Luck of the Irish Story

The Story

American reporter Steve Fitzgerald and friend, Bill, are driving along a country road in Ireland when they come to a rickety old bridge. Steve confidently tells Bill that the car can make it across, but the bridge breaks down halfway across, leaving the men stranded. Steve leaves Bill to tend to the car and sets off on foot to find help. Along the way, he meets up with a strange little man who gives him directions to an inn run by a pretty young Irish girl, Nora. Nora and Steve talk about leprechauns and their pots of gold, which are hidden around the countryside. In the middle of one night, the strange little man, Horace, shows up at the inn. The very curious Steve sets chase, eventually catches up, and tackles the man. He forces him to dig up his pot of gold, but, upon seeing the gold, he gives it back to Horace. Horace is very grateful to Steve for returning the gold to him. Horace gives him one of the coins, and Steve reluctantly accepts it. Later, Steve takes Nora to the place where he had seen Horace, but there is no sign of Horace or that he'd ever been there. Steve has to return to New York, but he leaves Nora, yearning for a romance that she might have had with Steve. In New York, Steve accepts a job with D.C. Augur, a powerful publisher. The political viewpoints of Augur are the complete opposite of Steve, but he is swayed to take the generous offer, which includes a big salary and a nicely furnished apartment. He also appreciates the fact that he will now have the opportunity to further his romance with Augur's very pretty, though somewhat spoiled daughter. As part of the package deal for working for Augur, Steve also receives the services of a valet. He is startled when the valet turns out to look an awful lot like Horace, the leprechaun he'd left behind in Ireland. As the story progresses, Nora shows up in New York. Steve is torn between his attraction for Nora and for loyalty to Frances Augur, who has become his fiancee. All the while, Horace is behind the scenes, nudging Steve into the arms of Nora. Steve begins having second thoughts about his job with Augur, since he is politically opposed to all for which Augur stands. In the end, Steve's battle with his conscience is over when he quits his job; breaks his engagement; and follows his heart back to Ireland to marry Nora.