The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1910-05-23
TheGreenSignal
Il Story For ST. PabIeks Day
By NORA ROURkE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

Copyright 1870 by American Press
ii Association. II
Why do story writer's always de-
scribe the girl who Is to be the hero
Inc of their romances as beautiful?
My observation goes to show that 1t is
more often the homely than the pretty
girl that catches the fellow. Pretty
girls have continued temptation to
vanity. Homely girls know they must
rely on their wits, and between beauty
and wits let the homely girl once get
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-
Their beauty nor wit. And. after all,
isn't the matter Of a woman's fasci-
mating powers mystery anyway?
Kit Herman had no beauty. AS to
her smartness. l don't know about
that; but. being an Irish girl, it is nat
ural to SUPPOSE she had her share.
Anyway, she could do with a man as
she liked. When she came to make US
visit one spring she was barely
nineteen years old, little over the
medium height, of a sallow complex
ion, somewhat bony and not past that
awkwardness often conspicuous in
girls between fifteen and twenty. Her
only good feature was her eyes. They
were of a dark brown, and there was
something in them to set one avon
dering.
My intimate friend Tom Shea was
bachelor and sort of woman halter.
He was often at my house and used
to say CALAMITY that when he found
as good a woman as my wife he would
marry, but not before. Tom was a
good catch. He was in the plumbing
business, and every one knows that
plumbers have a way Of melting LEAD
pipe down into gold. He was thirty
years old and ran his own shop.
Kit" l said, Il wish you'd marry
| my chum, Tom Shea. He would be
| better Off with a wife, and if he We're
! married he and l would have more in
common. Now, I'll tell you what I'll
do. Let me see. This is the first day
of March. II you'll land Tom on or
before the 18th. St. Patrick's day, I'll
give you a check for a thousand dol
lars for a wedding present"
| l wished that l could tell by the ex-
preston that came into Kits eyes how
she felt about it, but l couldn't. /
knew that the idea Of possessing a
thousand dollars was Of great impor-
lance to her. but whether the husband
| that was to go with it moved her at all
| | had no knowledge.
| "How should begin?'. she asked.
Nonsense. Don't sit there looking
| at me that way. asking me foolish
| questions. How have you begun with
| the dozens Of fellows you've had dan
| Cling about you?"
| II never did begin"
| '"Then how do you do ft?"
| II don't KNOW" And. looking into
| her eyes for information whether OF
not she was telling the truth. saw
only an innocent look that accorded
| perfectly with her words. Possibly
she was unconscious of any attempt to
inveigle her admirers.
| Tom was at the house more fire.
| auently than ever after Kit came. he
| affected to regard her as a chit be-
meath his notice. 1t wasn't long, how
ever, before he would chat with her
banteringly. and my wife and / would
make excuses to leave them with
| each other. At such times as we
all came together again Tom would
wear shamefaced look, as If it were
| not quite satisfied with himself fol
spending time with SO slight crea
ture as Kit. l could understand Tom
somewhat, but Kit was as much OF a
puzzle as ever.
During the last ten days of the pc
riod l had given Kit to make her thou
sand dollars Tom Shea. who was t.
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
and l were going out.
Tom came in just before we left
manifested an embarrassed surpris
at our going. which was plainly feign
ed and badly feigned at. that. said a
first he would walk along with us II
the shop. where he had some figuring
to do, and ended by deciding to stay
few moments to tell Kit about the pa
! rade. We returned home at II O'CLOCK
and Tom was still there. still tellin!
her about what fine things were to b
4 done on st. Patrick's day.
That was the last seen OF Shea til
he came riding down the street a
the head Of the st. Patrick's day pre-
cession on a milk white steed. with
green sash hanging over his RICH
shoulder and fastened at his left sid
with big star.
must digress a bit here to say tina
! had hired a window from which W
I might witness the procession. Their
my wife and l and Kit. with severa
other people whom we had invited t
share our perch, went on the morning
of st. Patrick's day. There was n
evidence that Kit had won her $1.OO
and no evidence. judging from her az
! pearance, which was as unreadable a
ever, that she had lost It. She carries
handkerchief with her Of green sill
to wave at the paraders.
When Tom Shea appeared half
block away l saw him looking eagerl
up at our window. As he came neare
Kit waved a white handkerchief a
him. A look Of terrible disappoint
ment came in a twinkling. He cam
opposite the window and gave one re
proachful look, when Kit drew he
green handkerchief and waved 1t.
knew in a twinkling that the gree
was q signal Of his acceptance. An
so It was. She married Tom She's
and I psid the $1,000.
Goes Insane Waiting on Comet.
Somerville, N. j., May 23.-Jame
/ K1ipo Dopro formerly Pullman ca