The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-10-26
PHEMIE.

Mother hates me, and everything | do
is wrong"
Your mother can't help it, Phe-
mic. " said DIR. Jasper He was the new
medical man, in huge favor with Mrs
Albatross, Phemie's mother
"Your mother is highly strung-quite
woman of genius, and allowances
must be made for her temperament, my
dear young lady Temperament rules
everything +"
Indeed, Mrs Albatross' temperament
seemed to rule DR. Jasper, the parson,
the squire, the parish, but it did not
rule Phemie
Look here, " said the girl-she was
just past 2O-"you and mother are al
ways croaking about me, l know, but
you do nothing to help me. At least
think you would. but you re afraid '-
Your mother used to take an inter
est in you. but you did not meet her
half way Is not that so?''
''No, it isn't. When / was IS, she
had fad of dressing me up in last CEN
tury costume and making doll of me
mot my style at ADJUST to show off
her own cleverness and queerness at my
expense. She said was ugly and only
dressing could make me fit to be seen. .
"Well?" said DR. Jasper, who was
rising young medico of 80, as he looked
gravely and judicially at the pretty
much tried girl, who only half believed
in his good will
WELL, said Picnic, every one
laughed, and / showed mother would
not stand it. "
"And then?''
''Then she packed me off to school.
The mistress said was sort of dazed
for time, as if had been i'll treated
and SO had-and quite neglected, but
they were kind to me there, and 1 was
very happy for more than a year, except
in the holidays, which were always obi
GUS. Then you came along And
Picnic paused and stole a doubtful
glance at the doctor
"What then?'' said the doctor, like a
person coldly inquiring for ordinary in
formation, yet with certain little
twinkle in his eye which did not escape
the aggrieved Phemie
"Then, said the girl, 81 thought
you were my friend at first, but don t
now At least
At this moment Mrs. Albatross en-
tered, and, turning sharply on Phemie,
said with a snap, Il suppose you
haven t fed the fowls or sorted the lin
en- or done anything but idle away your
time, as usual?"
Il was called when Dr. Jasper came
because you could not be found -
''I'm sick Of your excuses. DR.. JAS
per does not want to see you. - Then,
in quite an altered tone, as Phemie
shrunk away out Of the room: do
you mind coming up to my sitting
room? want to have talk with you
about those changes at the infirmary
am sure you will agree with me and
you will be most useful We can't al
low things to go on, - etc.
DR. Jasper always did agree with
Mrs Albatross, but somehow he mold
ed her, and she usually came round to
his opinion He listened and she talked
He could wait. and when be had taken
her bearings-without ever interrupt
ing or oontradicting-she listened and
he talked, and not then, but next time,
she echoed his opinions and fancied
they were all her own.
at is such comfort to find a sensi-
BILE man to talk to in a stupid place like
this. - said she, laying her arm CON
fidingly upon the doctors as he sat
smiling and agreeing with her.
Mrs Albatross had worried one hus-
band into the grave-she was too clever
for him-but her intellectual vivacity,
imagination and enterprise made her
an interesting companion. She was
only little past 40, and very well pre-
served, and she meant to marry DR.
Jasper
power the doctor came again and again
and would not send in his bill, and the
doctors bill never was paid. He paid
himself
Don't speak to me, said Phemie
hurriedly as she met the doctor coming
down stairs after a long confab with
her mother Mothers about She s
out all tomorrow afternoon I've got to
paint the doors And Jasper passed
out with sympathetic smile She
knew he would call and advise her
about painting the doors He did call
What deal you know about mix,
ing paints and thingsl I'm sure want
good advice a great deal more than
mother does. But, then, I'm not clever
like mother added Phemie, with q
little aggrieved pout $50 it's not worth
while talking to me.
II do feel for you," said the doctor,
with an unusual warmth Of manner.
81 have done all could to get your
mother to be fair to you, Phemie"--he
had never called her Phemie before,
and she felt her color rise. Whats the
matterP'' he added hastily, for sudden
ly Phemie's eyes filled with tears and
she just went off then and there and
left the paint pots and things without
saying another word.
DR.. Jasper's visits became more fire.
quent. Mrs. Albatross was constantly
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