Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

But what's the matter?" insisted Nancy.
well, We see, Miss, it's the ball Tuesday
night. The girls was here tonight a-beggin'
me to go, and l can't. l wouldn't be carin'
so much. only it's a County Kildare ball.
and all the girls and the lads will be from
County Kildare. They're comm from all
around the country here, and there's them
as haven't seen since l came over. But
there! shure 1 mustn't be throublin' you wild
me Stiffness. It's bit Of the inconsistencies
I'm feelin' the night"
why can't you go to the ball?' asked
the interrogative young person perched on
the trunk. Haven't you anybody to take
your"
Norah laughed outright in scorn.
"Ah, there. wud We think I'd be needin'
lad, Miss? Faith, they'd be reaching to the
next street, If I'd stand them up in a row.
Lad! is 1t? When I'm needin' a lad, it's not
cryin' I'll be. I'll be dead entirely. If the
clothes was only as aisy to get as the lads.
I'd be wearin' velvet. But it's the dresses
that cost more, and wear worse-bad luck
to them!'
You haven't any frock for the ball?'
That's 1t, Miss, but If had haporth
O. sense, wouldn't be cryin' over It, You
see. all the girls are havin' new dresses, and
l was out of work and in the hospital all
| summer, so 1 haven't the money. Not a
new rag have I had, except my workin'
clothes, since 1 came over. Ye should see
katy's pink silk, Miss; and Mary's got a
red cashmere that luks for all the world
like a tinnimint-house fire, and neither of
them becomin' to the dresses. Shure If
had that pink silk I'd be leavin' all of
County Kildare dead on the field the morn
in. The policemen would be ringin' for
ambulances to carry the lads off in, if the
policemen wasn't laid out thimsilves-
pink's that becomin to me, Miss.
Norah had warmed at thought of the fray,
but siumped into deadly gloom once more.
Nancy kicked her heels against the trunk
and eyed the mourner critically.
"Norah," she said, finally, you are just
nh M q little n
could wear my clothes. You shall have a
pink frock for that ball"
Norah came to her feet, as if an electric
battery had been applied to her.
I'VE aren't meanin', Miss"
You shall wear my new pink frock," said
Nancy firmly.
The Irish Niobe sank back in consterna-
ton, but there was dawning hope in her
mot the one with the apple-blossom
wreath on 1t, Miss?''
THAT same"
"Oh 1 cudn't be thinkin' of 1t. It's that
good of you to offer, but IL never dare. If
ye had some old dress, now, that you'd
never be wearin' again, but"
you'll be a dream in that pink frock,
Norah and you'll knock County Kildare
into cooked hat You are going to have
the time of your life
Norah held the door open and beamed
alteration.
I'VE see, Miss" she said, becoming sud
pet, Terence will be there"
Nancy stopped. who's Terence? Is he
the prince?' she asked.
well. Miss, no. He isn't a prince, but
he's very nice lad. We was keepin COM
pany in Brooklyn, but he saw Jerry Dona-
hue a-kissin' me-shure, it was quite by ac-
cident, Miss-but Terence, he's that unrea-
sonable, and he would have on excuse at
all. So he gave Jerry two black eyes for
treat. and he went off to take job in the
capitol at Albany, an niver sayin' word
to me at all. If he thought I'd be after
calm him back, It's little he knows OF the
ways of Kildare girls. There's plenty of
lads with good tempers. But I'm not de-
nyin' Miss, he was that handsome an I'm
wishin' I'd been more careful there wasn't
anybody lookin when Jerry kissed me.
And now, Katy's tellin' me, the evenin :
that Terence is back in New York and Is
dom fine, but is that stiff and bad-tem-
pered. He's to take Lizzie Sullivan to the
ball. She's that set up about him and she
havin a blue organdy dress made.
"Norah," said Nancy with emphasis,
"you shall have my pink fan and my