Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-29

AnOJLef silence, ana bneD hbU6le, DenQ-
ing her head very low, said hardly above
a whisper:
I'm be therein the chapel-a' Tues
day mornin.
will ye now?" cried tho unfortunate
Patsey, his honest face lighting up. go
in to SEQ the weddin's? Sure, I'll be there
too"
"'Tis to be married mesilf I'll be goin, !"
cried the girl, looking up with burning
checks.
"Ye-ye to be married." gasped the
man, so white that the freckles seemed to
increase and multiply to an alarming ex-
tent.
Eyes, me-" said Katie, beginning to
grow cool the moment he lost his head
"Bo the holy burst out Patsey.
"Whisht! Ye mustn't curse" said she
quickly.
IAN who to-" he asked in choking
voice.
ANDY, the smith"
II have no word agin Andy" said he
slowly, ''Only - oh, Katie, asthore!"
stretching out great, brown hand.
why didn't ye say that long agof" said
Katie, stealing a glance with eyes full of
tears as she laid her hand in his.
Katie, dear, why would ye marry
him5" said Patsey, looking the picture of
abject misery.
Maybe nobody else would have me, !"
said she, with mischievous smile.
Nobody elso" almost shouted he.
"Sure, wouldn't p
Be aisy, will ye, warned Katie, with
the common sense that rarely deserts her
sex on these occasions. BE aisy. Yo
needn't tell the whole parish Listen to
me-" she went on quickly. "'Tis only to-
day the match is making but well know
the Andy's ovid mother won't let the
chance pass. And Andy himself, dacint
boy, don't care who he gets to rid up the
house fur him. So yen see me married to
him a Tuesday if ye DON'T
Don't what|
'If ye don't be said by me-"
Sure, Twill. Only tell me what to do.
Faith, we want some one badly to
mind yo IT'S little sinse av ye're own ye
| have, l." said Katie, looking, with love in
her eyes, at the eager face that confronted
| her
"Well, I'll be said by ye, said Patsey
| firmly. Only spake the word"
well, thin" said the girl, locking
down, "bo mkt to me overnight the al
thar a Tuesday, an-an bring-a ring wild
ye."
Aye, faith, will l." said Patsey en-
phatically. AN what will happen thin?"
Lave that to me, ye omadhaun," said
| Katie, giving his hand the tiniest squeeze
as she turned to CO. but Patsey laid his
hand on her arm, and, with his honest
face full of joy, asked in an incredulous
tone:
AN is it me ye want, Katie dear?"
"Divil anothSrl' said Katie, looking
up fondly.
Look at that nowp' exclaimed Patsey
delightedly, "an ye love me?"-as if it
were too good to be true-"mo? An the
red head av me an-all?' he repeated.
AYE, do II Have conduct now, will
yer"
But it was too late, and there was moth
ing left to do but to smooth her hair as
she walked on by his side.
A bright March sun shone on the little
gray chapel on the morning of Snrovo
| Tuesday, making the states look as new
rs they did on the day Paddy Cullough's
father-in-law had put them on and bur
nishing the sullen old Atlantic until it
looked as if it, too, had put on glorious
wedding garment in honor of its fisher
children. And they, old and young alike,
light hearted as the vcriest children,
| throngCd tho street that skirted the beach
or assembled in noisy groups on the green.
Everybody was there and in holiday
| dress. Even Judy Bralligan had put up
the three shutters, on which she kept her
accounts in roughly chalkcd sketches of
the various coins owed her, and had LETT
!
the corner shop looking as ifTts eyes were
shut, and little Timsio Dwyer had come
| all the way from BCrehavCn, wearing the
whoiO Of his wardrobc-fCur waistcoaJs
and three coats-which was his conception
of gala costume He was Giu mcrrcst
soul ON the countryside, rs ready for fun
as many man at half his age, and now
he was come, by special invitation of the
bride elect, to see Terence Flannigan's
daughter married.
Katie was on the green with her poo
pie, who were REINFORCED by Andy and
his mother, but she gave little heed to
them, for she was busy warning Patscy
O'Rourke away with her eyes and eagerly
looking for some one in the crowd.
Andy did not force his attentions upon
her-in fact, he never looked at her at all
but stood staring modify out to sea
while his mother sang his praises to all
around. At last Katie eyes frightened,
and leaving the others she went quickly
to little man, who came to meet her with
series of curvets like rather stiff but
high mettled steed, at the same time way
ing his hat round his head. 1t was little
Timsie, who strovo to express his congrat-
ulations thus by dramatic action, but Kat
tie soon put an end to the spirited display,
and turning him sharply round led him
away among the people. When they APP
peared again, the girls eyes were full of
eager expectation, while finishes comical
old face was screwed up to an expression
of intense enjoyment. Then there was IA
general movement toward the chapel, for
the all important hour had come
With jokes and laughter the crowd
slowly crushed itself in through the open
door until the building was densely
packed, but with different congregation
from that which few minutes before had
Chatted outside, for in his church the Irish
peasant is the most devout and revercnt
of worshipers. AS she entered, Katie had
pn11 ,l g. al,