Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-02-08

in good earnest, and the horses were
flying over the bridge as only fright
ened horses can. 1t was as much as
Ned could do to guide them, and twice
we were in deadly peril.
'0n they sped, young Hamilton stand
ing without hat, his teeth set, his
lips white his frame rigid, while the
veins of his forehead stood out like
whip-cord. I just sat back and held
my breath. too frightened to cry out,
and catching at whatever was nearest
to steady myself as they raced down
the long, hilly street to the village. at
the foot of which they slackened their
speed and were soon under control.
"'That was a mad freak of yours
was all the young man said as he helped
me out at the door; and I knew by the
expression of his countenance that
never should be asked to ride behind
his grays again.
II went to the party seemingly as
gay and light-hearted as ever. If any
feeling of regret lurked under my care
less speech and manner Ned should
never know it. In the midst of the
fun, when was holding my little
court, and the laugh and the jest were
going round, who should appear on
the scene but my father, in his homely,
PATCHED clothes, quite regardless of the
figure he cut in the raidst Of that bril-
liant company. He walked straight up
to me, his hair in disorder, his face as
pale as death.
"Jaek,' said he, did you run the
toll to-day?'
"The horses ran,' l said, with a
touch Of leyity, though 1 trembled
from head to foot. What did they
know about toil?'
"Well, the bridgekeeper has been
to the house, Jack. He told me the
young man was getting the money
when you caught up the whip and
set the horses to running. Now,
there's a fine for that, and I've got to
give him $5; he won't let me off
amt got five cents to my name
Tears stood in his poor, weak eyes, and,
regardless of the surroundings, he took
out his handkerchief and wiped them
away. Imagine, if you can, how !
felt.
"Allow me to pay, SIR said Ned.
coming forward; and that capped the
climax. / could have screamed with
modification. / just ran out of that
room. without waiting for wraps or
anything else, and flew home so
ashamed that l hardly knew what
was doing. As you may suppose, /
cried pretty much all night, and it was
a long time before 1 recovered my
spirits.
II have no doubt it lost me Ned
Hamilton, too" said the old lady, with
queer little toss of the head; "but
that didn't matter much. He left me
and took Mary Bean. old Deacon
Beans daughter-the pink of propri-
ETY., and who would no more have
dared to say her soul was her own
than she would have dared to ride
with Wild horses. 1t was a little NOR
tifying at first, but after his marriage
folks said he was misery almost be-
yond belief, and | am positive Molly
Hamilton only has one new bonnet
year, poor soul though hy this time
she may have gone where they don't
need bonnets.
However, I was cured from that
time of my thoughtless pranks. 1
went to work and soon paid back the
S5, and more than that, 1 paid off the
mortgage on our little home, in time"
And then you married grandpa?' ~
said Lily.
"Yes, dear, he was worth thousand
Ned IIamiltons-but poor fatherl how
often I have heard him say that l was
just as good as boy"