The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-22

ihdiLdSS, oeA AC
"Betther late than niver," seq I, Civ
in him the joke, for he was a year old
her than meself IAN" hope the bride'n
say the same"
II hope whaever the bride'n say'll
PLACE ye." Connie; l hope it WILL seq
he, patthin' me sshOuldher once or
twice, friendly-rke. ''for there's no
gairl in the town land ye think more av,
an none deserves it betther. The par
ents is agreed" seq he; "the whole clan
Jeffrey met a Sunday at Billy McCor-
mick an talked it up an down, an
unless some strange thin happens it'll
be match
AN sure. she'll be a lucky woman"
| sez !, lookin' arounn' at him, walkin
handsome an sthrappin' beside me.
AN wish ye joy"
wait bit-wait, Connie. seq he,
| with a quare sort av q laugh; "ye
must hear the brides name first. be-
fore ye spake av joy. What would ye
say to-Ailsie Brosan?"
"Ailsie Brogan?" ] stood still, star
in at him. "Not--not my Ailsie?"
"Yis. or--mebbe-mine! May the best
man win," seq he. ITS five years ye've
coorted her. an what's to show for it?
It's time the Sairl was settled. her hav-
in no modher. an the udhr gairls grow
in up. An why but she'd take her
chance?" sez ne. Sure ye'd stand be-
tune her an a comfortable livin'," see
he, IAN II can mex her happy, an II
she's willin', would ye thry to prevent
it?"
"Ye're jokin.' Rafe." seq I. but he
wasn't. an knew it well! "Qhit, now,
an tell me what yer manin' is"
"Amn't / tellin ye?" seq he. I'm
manin to engage mesilf to Aisie Bro
gan, to be marrit afther Lint, If shes
contint to give her word, but for ouf
friendship. Connie. I wouldn't do 1t un-
beknownst. An it's for her to choose
betune us. man an man. Isn't that
fair?"
But I was that doomboundrhered
couldn't spake. But Rafe wint on.
rasinin' an shown me how wrong 1t
was for Ailsle to be made to suffer, an
how it was long waitin for what might
niver come. An / knew he was right
not a doubt av it! An more an above,
1t was three months that l hadn't got
the sight av Ailsie, nor the scrape av a
pen, but, for all that it was hawd to
mex me give in that he's spake to her.
an run his chance, but he at last. with
the dint av his persuashins, ! did con-
sint, an the next day he KEN, smilin
an happy as young prince, to say
they We're bespoken, an it was left to
the oul' folks to name the day.
Wen. from that time forrit there was
wurrek, an enough to be done at the
| foorge, an mesilf was glad O. that
same. ] was backward at meetin' the
neighbors. for the whole town Ian was
| talkin' av me, an Rafe, an Ailsie. an
| blamin' him. an blamin' her an pityin'
me; but it was little they knew, when
| all was said. ! KEEP a good hoult av me
| tongue, an except to give a civil an
swer / nayther made nor meddled, hop
| in the talk would dhrop the sooner, for
what must come will come. shmall mat
ther who seq yis or no.
livery avenin' av me life was spint
with Rafe an Ailsie. An many's the
time, walkin' through the Gap, an roun'
be Andrews bank whin the moon was
liftin' up out o. the bog mist. as roun'
an yalla like it was the sun had lost
it's way-manys the tonne Rafe would
walk the throw av stone fornist us,
| together through the fields an places
| we used to walk, when we were swate-
| haarts! We'd be chattin' about
the house Mister Porgan was buildin'
| an plenishin', in bein' part av the
| brides fortune-besides a fine young
heifer, an the pigs-or mebbe. jokin'
| about the pots an pans / was mekin'
| for her. down at the fOorge. =
| Well! well!
The time wint on an the bans was
read in chapel. an the day set, an like
| before / cud turn roun' twice at me
worruk, there was the weddin' mornin'.
AS foine day as ever ye saw-the birds
| singin' an the grass that full av cow
slips that ye cudn't step for thrampn'
thin, an the sky shinin' an not cloud
| aist or wist. Nothin' wud do but that l
must stand oop with Rafe-he was that
| wishful cudn't find me haart to disap-
point him. SO, | wint boldly to the
house, an there the widdineeers was as
sembled, sure enoof-all the young peo-