The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-05-03

NEARLY everybody in Brandy Patel
IN said Sally Ann was the prettiesr
girl the Patch ever boosted. Their
she had taken the prize for being tn,
"handsomest lady" AT the annual bal
of the JoviaI Social club. and that dis
tinction quite confirmed the opinion
of Everybody" There we've a few
people. though. who did not come un.
der this very general classification
They were some very envious young
women. and four rejected suitors
and they didn't count They could
not be good judges of beauty.
Ii would not be fair TO Sally Ann "a
say she had the least doubt on the
subject. She had not. She well knew
that she was very good looking and ii
made her somewhat vain. Otherwise
she was a sensible girl.
Beauty has its drawbacks even in
Brandy Patch. and Sally Ann before
she was 20. had ample illustration, as
many OF the young men wanted TO
marry her. Sally Ann had never con-
sidered the subject seriously and SO
their attentions were annoying. She
said no towel she could not remem-
Der how many She had. Of course.
a vague idea that she would be mar
ried some time She knew she could
not always live with her uncle. es-
pecially as his wife was far from
kind. but she had hitherto been undis-
turbed by the thought.
Now. however. she was 20. and her
uncle one day said: Lass. YOU be-
ing big and strong and likely looking.
why don't you take one of the lads OF
the Patch for a husband? shure
you'll have no trouble
He spoke kindly. but Sally Ann
knew that his advice was practically
a command. She must marry. She
accepted the situation philosophically.
and calmly sat down TO think il over.
She had plenty Of material from
which to select a husband. She would
There was Jim Golden. Pat
DOORS. Tom Williams. Nick Martin.
Harry Jones Tim Murphy. and she
went on counting the eligible young
men OF the Patch. representing each
with a piece of coal. until. having
reached the end of the list. she had
Is pieces on the board before her.
Il must marry one Of them"
thought she. with a decisive toss OF
her head. but which one?" Sally
Ann viewed the prospect with a sigh. |
and then. being essentially practical.
she set TO work with a will. Com
mencing az the right of the line. she
up Billy Rice. Billy was quick |
ly discarded. He had red hair. Sally |
n did not like red hair. Fred Smith |
was too small. Harry Jones drank
much whisky. Joe Moore had a
wart on his nose. Tom Edwards was
q nice fellow. but he was only a
driver boy. Sally Ann was ambitious.
She wanted a miner. md Tom joined
the rest.
~ was n long time before Sally
Ann reached the end of the line, and
'her she had n reserve row Of five. up
whom she could not decide hastily.
These she took up. and. after much
discarded two. Bill Pat
.erson would. she thought. have a
pad temper when he grew old. and a
fortune teller had prophesied that
Jimmy Hart would be killed in the
mines. There were three left. Pat
Dooris. Tom Williams and Nick Mar
Try as she might. Sally Ann
'ould not make up her mind regard
ne either of them. Each had faults,
'ut none more than another: each
made good pay. and each was good
ooking.
ITS got 10 he one Of them said
ally Ann after several minutes re-
but blessed IL I can tell
which P'r'aps. though" she con-
inued. none OF EN- will have me.
thought of that" At length
arose. decided. and put three
''eces Of coal in her pocket. ~TT
eep oil OF them" said she. "and sec
have me-
Now Sally AIMS assurance in calm
J selecting three Of the finest men in (,