The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-28
Bradford

closer to the door by force of will and of muscle both. Finally she opened 1t and thrust him out.
 "Ah, if I hada your talk Mees Mac Avoya," murmured Blanca, her little hands clasped, mic padre would never beata me more."
 'If iver he touches you ag'in.' said Kate. "Tll put a head and a half on himr'
 When, a day or two later. Blanca, with flashing gestures, told MacMahon of Rates victory, he shook his head
 'Well, Rates the grand women," he said but I don't like ut to have any man worsted be a woman. Kates grand. but she's got a bit uv timper uv her own. I dinnaw that I iver noticed ut befurex he added; "sure, I'm not superstitious. but you got to look out fur women wid red hair. And there's many man ties a knot wid his tongue he can't unite wd his teeth"
 Kate.
 Well, well, me gurrul' he agreed, 'all thrue enough, and I'm glad you see ut"
 ''If the bambino of my sister were girla, l calla her Kate" said Blanca.
 Say, Blanca, phwy did you call ut Michael?" asked MacMahon.
 For archangela and Padre Kinsellagh and you" said Blanca, shyly, working to n climax. "I lika him have big roar in his voice, like Padre, and l lika him smarta wit steela, like archangela, and I wanta him have plenty frend in warda. lika you. Some day he be bossa, lika you will be bossa."
 Hear that, now" said MacMahon. He rocked back and forth in his solid chair and gazed at her appreciatively.
 When I was bambina, said Blanca, animatedly. "I think 'Ah, if 1 were man. I wanta make sainta of stone like Michael Angelo, or paint sainta. But now think I lika be bossa.''
 MacMahon stared at her in pleased engagement. It had never occurred to him that Blanca could have practical sense as good any Irish girl'si He was proud of her intelligence as if she had created 1t. and he spent the rest of the evening finding further instances of her bril- liancy.
 Meantime the parish was quieting. The little father no longer heard murmured words of jealousy suspicion; he was iDit lO Sptllu HIS energy III TOdTlnR re- breaches against the normal Italian sins of dirt, inertia, double-dealing and back sliding. Pasquale had no time to prac- tce dying, for he was busy assuring his friends that the little father loved the Italians far, far more than the Irish; that he had refused to take back the Irish servant despite her weeping; and that he much much preferred Blanca S cooking to anything he had tasted before she became his cook. An, and Blanca and the great MacMahon; there was something to be said there!
 So whispers sped about that the great MacMahon was going to marry Pasquales s Blanca, and then for the rest of his life Pasquale would have all he wanted of wine and fruit and cakes. The whispers were heard by Irishmen, and MacMahon was tested with by his friends. AS a re- suit. one of them carried away bruised face, and for three days Michael stayed away from the little fathers kitchen.
 And uy course" he said to himself, ''if I am goin' to see annywan in that kitchen 'tis Kate" He said this so many times that :. ought to have been true.
 He concluded that at least the talk was not due to little Banca she was too modest a girl to countenance any such report. Besides. Kate was always there to talk to. and anyway. he must keep his promise to the little father until Kate's vacation should be over.
 MacMahon might have argued on .he other side that Rates presence in the kitchen consisted in waiting till he got in the room before she left 1t, and in re- turning at 10 o'clock to tell him that de- cent people were going to bed. And ne might also have counted that six weeks had elapsed since Rates vacation had be- gun. He might have noticed, too. chat Rates tones to him were very gentle. When they were all in Father Kinselaghs $ study she would sometimes look at Mac Mahons sturdy figure with an eager ad- miration and a sudden pride of conquest; after that she would glance at the little fathers tired face; then she woIld tuin from them both, with smile that was almost maternal, to Bianca's young love