Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-10-22
see whether anything could be rented

DC WASIhOh dlly tAluS COulu NC ISHICG
for dollar. And Of one thing she was
certain, that as the expert carnation
maker of the Rosenberg shop she
would make such garlands of bios
SONS to trim her gown as never
Fifth avenue belle imported from Par
Is.
Precious little did Tim Mccarthy see
Of his sweetheart for the next few
days, for Norah had much to do. and
she put him off on the plea that he had
great surprise coming for the night
of the ball.
And surprised he was. When he
called at the Fogarty fat on Easter
Monday night honest Tim could hard
ly believe his own eyes. Never outside
Of picture books had he seen such q
vision in pink as Norah, her eyes shin
ing like twin stars, her soft brown hair
waved above her ivory white brow and
crowned with dainty wreath of car
nations just bursting into bloom and
her plump white shoulders rising from
the bodice, cut not too low, but grace
fully curved and garlanded with bios
SONS and straps of the blossoms over
her shoulder, like the swell society wo-
men whose pictures he saw in the Sun
day papers.
"Stand your distance, Tim," said No
rah, with nervous little laugh. "Sure,
mother and me have worked the week
like twin slaves, and you mustn't muSS
it now"
'I'm glad brought carriage" said
Tim, his eyes glowing proudly, "for no
fairy like me Norah should be walkin'
to Powers hall. Sure, it wouldn't sur
prise me at all if Mr.. Hagan, president
of the association, asked you to lead
the grand march with him."
Don't be teasing me, Tim," said No
rah, but it was to her mother that she
turned to have the aeecy fascinator
and the old fashioned Paisley shawl
wrapped about her.
But Tim proved to be a good proph-
ct, for the president of the association
had a keen eye for Irish beauty, and it
was Norah's pretty face he saw long
before he noticed the dress with it's
garlands of flowers His choice, alas,
was the cause of Norah's downfall, for
the petty jealousies of the less fortu-
nate girls took the form of cauStic re-
marks, and soon Norah's appearance
on the floor was the signal for jeSts
that f1oated to her pretty, shell-like
ear. And there was laughter, too, as
girls passed her in the dance, which
made Norah hold her head but the
higher, not that she lacked for part
ners. Faithful Tim had difficulty in
getting an occasional dance, and it was
but few minutes that she Snatched
for supper. Tim was jubilant, his nat
urally jealous temperament subdued by
pride, and when he had tucked her into
the carriage for the homeward ride he
drew her dance card from his pocket
and surveyed it by the fitful glare of
the street lamps. aGS
iSure, YOU We're the belle of the ball,
Norah, an I'm that proud of you /
can't tell it. I asked Hagan to be
the best man, Norah an he accepted
on the spot. How's that for compli-
ment for you? An your card looks
like the pencils had been dancin' jig
on it, with livery dance divided into
parts. There wasn't girl in the
room could touch you, Norah, an you
made me think of thin verses from
the Bible about the lilies of the field
givin' pointers to Solomon himself"
Norah did not answer. Something
very like a sob followed his words,
and then Norah's head dropped wear
lily. She was crying softly.
"Norah, me girl, what's wrong with
you" asked Tim anxiously. Maybe
you've danced too much?"
mo, no." sobbed Norah, "but I'm
ashamed to look you in the face Tim.
I've deceived you, you being man
and knowing nothing about clothes.
Me dress was made of paper-and the
girls have been making fun Of me, as
you thought was the belle Of the
ball."
Tim reached for her hot, trembling
hands and smiled in the darkness Of
the cab.
"Sure, I knew it from the start,
Norah. You niver decaved me a bit
Twas Mary O'Hearn that let me know
at once whin you walked off with
Hagan. Sure, she was that jealous
she couldn't hold in the information.
An listen, me girl. I'd rather you'd
wear paper that's paid for than satin
that amt, or hired clothes that there's
no tellin' who's wore before you. 1t
tells me plain that you won't be run
min up bills for me to pay when we're
married, an now, being as the dress
won't liver be worn again, there's no
harm DONE"
And, suiting the action to the word,
Tim gathered into his arms the droop-
ing figure, brocaded paper, tissue gar
lands and all, and the crumpled lily
wept few happy tears.
Ahead of His Age.
n1~o1~ II