Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-11-28
AY0UNG MANS FANCY
BY EARL REED SILvERS.
observation-disclosures" OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.


AN.H2A.A2%NAsN2A1HHNHAsA.
, Pat Flanagan neither knew MOI
|, cared about the name of the eminen
. lover of beauty who first remarked
upon the tendency Of u young mans
fancy in the springtime. Pat was the
cashier in cavelike restaurant II
the basement OF one of New YOrk's
most ambitious buildings, and through
. out the long days he lived in an at
mosphere which might be called su
premely nOn-sentimental.
Pat considered his life more or less
of success. Every Saturday evening
he drew $1S from the treasury OF the
Connecticut Lunch company. He lived
in boarding house near Forty
second street, and was a general favor
tie with his fellow boarders.
This was especially true in the case
of Miss Nellie Dobbins, who dispensed
groceries in one Of the big department
stores, and who confided to her friend
Tillie Maginnis, that she was lust
crazy about Pat" But Pat was utter.
ly Indifferent to the charms of the
feminine sex.
He wasn't a woman hater-by no
means. He simply didn't care anything
about the girls; they had never played
any part whatever in his rather check
cred career, and he could not see how
they should ever be intimately con-
cerned in his future activities.
For two years Pat basked in the hap
piness of bachelordom. And then, one
bright spring afternoon, his eyes rest
ed upon the red cheeks of the prettiest
girl he had ever seen. She had
dropped into the restaurant as dew
drenched rose might fall into the
mouth Of barren cave, and had or
dered a ham sandwich and glass OF
milk.
"And sure" he muttered to himself,
there's a girl who would charm the
heart Of any man."
A scene of spring came through the
door leading to the street. Pat stirred
uneasily; vague restlessness stole
over him.
"It's lonely you're looking this bright
afternoon" he said.
The girl raised her eyes and with
cred him with scOrnful glance.
sand it's lonely you'll be looking, too,
you poor boob, if you don't beat it
away from here" she answered. My
friend is due to meet me in about ten
minutes
Pat rose, romance suddenly gone
from his life.
"Tm sorry to have disturbed you,"
he apologized. "Your looks deceived
me-"
He made his way slowly back to the
bench where the majority Of his wax
ing hours were spent. The girl, hav-
ing finished her light repast, dropped
her ten cents upon the counter and
passed on out of Pat Flanagan's life.
But even as she went, head held
high, Pat noticed the silk Of her
cheek had the crimson of her lips.
Il WONDER" he thought idly, IF any
other girl could have as pretty a face
as that?"
He was still bordering over the mat
ter when he reached his boarding
house at eight o'clock that evening.
And then, wonder Of wonders, he
met Nellie face to face on the steps
of the front porch. She was dressed
for the street, and Pat noticed that
one stray curl had escaped from be-
meath the chic straw hat.
"And where might you be going on
such a perfect night as thisT he
asked.
"It's too grand to stay in the house,"
she answered. I'm going to take a
walk"
She turned as if to 90, and Pat hest
tated between desire and a sudden
overwhelming bashfulness.
"Would you be minding If I went
along with you" he asked.
"Come along if you want to-" she
said. II thought I'd 60 up along Riv-
erside drive"
"Just the place." Pat acquiesced.
"Sure, the stars will look grand on
the river"
When they reached the drive the
moon had arisen and was casting sill
yer beams upon the shimmering waters
of the Hudson river. And then Pat
Flanagan, the unsentimental, the con-
firmed bachelor, suggested that they
find a bench along the river bank and
watch the boats 60 by. They select
ed the most secluded bench they could
find, and two hours later when the
patrolman made his usual rounds, he
saw two figures huddled so close to-
gether that they looked very much like
one person. Perhaps the glory Of the
calm spring night had affected him
also, for he smiled Understandings
and crept closer to the bench. From
out of the semidarkness he heard a
mans voice.
"And sure, Nellie" it was saying, II
didn't think that you would ever marry
the likes of me-"
II think you're the grandest man
in the world" woman's voice an
swered. "And I'll marry you when
ever you want me to-"
Very softly, SO as not to disturb
them, the patrolman crept slowly away
from the bench. he realized sudden
~ that spring had arrived.
Copyright 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)