Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-04-22
MISS MAHONEY'S LACE.

They were having very good time
at the farm, as pleasant party of CAV
girl graduates as could well be put to-
gether. when Miss Mahoney arrived
upon the scene of action, and her ap-
pearance was certainly like wet blanket
on all pleasure.
The farm was on mountain side.
high up in air; all below it a great
amphitheaser of lesser hills, mellowed
in distance and vapors till they looked
like the waves of q purple sea, with
now and then mighty rainbows pan
ming them; and all above it the lofty
tops OF hills, whose woods here feath-
cred OH upon the morning sky, and
whose crags there Jutted sharply n the
stars at night. The air was full of the
song of birds, the rustic of leaves, the
hum of bees and the rushing of water.
falls, and it seemed to the happy young
things that they were somewhere above
the world-in an ideal region from
which no voice could summon them.
But. for all that, a sharp voice called
when Miss Mahoney was heard at the
door, and the cruel common world burst
In behind her.
She came in the noon stage, and she
brought such tons of luggage! That
had to come on another. w hat did she
mean to do with it at the farm. where
linen lawn was full dress? And she
had collie dog. and a huge cage with
magpie in 1t, and the maggie chattefed
like the confusion of tongues. Miss
MahOney stopped at the door, opened
the cage, and let the magpie 90. ssHe
comes back at CALI said she to Mrs
Pierson, our landlady, who hardly
looked with kindness on the bird Of
evil. 6 He likes to have his liberty and
make his nest, and SO / let MIN have it
all the summer-city life is SO confning
And Laddle keeps an eye on him" But
we all EN- braced Sc stI4addie" at once as
he put up his pretty nose and tender
brown eyes to our fa' es, and tie collie
became the best friend of all tile young
girls that day, particularly OF the pref
tier ones, for he had quite a taste in
beauty; he seemed to know that there
vas not gallant about tie place, and
he might be escort to the whoe party if
he would, and he presently attached
himself so pertinaciously to Adele
Montrose that Jane Hunt said she
should have toshow him Philips picture
next, and tell Laddie that Philip was
coming in month.
Miss Mahoney came down to tea in
rega. array. No such garments had
ever been seen at the farm as her pur-
pie striped velvet gauzes, with their
satin under-stuff As for her string of
pearls, perhaps they were only Roman:
but II they were real, they were worth
more than the farm; and then the lace
shawl which she knotted up round her
throat as they sat on the piazza look
ing at the sunset more underneath than
above them, as if it had been Shetland
wool" " said Jane, when it was price
less Brussels net
=" But she has oceans of lace" said
Miss Meyer l opened her door by
mistake as she was unpacking, and
there 1t was. some in boxes and trays,
and some over chairs. What with laces
and jewels, the room looked like the
milky way.n
She'll think we are set of bar
barians," sale Adele. with her quick
blush, :. with hardly 80 much as a
tucker"
And we shall think her a vulgar
parvenue, bringing such things to such
place." said Jane.
She's not a nouveau richie, at any
rate, answered Miss Meyer. g For she
ism t rich at all. Mrs. Pierson knows
about her. She inherited ali her fine
things from some relation or other, and
has only enough money to live on and
when she wants to do something ex-
travagant, like coming to the noun
tains, for instance, she sells pearl or
a bit of lace"
Miss Mahoney, of course. became an
object of study to the girls, and was al
ways accompanied in her progress by
some awe and more ridicule-the
former as the possessor of finery that
somehow went to their hearts every
time they saw it or heard of it, the lat
ter as woman past forty, tall and an
gular and ugly and ignorant, aping the
appearance and manners of young girls.
wonder how she came by Laddie?''
said Adele, one day.
She gave Jewel for him. said Miss
Meyer, laughing. so as to have some
thing to protect her other Jewels. Pm
sure it's no wonder how she came by
out of the house yet"
See him now, !" said Jane Hunt. on
the limb of that hollow oak. Doesn't
he look like limb himselfPn
There certainly is something de.
moniac about Jack, said Adele. He
came tapping at my window last night
and when saw those eyes Of his they
made me shiver So"
He was after the cakes in your
closet.
Do you suppose he wasp she asked,
e she Wae &oing Of with Lzddie.
hsy oidn't ny e them suppose soi