute and bold. "No, thankin' yez as much," said Jerry, "but 'tis another matther I've come on. Ye know, Misther O'Malley, I've got a cottage av me own, a cow and pratie patch, wrid mebbe a cabbage or two and a turnip besides ; I've got wan fether bed and a copper kettle and a foine thrade, not mintioning a matther av twenty-siven pounds, tuppence, laid by. An' I'm wishful av marryin' Peggy, if yez plaze." Old Michael scratched his head, reflective-like, and looked at the ceiling; then he scratched his chin and looked at the floor ; then he looked at Jerry and slapped him hard on the shoulder. . "Yarra, me bye!" he cried. "Ye 're as honest a gossoon as there is in th' parish, and 'tis proud I'll be t' have yez in th' family. Take her, lad, an ' here 's me hand on it ! " The two shook hands cordial-like, while a pair of black eyes looked on, snapping and flaring like two holy candles flickering in a wind of rage. "And now," said Miss Peggy, at last, coldly, "and now mebbe ye '11 loike t ' hear what I have t ' say ! And if they sh'd be me lasht worruds, they 'd be these. I wouldn 't be afther marryin' yez, Jerry Donovan, if yez was th' Imperor av Roosia, wid a goold crown; I wouldn't be afther marryin' yez if yez an' a haythen Chinee was th' lasht wun on airth; I wouldn't be afther marryin' yez if I was t' be an ould maid to me coffin. Now, put that in yer poipe an' shmoke it, me foine gossoon!" And, with this, she rose up grandly and ran out of the room and slammed the door so that the pewter plates rattled above the cupboard shelf. In her heart, a naughty feeling of triumph elbowed a sickly little runt of disappointment. "Shure I'm glad I said it!" stormed Peggy, aloud. " 'Tis mesilf '11 not be made t' marry anny man. I'll do as I plaze," cried Peggy, stamping her foot, "an' bad cess t' all min! I hate him, an' what's more, I dont loike him, an' I'm happy t' be rid av him, that I am!" And to illustrate her pleasure, Peggy burst into a storm of tears. In the house, young Jerry stared at old Michael, and old Michael at