Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-01-08
Hal Burton's Mistake.

Hal Burton's Mistake.
When Hal Burton wrote and mailed
these two notes, one morning, he little
imagined the trouble he was calling
down upon his devoted head. The first
one ran:
DEAR OLD FELLOW:
If you really want her, don't let me stand
In your way. Go in and win thought you
understood that was fooling from the first
Yours in haste, HARRY.
And the other thus:
DEAR MISS MABEL:
Owing to pressing business engaremants. /
shall have to defer my call for this evening.
May come soon again2 Your friend,
HARRY BURTON
The first of these two notes, addressed
in bold chirography to Miss Mabel Ben
ton, was placed in that young lady's
hands two hours later, and the flush
which overspread her face as she rec
ognized the dashing hand, told a story
in itself.
''Dear Old Fellow were the words
which struck her amazed vision as she
began its perusal.
"What in the world can Harry mean p
she stopped to say, but as she read on
the flush on her cheeks deepened to a
redder, angrier hue, and when at its
close she raised her eyes they were full of
both pride and pain.
This note was intended for Tom Steele
or some young man of that set, she
thought, with bitterness, ''and has beer
sent me by mistake l shall act OF this
revelation Of fate, however, and in fu-
ture avoid Mr.. Burton and the jesting
he has enjoyed SO much of late"
.'Hal is getting dreadful polite, NUT
tered Tom Steele as he threw the note
just received and read, among cigar
ends, tapers, etc., which adorned his
center table. May he come soon again
When I've scarcely missed seeing him
one night for week, what does the boy
mean?'
"May | have this waltz, Mabel, . whis-
pered Hal, as the two met in Mrs. Tren-
toms ballroom two days later, his eyes
full of undisguised admiration as he
looked down at her.
"What hypocrisy" was Mabel's men
tai commentas hecaught the expression,
and she answered, coldly, 81 am sorry,
but my ballbook is quite FULL" handing
It indifferently to him as she spoke.
A strange light spread into Harry's
eyes as he saw on every other line the
name of a handsome young fellow, who
had lately come to Morton, and who
had already supplanted him as Mabeps
escort for the evening.
" It is full" he replied, carelessly,
and he returned the book without an
other word. But he gnawed his mus
tache iercely as he walked away.
-iAeloOA ititlnACl lOSt uOue OI lLB gay
ETY. because he held himself distantly
aloof from her the rest of the evening.
She had never been more animated.
" If she can throw me over like that, "
thought Harry, moodily, as in his room
that night he went over and over again
the events of the evening, and for the
acquaintance Of a week, too, she is not
the girl for me, and have no earthly
reason to care" He did care, though,
as pain at his heart gave proof, but he
smothered it down and determined to
make no sign
9 In the cast of characters for our
play" announced the chairman Of the
Morton amateur theatrical committee, a
week later, tive have assigned the part
Of Norman McGrcgor to Harry K.
Burton, Janet Grey to Mabel Ben
ton, and Edgar Montrose to John S.
Fremont .
There could't have been more suita-
bic cast as far as real circumstances are
concerned. thought Harry while read
ing over the play Norman and Edgar
are both in love with Janet Gray, Nor
man desperately jealous, and Edgar sue
cessful for the time; happy circumstance
for me, he added, with a sigh, ssif the