The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-01-05

q
linscspple Agricultural Bank sad made bill
application. Al tirst Il was looked upon
with distavor by the board OF small fsr'
. mers but Barney, grown crafty througa
, love, discovered the plea that moved them
J The eirl has tidy bit Of her own, he
said. lt'll stock the land for me. She
wouldn't look at me II she saw me in my
J rags. She'll take me 10 the new clothes.
The "bt" prevailed where more seuti-
! mental reasons would have failed. Ber.
nsrd Rordsn was voted loan Of fi for
clothes and accessories, snd went home
} full oi trembling hope.
H. was standing outsiee the door Of
Mo onys shop 10 k,lcsshel ss soon as Il G
shutter. were taken down the next morn
ng. lie was back again 10 his own house
by u o'clcok, with his big brown paper
parcel.
That tveniog 10 the parlor belitd Mr..
wholsn's shop the matchmaking was In
progress. 0d Dsmpsey, wi1sned little
yellow man Of about tixty five, was sitting
at the table, facing Myles whelan. There
we're tumblers and acottle Of whisky be-
tween thtm, and friend Of old Dempsey's
who vass i1g as ma chmaker, was hover
ing upeasily between the two men, making
such suggestions from time to time rs were
kelly to facilitate the bargain.
The girl whose match was teing made
sat by the window, locking out somewhat
dreaiiy over the little neglected garden at
III back, which Rad more OF the debris Of
The shop In II than 1t had flowers, Mrs.
| Whelan s.ood partly behind her husbands
chair, looking at the would-be bridegroom
with an unfril nd'y gtza. He had shown a
tishtness, a graiplngntss about the bar.
gain which had ifironted her. Otherwise
she saw nothing to object to Ia the union
OF December ard May, nor the manner OF
the making Her own match had been made
for her; and where was there kinder man
than Myless And II Dempsey was bit
ould, wouldn't the girl have everything a
girl could want: She could choose for her.
self ne xt time, thought the good woman,
cynically. She had her hand on her tus-
bands shoulder. Now and then Myles'
| face would dsrk.n at some greedy exaction
Of the suitor. The atmosphere WAS cleo
trlcal, though for all the girl at the win.
dow needed 1t might have been smoo,hness
itself. They were selling and buying her
ike heiier. |. was the custom Of the
country, ard she would no more have
thought OF protesting against 1t than
agains. the will OF God for her.
Suddenly ioto the intimate group came
an uniuviteo CUES Barney Riordan. Yes,
1t was Barney, though no one would have
known him, 10 smart gay suit and a
rew hat with u crimson tie odily be-
coming to the dark, soft, handsome fel-
low.
Every face was turned toward him.
Don't be blamin' Andy, he said, quietly.
ANDY was the youth behind the counter |
He told me yous were busy, but thought
had word to say IN 1t. Myles Whelan,
will We have me for husband for your
niece? Yen never regret 1t and she'll new
er regret it. The lands good land. I'm
going to do by 1t as | ought to.
The girl at the window looked at him like
Andromeds at her dellverer. As 1t hap
pened, Bernard had arrived at the psyche
logical moment. Old Dempsey had just
Demanded Mrs, Whelans best feather bed
as part Of her bisce's dowry. Down went
Myles Whelan's fist with great clang
among the tumblers.
Dang 1t re said, let the girl speak for
herself, I'm sick O. the business. An the
world knowg, Barney Riordan, that you
payther drink nor play cards, that's the
FARMS good one, an you only want the
bit o. 20 to make a man o. you. What do
you say, Susy? Will you have the Guild
man here, that's for emptyng' the house
before he'll take you, or will you have Bar
ney Riordan?
Bernard Riodan turned the most shy,
love li5ten face toward Susy. Mrs. Whelan
saw the expression, aud her woman's
heart became suddenly soft and kind within
her.
Sure, she'll have Barney, she began. An
the sooner some other trash l could name
takes itself out o. my house
Mr.. Dempsey was scrambllng to bile
feet, his little pigs eyes aglow with indg-
nation.
Where I'd never have come II you hadL't
inyited me, s'an, he was saying, with re.
sentiment.
But Barney had stepped up to Snsy's
chtlr and, leaning over her, he was between
her and the company.
la syes,' dsrlIn', isn't II: he whispered.
No one was more delighted over Bar
ney's reclamation than Mr.. Morris, whose
affection for Barney enlarged Itself to take
In Mrs. Barney.
At the same e. ne, he would say, laugh
ing, that transaction with the bank was
quite irregular. We don't give loans for
clothes. Still, the result has certainly JUS
titled the departure. And II you want an.
other loat hes, bullccks are beautiful,
Barney .or a legitimate purpose, you can
have II.
Sure, isn't she like 1owery asked Bar
ney, locling at bis wife. An where would
n,wers grow bu, Ia gaidensi TIs gar.
den IN be msklh the place for her, an
keepiD'it 1t.
Long may your garden grow returned
The orgspzr. I.s well for us, Barney,
iha, we attn have nlwers to make gardens
for
Mr.. snow Man