The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-03-09
A Man Named
Branigan
By HORACE THATCHER
g. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNII Sarvfca

Through her six years working In
an insurance office Sally had managed
to save five hundred dollars in a Sc,
cret bank account Now that she was
twenty-six she had decided to take q
vacation and see California as well as
the Grand Canyon and the Rocky
mountains. She had approached her
friend, Dorothy Evans, about the trip
suggesting that they take the trip
together. After deep discussion the
two young women decided that they
could accomplish a good deal of sight
seeing In the West during their three
weeks vacation. SO Sally paid a Wis.
It to the central ticket agency to get
some learned advice on the proposed
vacation.
She came back and was most en-.
thusiastic. dot, there's the incest
man up there. He certainly took good
care of me. He said his name was
Branigan.' Well" she ended with q
laugh. ''you know I always did enjoy
the Irish"
Dorothy and Sally Joined forces and
went to see Mr.. Branigan to ask for
further information about their pro.
posed trip. As Dorothy was just as
favorably impressed with the gentle.
man as Sally, whenever they were to.
gether OF an evening they thought up
more questions to confront Mr.. Brani.
gan with.
These get-togethers were by appoint
ment as Sally lived In Stonewall, q
little suburb town, and she committed
to work in the city. One day as she
was at the station waiting to catch q
train to convey her to work, she was
exceedingly surprised to see familiar
face behind newspaper. There was
Mr. Branigan reading.
AS he didn't apparently notice her
Sally was curious to know all about
Mr.. Branigan and whether or not he
was married man.
At lunch that day she told Dorothy
all about the incident as they ate theil
toast sandwiches and drank their malt
ed milks through straws "And, Dor
othy," said Sally, 1--WE virtually told
that man my entire family history and
how much money / have In the bank
Before know it, 1t may be the tall
of the town."
After confessing her story to Dor
othy, Sally decided to risk taking ar
extra hour for lunch and she set of
to see Mr. Branigan at his office. She
concluded that she would not mention
Stonewall until he did
But after Mr.. Branigan smiled sc
graciously at her, Sally let her tongue
slip. "Mr. Branigan," she said, "dC
you live in Stonewall?"
The young man said that he did and
returned to the discussion Of her pro
posed trip with Dorothy.
But somehow Sally was more inter
ested in Mr.. Branigan than in her triI
at that particular moment. Il had nc
idea that you lived in Stonewall but 9
friend of mine said she knew mar
of that name there and our descrip
tions conceded"
"Oh, yes" said Mr.. Branigan, 'pn
an old citizen of Stonewall In fact,
was born there and have lived there
ever since"
And you've never seen me abou,
the town, have your"
i've known you by sight for many
years." Mr.. Branigan answered quietly
"Oh," and Sally couldn't hide {
blush.
Presently Branigan offered her q sir
of paper to sign and as she scrawlet
her name on it, the ticket agent said
81 had an idea the s stood for Sylvia
So it's Sally. You see, stood behint
you one day as you were buying YOU
Communication ticket. Let's see-yor
were wearing blue hat and blue
coat with gray fur on the collar. An
I rightT'
Sally was forced to smile. "You have
a remarkable memory, Mr.. Branigan.
Then she looked at her watch and de
cided that 1t was past time she hae
started back to the Office. With hasty
good-by she dashed out of the Office
A week before she and Dorothy were
to start on their vacation, Mr.. Brani
gan dropped in one evening at hel
home. They were looking over pic
lures of Yellowstone park when the
telephone rang. It was Dorothy and
she said her mother had been taker
Ill and would have to go to the noun
tains There was nothing for Doro
thy to do but to cancel her western
trip and spend her vacation with hel
mother.
well. there go all my plans for ,
grand time In the wild and woolly
West" said Sally as she Joined Mr.
Branigan on the lounge. "And aftel
I've bothered you so much getting the
entire trip planned to perfection"
Mr.. Branigan closed the book Of pic
lures. He asked her when she FRS
had come to him for information.
"It was three weeks ago." said Sally
"Wen. I've known you intimately FOL
three weeks and I've wanted to know
you intimately for the past couple Of
years. What say we get married and
then we can take the trip for honey
moonT'
Somehow Sally wasn't as shocked al
Mr.. Branigan's statement as most PEG
pie might have been. Instead she
laughed Its sort of sudden" she
said "but I must say your invitation
sounds most attractive"