The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-11-29
NO TRESPASSING.

It was a delightful, hot afternoon,
and under the trees Elysium itself The
path ran through tunnel of foliage,
between which glimpses of the river
parallel were every now and then be-
trayed by natural vistas. If you happen
10 know the road to Lonore, before the
path to Ashness Bridge forks off, in
fact the delightful stretch that lies at
Rakes' Foot, you will have a scene like
to it as two peas are to one another, but
for Derwentwater you must, of course,
substitute the rapid, shallow, shingling
Barragh.
The road was inches deep in dust,
and that of the whitest, and the boots
and stockings of the knickered, Norfolk
jacketed traveller could scarce be dis.
tinguished from the dusty way itself,
and he looked, had there been any to
see, as though he foated in the air, be-
reft of feet and ankles.
Now, half way down the road, the
traveller, who was young and fairly
good looking, though perhaps not en-
dowed with that facial strength Of char
acter which is the dear delight of au-
thors who are feminine, happened upon
a stile spanning the graystone and
messy wall that separated the wood be-
yond from the road 1t was famous
stile. somewhat like pair of steplad-
ders. with three rungs by which to
ascend from the road and two to ascend
into the wood on the other side of the
wall. The traveller assembled, and perch
ed upon the happily placed platform at
the summit of the stepladder and pom
dered some, and while he pondered he
mopped his brow and gazed upon his
boots besides, giving the lie to those
who say that lone cannot do two things
at once'-this for one who has refused
to close the door at my behest and in
a draft most thorough. Then he struck
match to light cigarette know it
ought to nave been pipe, but it was a
oigarette-and drawing it along an adj
jacent post, saw, for the first time, a
notice thereon. 1t said:
ANY PERSON
FOUND TRESP ASSING ON
THE BARRY ESTATE
WILL BE SECUTED
By Order,
Agents Office. J. SMITH
A very ordinary notice, but one which
had been the subject of much merri-
ment a while back, when " Ar1y-you
Juggins'' had eliminated the harmless
0 and interpolated the direful E for the
amusement of his consHurs and con-
freres
The effect it had upon our traveller
was not that which henceforward, for
all l care, may be described as de-
faciensis tripperii He had no desire to
drop in mot between the "will'' and
the "be, " neither did he change per
SON. into "peer," but he did allow his
feet, which had been resting on rung
two of the roadside ladder, to change
their position to rung one of that of the
woodside
After the first step the way was easy
So appeared to be the grass path
which meandered among the trees in
curves most sinuous, path that looked
AS all forbidden paths look-seduc-
tive, and, moreover, by far the most de-
lightful in the whole district.
Our traveller looked at his watch, at
the up and down of the road, and not a
soul was in sight to deter him. He slip
ped to the ground, and in brief space
was in the thicket.
On and on pressed he till the black
ing was restored to the boot by the dust
banishing grass agency The cigarette,
smoked out, was replaced by a second,
and then he came to halt at the brink
of cunning little tree mirrored, tree
surrounded lake, whose clear waters in
vited-nay, almost commanded-im-
mersion, with the thermometer taxed
to its utmost heat recording limits.
Birds were singing, the lakelet rip
pied, and with delicious splashing a
waterfallet threw itself in wanton aban-
donment into the embrace of the all
absorbing tarn
Delicious spot for bathing, but spot
wasted, impossible. On the farther side
was one who gazed at our traveller, the
intruder. with eyes beautiful and pro-
voked-one attired in kerchief of lawn,
bodice and skirt of print and in other
dainty things.
"a pretty grill ' said he mentally.
"A wretched tourist' she reflected.
The path was winding, like to a
maze, but surely mazelike it led to an
eventual goal? 1t would do no harm to
ask The traveller meandered ON and
found himself in space but three or
four feet from my lady of the lake.
His cap was off
Said he. "Will you kindly tell me If
this path comes out anywhere near
Marleydale?'
Eventually at the village itself, :"
she replied
He thanked her, and with steps re-
luctant would have advanced, but she,
reddening and paling alternately, denied
him progress except over her lithesome
self
please stopl" she commanded. Are
you aware that this is private proper
ty?"
II could hardly imagine it was pub
lie, said he.
She flushed angrily.
"You are trespassing, 3" she contin-
ued, land are liable to be prosecuted. :"
"And prosecuted, if the notice board
lies not, ? he added.
1.-THE notice board does lie Some
tourist = she began impetuously.
'Then | suppose am not trespass-
ing" he queried.
"You will see ~ said she fiercely.
But surely trespass without dam
age is as harmless as threat that can.
not be carried out?" he asked
''The game she started to say.
is remarkable for its absence, " he
concluded.
"The-the''- She was at loss.
II picked this clump of mountain
ash, he suggested kindly.
"Ah. iniuring the treesl You can be
imprisoned for that, she replied with
satisfaction.
"Surely o fine"- he began.
"Our Bench is landed property" said
she, land we loathe-er-tourists
"Ohr' he murmured, disconnected.
"Only the other day my father, who
is chairman, was most severe on ore
who carved his name upon tree, and
you have broken branch. "
"a twig," he ventured to correct
"The same thing, said she defiantly.
"Miss SMITH he said in tones i'm,
ploring
Don't address me as Miss Smith,
sir, . and she spoke in tones most
naughty "Sueh familiarity
"Well, Edith-if you command it, .
I bo ,,,1r,nurad ohochod