Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-03-09

haired girl, with delicate complexion.
and slim, ladylike hands.
Brannigan, swinging in with his huge
dee block, took a swift, nppreciative
look at her, dumped the Ice In it's re-
ceptacle, and stopped on the return.
swing for conversation.
"Tls a warm dayl"
Dreadful" said Alma, llstlessly.
az didn't see you beforeY
"No. I've just come"
"Ye'n not stay herel the old lady
can't kape no gyurl more than week;
It's a hole of place!"
I'm Mrs. Browns daughter, from
Halifax"
Brannigan went away at that, sud-
denly speechless.
lie saw her nearly every day after,
but he did not seem to make much head :
way A packet of chewing gum, which
had appeared to him graceful atten-
ton suitable from any gentleman TO
any lady, wns received with disappoint-
ing coldness.
"It's very kind Of YOU" she said, but
never use It. Mrs. Dalby, where l lived
In Halifax, thought IT was common"
One day about month after her ar
rival, he found Alma alone In the
ktchen-and marked with concern that
her eyes were red with crying. Now,
Brannigan had mans philosophy re-
garding tears.
"Arcn't ye well at all2" he asked,
coming up beside her.
"rm all right" said Alma. holding
her head down, and plunging her thin
little arms into tub OF soapsuds.
The next moment she was startled
and scandalzcd by the clasp Of AN arm
about her waist, and the touch OF n
brown mustachc on her check.
"Ah cheer upl" whispered Branni7
gan, tenderly. at don't sthorm livery
dayl"
He stepped back 10 avoid the expected
slap; but the girl made no sort OF dem7
onstration. She simply stood there with
n white face and looked unuttcrable re-
proach.
Tactics Of so novel n kind were dis
composing. Brannigan's bronzed cheek
famed, and the laugh died out Of hia
eyes.
"say. I'm mighty sorryl" he mqr-
INJURED; IL niver thought but yo'd Ike
III The gyurls mostly does. an 'tls no
harm nt all"
"I'm not that kind." said Almn.
stcruly.
"rm mighty sorry" he repeated, and
as Alma showed no signs OF relenting,
went de eiectcdly to the door.
""rwna sweet, what | got OF it," he
mused, "an' 'tis bad luck I'll get no
more She's not the kind, it's true for
her"
The next few times that he carried Ice
10 the house he did not see Alma, and
when he did, on the fourth day, her
manner wns excessively dignihed. But
Brannigan was hard TO snub. Instinct
lively, he reconstructed his too fiorld
vocabulary, and altered some OF hia
ways.
"She's worth talslR trouble for" ho
said to himself
His gentle persistence had It's reward,
and after awhile they had become so
far friends TINT Brannigan hnzardcd u
new departure.
"Do you liver go out Sunday nveninsT",
he inquired one fine Saturday.
SUNDAY afternoons do" Alma
amended.
"'Tis great out In the park"
"Gyc heard 81 wqs nice"
"I'd be proud if ye'd ride out there
with me tomorry?"
Alma's delicate color dccpcned. She
gazcd Gxcdly at tho handle of the door
Lets say three o'clock"
"Im not through my work I'LL four"
II was the same thing as an assent.
"IIl call for yc at fourl" lie went Off
beamlng, but her voice made him turn
bnck IN sudden panic.
Don't call for me, )" she said, IN low,
heaitutiug tone; you'd rather you
wouldn't Maybe III be ut the corner
ut four"