The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-11-20

gloomy enthusiasm he had never
thought of his own father or of his
young mother except as religious. He
had fancied that if she had lived to sing
hymns to him in the dusk or hear his
prayers, like other mothers, he would
have been very different. That image
of his mother had sacred light about
it, and he said to himself that he die
not like Phyllis curious Indifference tc
religion. But his wonder kept the idea
of her continually in his mind, and what
more favorable conditions could be
found for the growth of thought into
something more pungent?
In this speculative mood he walked
often by their house and hung over the
gate and chatted with Mr.. James and
Phyllis ON the porch. One evening he
was invited in to tea. The father was
a shrewd man, who talked sensibly, and
Thomas liked to watch Phyllis in hel
dark blue gown, which fitted close tC
her rounded figure, as she moved deftly
from cupboard to table and from table
to stove in her preparations for tea
Nor was he sorry when, after the meal,
MIR. James excused himself to do some
odd jobs, and Phyllis was left to enter
tain him.
1t soon became his habit to drop in,
and his visits made no difference in the
household life. He had always been
constrained and awkward on the few &C.
oasions when, wretched in his Sunday
81 Lr ko1 fIn a
dies in the village and had been ushered
into chilly parlors with rigidly straight
tables and chairs to see, after an inter
val of dreary waiting, the young ladies,
also in their Sunday clothes and with
deliberately arranged hair. 1t would
have been enough to blight all social
instincts in even a holder man.
But here he was as often in the kitchen
as in the parlor, and Phyllis never stop
ped her work for him, even if she were
polishing the stove or scrubbing the
floor. Thomas was himself under these
circumstances, and all his latent posi-
bilities of good company were stirred
into life. Phyllis, in white gown on a
summer afternoon, was nice to look at,
but Phyllis in the kitchen at work, her
face a little flushed, her pretty arms
bare to the elbow, her hair tossed into
shining ripples and waves, was charm
ingl
But as yet Phyllis was only won
derfully nice girl. All the vague, airy
fancies that float in the mind Of any
youth around the image of any pleasant
girl remained still form1ess and vague
and had not crystallized into any dis
tinct shape of love. Yet it needs but q
touch to crystalline them when the right
time comes.
During one of his visits he noticed
that Phyllis somehow seemed different.
She was absentminded and embarrassed.
The contagion of her mood touched
him, and he had stopped talking, when
she turned from her work with an
abrupt remark:
Mamie was here today"
Thomas waited.
''She talked good deal about you.
She said you had been flirting with
Sallie Stevens, and she thought it was
shame You used to be downright
good friends, and now you never went
there.
Phyllis head was turned away, but
the words came as if by desperate re-
solve
81 never went any oftener than Jim, =
answered Thomas, rather defiant at
Nannies interference
He half laughed at the absurdity OF
the charge, knowing himself an arrant
coward in the presence of any girl,
Sallie not excepted, yet felt a secret
pride at the masculine power Of attrac-
ton which such charge implied. Then
he Redeemed with anger at the thought
that perhaps Mamie had only been
making fun of him. But Phyllis was
deeply in earnest.
'"Then it's true? You did visit her be-
fore you began coming here?" and
turning upon him a face whose brave
honesty hardly kept back the painful
bushes of girlhood. You made her
think you wanted her to be your wifef"
Thomas laughed outright at this, re-
membering distinctly their aimless re-
marks about the weather and dreary
pauses after each effort.
Phyllis face relaxed, and the bushes
came In a flood of beautiful color from
brow to throat.
''You didn't, then? And Mamie was
only teasingl thought she couldn't be
in earnest "
The unconscious relief Of her tone told
a great deal Thomas stoutly denied
that he had ever before thought Of mar
rying any woman.
If Phyllis had asked if he had ever
thought of "courtin" Sallie he might
perhaps have found it harder to give SC
emphatic denial, some reckless spirits
among his acquaintance even holding
that "courtin" was a necessary civility
Of any call But the name of wife
had a certain solemnity about it, like
the minister's adiuration in the mar
riage service, No. Certainly he hat
never thought of Sallie as that.
Because, . went ON Phyllis courage
ously, if a little nervously, 81 would
have asked you not to come here if yor
had. It's downright mean for one CIR
to cut out another in that way, I think.
It's as bad as stealing, and don't meaI
to do it'll"
She was too much excited to notice
how much she was admitting in regard
to Thomas relation to her, but he
grown wonderfully quick witted of late
lsl I'D .,,os oe,.rae,,n,, 6ipOIxy ha,o1,v anf
earnest in his assurances of being en-
tirely free-'at least l used to be be
fore we got acquainted, " he concluded
rather sentimentally.
Phyllis paid no attention to this anC
went on:
81 never had any mother to tall
about such things. Father always say
a girl ought to be as fair and honest al
man. He knows mother was. "
There was a little tremor in her voio'
as she spoke Of her mother. 1t was thu
one crystallizing touch of emotion, ant
Thomas never thought of Phyllis after
ward as like other girls or doubted tha
she alone of all women was the one hi
desired for wife. But he did not ash
her at once. a KIND OF tender reverence
held him back, for he suddenly OWNED
that Phyllis would not wish it to follow
too quickly ON this talk, as if she haC
opened the subject.
Not the least potent of her charms
was her continually surprising him
Soon after he had been thrilled by hel
unfiinching honesty and purity he wal
confronted with an unexpected hardness
that seemed incredible at her age.
1t happened this way. She was sit
ting in hammock In the back porcl
with some light work in her hands wher
a negro boy came to bring her basket
of peaches. She got up to put then
away and came back with small purse
''How much do owe you, Benz"
"a quarter, please, miss, with
how and n grin