The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-05-18
THE VILLAGE PRIDE.


street children. Yet the labor had no
perceptible effect. The metal shone like
light, but SO it did when she began to
| clean it. 1t had shone like that yester-
day and the day before, and indeed
every day for 60 years. There was a
smooth circle all around the knock
er where her delicate hands had
worn into the hard, black wood of the
] door. Nevertheless the old lady rubbed
away just as she had done every morn
ing since the spring Of 1888, when she
was brought, bride, into that house
She was the pride of Greenwich village
then, and she meant to be still
On this particular frosty morning
Mrs Leveen tarTied longer than usual
at her task. After the lions head was
satisfactory even to her sharp eyes she
worked on. But it was evident in the
glances she shot across Bank street that
her attention was not given wholly to
the work Of her hands Neither was it
diverted to her customary inspection Of
the neighbors' knockers. Theirs glisten-
ed like hers, and, besides, every time
she looked up her eyes turned to but
one door, that of the house liz front of
which stood two sturdy horses and a
| truck
Pretty soon the door opened and
young man in a carriers blouse came
out. He saw the old lady across the
street, though he pretended not to. He
busted himself ostentatious1y about the
/ lie
turned back to the truck. Mrs Leveen
had seen him. She bent herself earnest
ly to the knocker and in a few strokes
finished 1t off The she faced toward
the street and fixed the truckman with
her eyes till he had to look up.
GOOD morning, Aunt Martha he
said as he dotted his cap.
She beckoned to him to come to her.
Good morning, Percy, she answer
ed pleasantly as he approached her, cap
In hand. Come in moment I wish
to speak with you"
The interview he had dreaded for
weeks was upon him now. He knew
from the first it was inevitable, but day
after day he had put it off, emitting his
usual calls ON his aunt and avoiding
her sight and summons. Now that she
had caught him he was glad. AS he fol-
lowed the old lady into her prim, COM
Portable sitting room he made pitiful
figure of humility, but in the meekness
Of his soul there was the cheerfulness
of finality.
''Sit down, Percy" she said in the
| sweet toned voice he loved
He took the chair she indicated and
she seated herself in her old rocker
Percy, dear, !" she began, lis this
true that I hear-you mean to marry
this grip
Eyes, Aunt Martha / was going to
tell you, but knowing as you were ag in
Throwing that you would not like to
have me do SOL was afraid to come to
you about it A"
Don't twirl your cap, my dear.
Gentlemen don't do that, you know"
He stuck his cap between his knees.
II am sorry, Percy, you felt that
way. 1t is my intention always to be
kind and sympathetic. You should have
been quite sure would have heard your
story through with understanding. Now
tell me everything. She is the daugh-
ter, am told, of German in Hudson
street. "
''That's right aunt Her father has
the biggest corner grocery over there,
and he has made his pile-I mean has
made money since he's been there"
''How long has he been hereP"
Going on % year. Oh, he's almost
an old Ninth warder now. He's some
in politics, and his family is right in it. {"
Percy, never knew them.
I know, but you wouldn't. It amt
my fault I wanted to have them all
over to mothers SO as you could be in
troduced to them.
The old lady looked as though she
would answer this, but did not She
was silent a moment before she pro-
ceeded:
$50 her father is a grocer2''
Eyes, like Mr.. Jamison, who you
like well enough"
''Mr. Jamison is a gentleman, my
dear. The misfortunes of his family can
never alter that The Jamisons are Of
the Oldest Greenwich families on both
sides. He is a grocer by necessity This
person of whom we are speaking is one
by choice.
"Well, Aunt Martha, it's as good as
being truckman, and better. "
Mrs. Leveen WINGED.
"You might have been a Judge like
your father or . senator like your grand
father I wanted you to enter political
life. "
Politics is pretty low down these
days" Percy remarked at amt what
it was. Besides, tried to get an office
from Mike McNamara but he said l
wouldn't do in any Office where the pay
was as much as the trucking pays. And
/ guess that's about so. "
The last sentence was cheerfully
spoken. Mrs. Leveen looked at her
nephew's ruddy cheeks and sighed.
Il do wish, Percy" she said gently,
THAT you could have found some one In
Greenwich. That part of Hudson street
where these people live is way beyond
the outskirts of the old village, out
where the hog fields were till the immi-
grants began to settle around us
but what's the difference, Aunt
MarthaP It's all one now. There amt
no Greenwich any more; it's all just
New York city. So what is the use of
pretending?"
The impatience in the young mans
tone amazed his aunt almost as much
as the sentiment be uttered Never be-
fore had he failed to show her respect.
| ~, 10 Is Ia
demeanor had been grievance to her;
it did not become one of her own blood
to manifest the same awe before her
that an ordinary Ninth warder did
The old lady Strengthened in her
chair, the lines about her mouth stiffen-
ed, and her eyes glistened like her
knocker, as she answered:
Percy Deanl You forget to whom
you are speaking. You forget yourself,
sir, and your good breeding is evidently
suffering from the associations you per
NIT yourself "
Percy was frightened. The last time
he had been rebuked in this temper by
his aunt was when he was a boy. He
meant no offense.
II beg your pardon, Aunt Martha, :"
he murmured
Mrs. Leveen took her knitting from
the table and worked busily at it till
she was quite calm. She looked up after
every few thrusts Of her needle, indig
nantly at first, then coldly, and finally
the habitual expression of kindness re-
turned to her. face.
II dare ~ you are in a hurry TO go
to town, Percy, and shall not detain
you much longer. You may tell me
something about this young-this girl