Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1915 — PEG O' MY HEART [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PEG O' MY HEART

By J. Hartley Manners

A. Comedy of Youth Founded by Mr. Manners on His Great Play of the Same Title—lllustrations From Photographs of the Play

SYNOPSIS. Frank O’Connell, young Irish patriot, is shot and wounded by "British soldiers while making a home rule speech. H« la aided by Angela Kingsnorth. an English society girl, who defends him. Angela takes O’Connell to her brother's home and helps to nurse him. He recovers, and he and the girl become fast friends. ; O'Connell when well Is sent to jail for disturbing the peace. He finally writes Angela that he has finished his sentence, j O’Connell and Angela wed. She has espoused the Irish cause. Her brother, a member of parliament, is very angry. i The happy couple come to America to live. A daughter is born to them. Angela’s brother refuses to help the couple In any way. Angela dies. | O'Connell names his daughter Margaret and calls her ••Peg.” O'Connell receives a most important letter from England, which perplexes him. O’Connell allows Peg to visit England at her uncle’s request. The elder Kingsnortti’s heart had finally softened toward his dead sister’s little girl. Peg goes to the home of the Chichester family in England at the direction of Mr. Hawkes, Kingsnorth’s attorney, as Kingsnorth suddenly dies. She first meets itthel Chichester and Brent, a married man in love with Ethel. She interrupts them by accident in a secret meeting CHAPTER XIV. I: Peg In England. JOW long have you been here?”! || again asked Ethel of Peg. ■ 1 “Sure 1 only came in this minnit,” said Peg innocently and with a little note of fear. She was not accustomed to fine looking, splendidly dressed yoAng ladies like Ethel. “ “What do you want?’’ demanded the young lady. “Nothin’,” said Peg reassuringly. “Nothing?” echoed Ethel, growing angrier every moment “Not a thing. I was just told to wait” said Peg. I “Who told you?” “A gentleman.” replied Peg. “What gentleman?” asked i Ethel sharply and suspiciously. “Just a gentleman.” Peg, afteif fumbling nervously in her pocket produced

the card Mr. Hawkes had given her, which Michael immediately attempted to take possession of. Peg snatched it away from the dog and handed it to the young lady. “He told me to wait there!” Ethel took the card irritably and read: “ ‘Mrs. Chichester, Regal Villa.’ And what do you want with Mrs. Chichester?” she asked Peg, atthe same time looking at the shabby clothes, the hungry looking dog and the soiled parcel. “I don’t want anything trltb her. I was just told to wait.” “Who are you?’* Peg was now getting angry too. There was no mistaking the manner •rs the proud young lady. Peg chafed under it. She looked up sullenly into Ethel’s face and said: “I was not to say a wurrd, I'm tellin’ ye. I was just to wait.” Peg settled back in the chair and stroked Michael. This questioning was not at all to her liking. She wished Mr. Hawkes would come and get her out of a most embarrassing position. But until he did she was not going to disobey his instructions. He told her to say nothing, sff nothing would she say. Ethel turned abruptly to Brent and found that gentleman looking at the odd little stranger somewhat admiringly. She gave an impatient ejaculation

anti turned back to Teg quickly: “You say you have only been here a minute?” —— “That’s all,” replied Peg—“just a minnit.” “Were we talking when you came in?” “Ye were.” Ethel could scarcely conceal her rage. “Did you hear what we said?” “Some of it—not much,” said Peg. “What did you hear?” “ ‘Please don’t\4t’s so hot this mornin’,’ ” said Peg, with no attempt at imitation, just as if she were stating a simple, ordinary occurrence. Ethel flushed scarlet. Brent smiled. “You refuse to say why you’re here or who you are?” Ethel again asked. “It isn’t me that’s refusin’. All the gentleman said to me was: ‘Ye gs> to the place that’s written down on the card an’ sit down there an’ wait. An’ that’s all ye do.’ ” Ethel again turned to the perplexed Brent. “Eh?” “Extraordinary!” >And Brent shook his head. The position was unbearable. Ethel decided instantly how to relieve it. She looked freezingly down at the forlorn looking little intruder and said: “The servants’ quarters are at the back of the house.” “Are they?” asked Peg without moving and not in any way taking the statement to refer to her. “And I may save you the trouble, of waiting by telling you we are quite provided with servants. We do not need any further assistance.” Peg just looked at Ethel and then bent down over Michael. Ethel’s last shot had struck home. Poor Peg was cut through to her soul. How she longed at that moment to be back home with her father in New York. Before she could say anything Ethel continued: v “If you insist on waiting, kindly do so there.” Peg took Michael up in her arms, collected once more her packages and walked to the windows. Again she heard the cold, hard tones of Ethel’s voice speaking to her: ; “Follow the path to your right until you come to a door. Knock and ask permission to wait there, and for your future guidance go to the back door of a house and ring. Don’t walk unannounced into a private room.” Peg tried to explain: “Ye see, ma’am, I didn’t know. All the gentleman said was, ‘Go there an’ wait’ ” “’"'hat will do.” “I’m sorry I disturbed ye.” And she glanced at the embarrassed Brent. “That will do!” said Ethel finally. Toor Peg nodded and wandered, off through the windows sore at heart. She went down the path until she reached the door Ethel mentioned. She knocked at it. "While she is waiting for admission we will return to the fortunes of the rudely disturbed lovers (?). Ethel turned indignantly to Brent as the little figure went off down the path.

“Outrageous!” she cried. “Poor little wretch!” Brent walked to the windows and looked after her. “She’s quite pretty.” Ethel looked understandingly at him. “Is she?” / “In a shabby sort of way. Didn’t you think so?” Ethel glared coldly at him. “I never notice the lower orders. You apparently do.” “Oh, yes—often. They’re very interesting—at times.” He strained to get a last glimpse of the intruder. “Do you know, she’s the strangest little apparition”— “She’s only a few yards away.if you care to follow her!” Her tone brought Brent up sharply. He turned away from the window and found . Ethel, arms folded, eyes flashing, waiting for him. Something in her manner alarmed him. He had gone too far. “Why, Ethel,” he said as he came toward her. “Suppose Yny mother had walked In here—or Alaric—instead <5? that creature? Never do such a thing again.” “I was carried away,” he hastened to explain. “Kindly exercise a little more restraint. You had better go now.” There was a finality of dismissal in her tone as she passed him and crossed to the great staircase. He followed her: “May I call tomorrow?” “No,” she answered decidedly; “not tomorrow.” “The following day, then,” he urged. “Perhaps.” “Remember, I build on you.” She looked searchlngly at him. “I suppose we are worthy of each other.” Through the open windows came the sound of voices. “Go!” she said imperatively. And she passed on up the stairs. Brent went rapidly to the door. Before either he

could open it or Ethel go out of sight Alaric burst in through the windows. "Hello. Brent!" he cried cheerfully. “Disturbin’ ye?" And he caught Ethel as she was about to disappear, “Or you Ethel?" Ethel turned and seated herself with her little white lap dog clasped in her hands, then answered coolly: “You’ve not disturbed me.” “I'm just going,’’ said Brent “Well, wait a moment." And Alaric turned to the window and beckoned to some one on the path, and in from the garden came Mr. Montgomery Hawkes. "Come in,” said the energetic Alaric. “Come in, Ethel. I want you to meet Mr. Hawkes. Mr. Hawkes—my sister; Mr. Brent—Mr. Hawkes.” Having satisfactorily introduced every one,- he said to Ethel: “See if the mater’s well enough to come down, like a dear, will ye? This gentleman has come from London to see her. D’ye mind? And come back yourself, too, like an angel. He says he has some business that concerns the whole family." “ Alaric bustled Hawkes into a chair and then seized the somewhat uncomfortable Brent by an unwilling hand and shook it warmly as he asked: “Must you go?” “Yes,” replied Brent, with a sigh of relief. Alaric dashed to the door and opened it as though to speed the visitor on his way. “So sorry I was out when you called,” lied Alaric nimbly. “Run in any time, Always delighted to see you—delighted. Is the angel wife all well?” Brent bowed. “Thank you.” “And the darling child?” Brent frowned. He crossed to the door and turned in the frame and admonished Alaric: "Please give my remembrances to your mother.” Then he passed out As he disappeared the Irrepressible Alaric called after him: ‘’Certainly. She’ll be so disappointed not to have seen you. Run in any time —any time at all.” Alaric closed the door and saw his mother and Ethel coming down the stairs. All traces of emotion had disappeared from Ethel’s face and manner. She was once again in perfect command of herself. She carried a beautiful little French poodle in her arms and was feeding her with sugar. Alaric fussily brought his mother forward. “Mater, dear,” he said. “I found this gentleman in a rose bed inquiring the way to "our lodge, lie's come all the way from dear old London just to see you. Mr. Hawkes, my mother." Mrs. Chichester looked at Hawkes anxiously. . “You have come tb see me?"

“On a very important and a very private family matter,” replied Hawkes gravely. “Important? Private?” asked Mrs. Chichester in surprise. “We’re the family, Mr. Hawkes,” ventured Alaric helpfully. Mrs. Chichester's forebodings came uppermost. After the news of the bank’s failure nothing would surprise her now in the way of calamity. What could this grave, dignified looking man want with them? Her eyes filled. “Is it bad news?” she* faltered. "Oh, dear, no,” answered Mr.Hawkes genially. “Well, is it good news?" queried Alaric. “In a measure,” said the lawyer. “Then, for heaven’s sake, get at it. You’ve got me all clammy. We could do .with a little good news. Wait a minute! Is it by any chance about the bank?” “No,” replied Mr. Hawkes. lie cleared his throat and said solemnly and impressively to Mrs. Chichester: “It is about your late brother, Nathaniel Kingsnorth.” “Late!” cried Mrs. Chichester. “Is Nathaniel dead?" “Yes, madam,” said Hawkes gravely. “He died ten days ago.” Mrs. Chichester sat down and silently wept. Nathaniel to have died without her being with him to comfort him and arrange things with him! It was most unfortunate. “Poor old Nat,” Alaric said. “Eh, Ethel?" “Never saw him,” answered Ethel, her face and voice totally without emotion. “You say he died ten days ago?” asked Mrs. Chichester. Mr. Hawkes bowed. “Why was I not informed? The funeral”— “There was no funeral,” replied Mr. Hawkes. “No funeral?" said Alaric in astonishment. a • “No,” replied the lawyer. “In obedience to his written wishes he was cremated, and no one was present except the chief executor and myself,” (TO BE CONTINUED.)

Peg Bent Down Over Michael.