Catoctin clarion., 1910-03-10
TheGreenSignal
II Story Fo, ST. Patr,ck's Day
Bv NORA ROURkE
Copyright. 1870 by American Press
Association.

MY ObSCi SpSN W SlloN Nitt ~ 10
more often the homcly than the pretty
girl that rnt, hes the fellow. Iretty
girls have continued temptation to
vanity Homeiy girls know they must
rely on their wits. and between beauty
and wits let the homeIy pirl on q ret
her start and she will win every time
But the strangest cases of girls who
have all the lovers they want while
others go begging is she who has nei-
ther beauty nor wit. And. after all.
isn't the matter Of wOmAn'S faSci-
mating powers Il mystery anyway?
Kit Tiernan had no beauty. AS to
her smartness. don't know about
that; but. being an Irish girl 1t is nat
ural to suppose she had her share.
Anyway. she could do with man IL,
she liked. When she came to make us
Il visit one spring she was barely
nineteen years old. a little over the
me lium height. of sallow complex
ion. somewhat bony and not past that
awkwardness often conspicuous in
girls between fifteen and twenty. Her
only coed feature was her eyes. They
were of dark brown. and there was
something IN them to set one avon
dering.
MY intimate friend Tom Shea was
bachelor and Il sort Of woman hatcr.
He was often ut my house and used
to say calamity that when he found
as 70 Il II woman as my wife he would
marry. but not before. Tom was II
good catch. He was in the plumbing
business. and every one knows that
plumbers have way Of melting lead
pipe down into COLL. He WAS thirty
years o.l and ran his own shop.
"Kit" | said Il wish you'd marry
nv chum. Tom Shea. He would be
better of with wife. and If he were
married he and would have more in
common. Now. III tell you what III
do. Let lie see This is the first day
of March If you'll land Tom on or
before the 18th. st. Patrick's day. I'll
give you check for a thousand dol
lars for wedding present
wished that | could tell by the ex-
prcSSiJn that came into Kits eyes how
she felt about ii. but i couldn't. !
knew that the idea of possessing a
thousand dollars was of great impor
tanrr To her. but whether the husband
that was to 60 with 1t moved her ut all
| had no Knowledge.
How should bngin?" she a;kel.
"NonScns". Don't sit there looking
at me that way. asking me fooliSA
questions. How have you begun with
the dozens of fellows you've had dan
Cling about you|
Il never lid begin"
"Then how do you do it?'
~ don't know" Ard. locking into
her eyes f"r Information whether or
not she waS telling the truth. | saw
only an innocent look that accorded
perfectly with her words. Possibly
ShcSNas un unSciuus Of any attempt to
invcigle her admirers.
Tom was ut the house mere fire.
Quently than ever after Kit came. He
affected to regard her as chit be.
meath his notice. 1t wasn't long. how
ever. bef,rr he woull chat with her
bautcringly. and my wife and ! would
make cX uses to leave teen with
each other. At such times aS we
all came together again Tom woul
wear Shamcfacel look. rs II 1t were
not quite satisfied with himself for
turc as Kit. could understand Tom
somewhat. but Kit was as much of Il
puzzle as ever.
During the last ten days of the Pc
riod | had given Kit to make her thou
sand dollars Tom Shea. who was to
be chief marshal ON st. Patrick's day
was very busy planning for the pa
rade. In fact. he didn't appear at the
house for several days. Then he came
one evening when Kit knew my wife
ard ! were going out
Tom came in just before we left.
manifested an embarrassed surprise
at our goin". which was plainly feign-
ed and badly feigned mt that. said at
first he would walk along with u 10
the shop. here he had some figuring
to do. and ended by deciding to stay a
few momen's to tell Kit about the pa
rade We returned home at T. o'clock.
and Tom was still there. still telling
her about what fine things were to be-
done on st. Patrick's day.
That was the last seen Of Shea I'LL
he came riding down the street AZ
the head of the ST. Patrick's day pro
cession ON Il milk white sized. with
green sash hanging over his right
shoulder and fastened at his left s.ue
with Il big star.
must di~ress bit here to say thai
I had hired window from which we
might witness the procession. There
my wife and | and Kit with several
other people whom we had ilvited to
share our perch. went Oh tie m2rning
Of st. Patricls day. There was no
evidence that Kit had wen her $1,000
and no evidence, judging from her ap-
pearance. which vas as unreadable as
ever. that she had lost it. She carried
q handkerchief with her Of green silk
to wave at the laraders.
When Tom Shea appeared half
block away saw him looking eagerly
up at our window. AS he came nearer
Kit waved white handkerchief at
him. A look of terrible disappoint-
.:ient came in twinkling. He came
opposite the window ard gave one re.
proachful look. when Kit drew her
green handkerchief and waved 1t. !
knew in twinkling that the green
was signal Of his acceptance. And
so II was She married TON Shea,
and I paid the $1,000.
lrvings Intensity.
The piercing eyes and intense ex-