The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-08-17

johnson was just the fellow who
ought to be the head of an affiuent Brit
ish household, with sons and daughters
growing up around him. Or he should
have been a wealthy bachelor uncle, alb
solutely adored by a large contingent Of
nephews and nieces. Solitude did not
seem the proper setting for him.
However, he took for his motto,
whatever is, is best, = trotted me about
Paris with an air of part ownership
which was infinitely comic-in fact, did
his level best to make my fortnight's
stay a pleasant one.
He would have insisted on giving me
up his bed and migrating to an inlet
attic on the fifth floor, but would not
hear of it.
Twas obliged to pretend that I should
certainly suffocate in the small closet
he dignified by the title of "chambre a
couoher," and that had engaged quar-
tiers at one of the nearest hotels on my
way from the railway station and before
found him out.
Though we had known each other
during good many years, it was only
when my stay in Paris drew very near
it's close that johnson one evening be-
came confidential.
am not very likely to forget that
evening, either, for had come out ra-
Their sick and decidedly shudderihg from
visiting the morgue.
Declaring it to be one of the sights
of the city, which strong nerved man
ought to see once in his life, I had pre-
vailed on johnson to accompany me.
A group of excited women and man
or two were standing by the entrance.
They told us that the body Of girl-a
young and pretty girl-had been carried
in not long before. She had been found
floating in the Seine-a case of suicide,
no doubt.
''I-think-I'll take your arm-my
dear fellow, stammered johnson as we
came out from this CHASTITY spectacle.
Then 1 felt sorry I had urged him
against his will. for his face was as
white as chalk and his manner was that
of man walking in dream
1T reminded me- he said, after we
had walked some little way, and he
seemed better, "of a girl who was
drowned a good many years ago Per-
haps I'll tell you about it by and by"
did not question him. The little ro-
nance of his life came out quite natu-
rally as we sat together in the stuffy
entresol," waiting for dinner.
81 am such a thorough fogy now, I"
remarked johnson from the depths of
the big Voltaire chair into which had
forced him, "that l dare say, Frank,
you could hardly imagine me young
and fairly good looking"
"You forget" I answered, ''that
we were both tolerably young when
we first made acquaintance And, in
my opinion, you are good looking now "
"Oh, yes, to you, perhaps. But could
you imagine me a man with whom a
girl-pretty and much sought after
would fall in love? Yet so it was, and l
think shall feel better if | tell you
about it this evening"
"Tell mo by all means, I said. II
never knew before you We're man with
l story"
He smiled rather sadly.
"Who has not story? Only we do
rot happen to know it. | don't suppose
hat we who have failed in life as re-
yards happiness are in the minority.
Veil, |, too, had my dreams of wife
md homo At first they were vague
and shadowlike. They only began to
take form when l knew Alice Temple
have called her pretty, but think it
was the intelligence expressed in her
YES that one noticed most. or perhaps
he swift smile that came to her lips
ben she spoke. "
waited silently. Presently johnson
mt on with his story:
We were engaged There was moth
ing to wait for. l could afford to
marry and Alice had little money
not much, and Twas glad of it. Ishould
not have wished to be one of those at
whom the world points as a man who,
by marrying, has done we'll for him
self. -
my dear friend" exclaimed, mo
one could ever imagine you hunting
after money. l am afraid you have I'M
dervalued it all your life and will keep
up the habit to the end. +"
johnson smiled.
Perhaps there is something in what
you say, perhaps l have been an in
cautious, oversanguine fellow, but then
have always realized that if money
opens all doors i'll this world it certain
ly won't open us the door of heaven.
However, ] am drifting away from
what I meant to tell you-what that
dead face. of a girl seems to force me to
speak of tonight. Alice and ! were, as
l have said, engaged, the wedding day
fixed. We were visiting at the country
house of one of her relatives that glori-
GUS month of August. One day / went
up to London, returning late in the
evening. In all the years that have
passed l have never forgotten that even
ing. | can see now in memory the
moonlight falling ON the trees, its glare
for at the full of the moon it is a
cold, hard glare which falls on every
thing, or SO it seems to neon the
white gravel of the avenue leading to
| the house. Even as the old butler
opened the door saw there was some
thing the matter-a little crowd OF
panic stricken faces, and then some one
caught my arm and tried to pull me
away-tried. but failed, for | fought
and struggled to shake off the grasp. ]
knew at once something had happened
to Alice Temple. y
He paused SO long that at last asked
what came next He started at the
sound of my voice.
81 forgot was telling you about 1t,
he said. ut seemed as though | W ere
going over it all by myself. often do,
though it happened SO long ago What