Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-03-09
haired girl, with delicate complexion,

Il
haired girl, with delicate complexion,
and slim, ladylike hands.
Brannigan, swinging in with his huge
dee block, took a swift, appreciative
ii swing FOR fs nE1eeaaGfao the ice In its re-
otis a warm dayl"
Dreadful" said Alma, listlessly.
~ didn't see you before?"
"No. I've just come"
"Ye'n not stay here the old lady
can't kape no gyurl more than week;
It's hole of place!"
"Tm Mrs. Browns daughter, from
Halifax
Brannigan went away at that, sud-
denly speechless.
He 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, was received with disappoint1
ing coldness.
"It's very kind Of YOU" she said, but
never use it. Mrs. Dalby, where lived
In Halifax, thought it was common"
One day about month after her ar
rival. he found Alma alone In the
htchen-and marked with concern that
her eyes were red with crying. Now,
Brannigan had n mans philosophy re-
garding tears.
aren't ye well at all2' he asked,
| coming up beside her.
"Pm all right" said Alma, holding
her head down, and plunging her thin
little arms into n tub Of soapsuds.
The next moment she was startled
and scandalized by the clasp Of an arm
about her waist, aud the touch OF n
| brown mustache on her check.
"Ah, cheer up!" whispered Branni7
gan, tenderly. at don't sthorm livery
day!"
lie stepped back to avoid the expected
slap; but the girl made no sort OF dem
onstration. She simply stood there with
a white face and looked unutterable re-
proach.
Tactics Of so novel kind were dig
composing. Brannigan's bronzed cheek
famed. and the laugh died out Of his
eyes.
"say. I'm mighty sorryl" he muir
| INJURED; 81 niver thought but ye'd like
II! The gyurls mostly does. an It's no
| harm at ALL"
"Im not that kind" said Almu,
sternly.
I'm mighty sorry" he repeated, and
rs Alma showed no signs OF relenting,
went de ciectcdly to the door.
"'Twas sweet, what | got OF it," he
mused, IAN It's bad luck III get no
more. She's not the kind, it's true for
| her"
The next few times that he carried ice
TO the house he did not see Alma, and
when he did, on the fourth day, her
manner was excessively dignifed. But
Brannigan was hard to snub. Instinct
lively, he reconstructed his too fiorld
vocabulary, and altered some OF his
! ways.
"She's worth talsn' trouble for" he
said to himself.
His gentle persistence had its reward,
and after awhile they had become so
far friends that Brannigan hazarded q
new departure.
"Do you liver go out Sunday aveninsT
he inquired one fine Saturday.
SUNDAY afternoons I do" Alma
amended.
"'Tis great out In the park"
"I'ye heard IL wqs nice"
I'D bo proud II ye'd ride out there
with me tomorry?'
Alma's delicate color dcepencd. She
gazcd Gxcdly at the handle Of the door
Lets say three o'clock"
"Tm not through my work til four. y
1t was the same thing as an assent
"rll call for ye at fourl" He went of
beamlng, but her voice made him turn
back in sudden panic.
Don't call for me, she said I'm II low,
hcstatiup tone; you'd rather you
wouldn't Maybe III be at the corner
at four"