The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-17
The EUening Story
Irish Eyes of Blue.

T
a band of black velvet around her
curly brown hair as a final touch of
artistry.
And the family admired and mar
yelled likewise. Not a single st. Pat
ricks Day dance had Patsy gone to
in three years. Some said it was be-
cause she as-twenty-four and study
ing nights, besides working days
around in Haley's store on Tenth ave-
nue.. Some with good memories said
it was on account of Terry O'More.
Terry had been born right there on
West Forty-eighth about two years
previous to the time when Patsy her
self had arrived. The mothers of
both had hung over friendly iron rail-
ings and chatted back and forth of a
summer evening, tending their wee
ones, and later the two had gone to
the same public school, and had
danced around street corners to the
same tunes.
When the leader of the district gave
his big May party up in Central park,
Patsy had been chosen the little queen
to ride in a flower-decked pony car
riage, and had been allowed to choose
her king, thereby embarrassing Terry
publicly, but giving him much secret
satisfaction as he jaunted away by
her side in the parade.
But as he grew older Terry devel-
oped a rowing disposition. AT seven
teen. he shipped on a coast steamer,
and piled up and down as a cabin
boy. Then, just as Patsy had for
given him that, he slipped away as
pantry steward on a fruit steamer for
Barbados.
"Go on with you, Terry" she told
him when he came back. TN not be
having you jaunt this way and that
if you've a mind to keep along steady
with me. You can go your own way
And I'd not be marrying a girl
that wouldn't be proud of my seeing
the world" said Terry Valiantly
Look at these fellers cooling their
heels on the street corners and steal
ing rides on the freights for diver
sion Would you be having me like
them, Patsy?"
But Patsy had felt hurt and sick at
heart. She was twenty now, and her
neighborhood wondered why Terry
and she didn't marry and settle down.
If he loved her he couldn't help but
long for their home, and no lure of
adventure would take him afar.
So there had come a st. Patrick S
day, warm for the season of the year,
and he was to have taken her to CO.
ney Island and to a dance that even
ing and during the whole day she had
waited for him to show up. Then,
when evening came and it was too
late, she had laughed and gone to the
dance with big Danny sullivan.
Patsy never forgot Terrys face
when he came into the hall and saw
her in Dannys arms, fox trotting.
The next day he enlisted for three
years in the army, and went away
without a word to her, his best girl for
five years, ever since she had first
pinned up her hair and heightened
her dresses.
She had heard of him from his sis
ter. He was sent west to a fort in
Nebraska first, and then to the Philip
pines. Sometimes Molly told her they
had received a box of things from him.
knicknacks of silk and carved, scent
ed wood, and native beads and shells.
He never sent anything to her, not
even a card.
found silver ring in his slice of cake,
and had slipped it on her finger be-
hind the hall door as they were all 60
ing home. Patsy got it out one Sun
day morning and put it on her hand
slowly. 1t was all she had from him,
yet some way it seemed a link between
her and the island post where he was.
But tonight it really was for Nora s
sake that she was going up to the
dance. Nora was only seventeen and
wanted to go, and she wouldn't be
letting a girl like that trip off alone.
and who was the man fit to escort
Nora? So she dressed herself in her
blue silk with the pink silk rosebuds
tucked under the Irish lace she had
crocheted herself. blue silk that quite
matched her eyes, so startlingly blue
under their long black lashes. Nora
was in white. with a broad satin sash
of green and a wreath of shamrocks
in her curly red hair. Surely she had
never looked so much a heart smash
er. Patsy felt she needed all the eld-
erly sister supervision she could give.
Don't be late, now, girls, mind,
0al1oA fhnir. fafhoV after he
sat smoking and reading the Ffreman's
Bulletin by the kitchen table. ''And,
say, Patricia, did you hear"
But Nora was in a hurry, and the
door had shut fast.
They were a little late, but still in
time for the grand march. Some one
on the reception committee caught
Nora away to introduce her, and
Patsy found herself handed over to a
swiftly-procured partner.
Here We are, Terry, my boy" said
genial old Donovan, the floor chair
man. TAKE your places now quick
over there"
The hand that Terry held was cold.
He looked stealthily at the proud lit
tie head beside him and at the averted
eyes. 1t seemed a year before the
march was over ana he had her by
herself III the hallway leading to the
cloak room.
Patsy?" he asked. aren't you glad to
see me?''
'If I'd been waiting with a welcome
for you all this time, it might have
grown a bit cold by now" said Patsy.
with the old toss of her head and flash
of her eyes at him. Did you like the
climate. Mr.. O'More?"
Terry groaned in spirit, and a bit
audibly, too. He leaned one hand on
the wall just above her, and put the
other on his hip.
i've thought of you and dreamed
of you every day for three years." he
said. fervently. And you haven't
changed bit, Patsy. My heart drop
ped in my boots and flew up to the
stars when 1 saw you come into the
hall"
Its quite lively. isn't it?" laughed
Patsy. Have you brought it back in
pieces?''
You should be knowing, Patsy. l