The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-10-11
A RHINE STORY.

A KLINE SIOKY.
The Misses Ladford walked across
the road from the German station to
the small hotel.
"And now," complained the elder
Miss Ladford, 81 suppose we shall have
more unintelligible argument at this
ridiculous hotel Not a soul to speak
English or French, and''-
eve shall manage, said her young
sister, hopefully. The porter carrying
their luggage pushed open the door, and
they stepped into a big, square room,
with a pewter covered bar at the side.
A few men were playing with grubby
cards in a corner The proprietor
shuffled forward and took his pipe from
his mouth reluctantly.
'Bahp' cried the elder Miss Ladford.
"That's not German, remarked her
young sister cheerfully. "Kellner, elm
thinner.
If young Miss Ladford had known
the German for hotel proprietor, she
would not have called him waiter. 1t
was uu1OIbuudbO5 DOOduoO uhO PAOpAAO-
tors brow clouded at the word ''kell-
ner, and he appeared to be instructing
the porter to take the luggage outside
The two ladies stared at each other dis
tressedly.
"Can be Of any use?"
'Mr. Wallisl" cried the young sister
delightedly.
"Mr. Wallisi'' remarked Miss Lad
ford distantly.
In few words the young man ex-
planned everything to the offended hotel
proprietor; in few more words he in
formed the ladies that he, too, had ar
rived by the train from Berlin, and
that, finding the last train for Luxem
bourg had gone, he had said few
words
II am glad you did that" said Miss
Ladford
and had come straight across to
the hotel. Mr. Mark Wallis further
mentioned that he had ordered supper
for one; while the ladies were up stairs
he would amend the order and make it
supper for three. A stout, apple faced
maid appeared and prepared to conduct
them stolidly up the broad wooden
staircase to their room.
"Mr. Wallis" said Miss Ladford,
1--WE quarreled, I'm afraid, at Bal
reuth.
"No, no" replied the young man,
flushing. "Don't dignity our argument
to that extent. 1t was mere difference
of opinion. He glanced at the young
sister, who was following the apple
checked maid.
"You made some unkind remarks in
your journal last winter about my play
ing, and felt bound to tell you that /
resented those criticisms. We had been
good friends too. 2"
ST tried to be fair, Miss Ladford. I
had every reason not to be unkind."
Every reason?"
EVERY reason. T"
She hesitated moment and then held
out her hand.
"Shall we forget all about it, Mr..
Wallis?'
sit will give me great pleasure, % said
the young man earnestly. And, being
in a foreign land where courtly acts can
be done without creating derision, he
lifted her gloved hand and kissed it.
Such supper party that night in the
bare boarded dining loom of the sleepy
little hotel at Karthaus, and such de-
termination on Mark Wallis part to
propitiate Miss Ladford-so much gen
eral good humor indeed that the chrome
of the Emperor William on the walls
stared as though half inclined to assume
that the laughter approached leze ma
jesty. Even the apple checked servant
became infected by the general gayety
/ and served the dishes with positive
cheerfulness, browning the evening,
when supper was over and Mark Wallis
had lighted cigar and had said good
night, by 1emarking (as she took the two
pairs of shoes from the tired young wo
men and closed their door in coniden-
tial whisper, Earring crossP' and dis
appeared with the air of one who has
said reassuring and a comforting word
to English women in strange land.
"He improves on acquaintance, " re-
marked Miss Ladford.
"Who, dear?'
"Why, Mr.. Wallis, of course. z"
"Ohp
81 disliked him extremely when
met him at first. "
Because of that notice?"
"That was the principal cause.
Musical critics. said the younger
lady casually, "have hard task to per-
form.
"And some of them hardly perform
it. But I'm quite sure now, dear, that
Mr.. Wallis did not mean to be unfair. +"
Miss Ladford went on argUmentatively,
as though trying to persuade her youn-
ger sister to abandon an indefensible po-
sition in the debate. so much depends,
Alice, on the point of view in these
matters. Mark Wallis being SO strong
a Mozart worshiper, you see. he natu-
rally enough
SIS Mr. Wallis going by our train in
the morning?"
II hope SO, . said Miss Ladford.
"You have changed your opinion,
dear, about him? I'm SO glad" Alice
Ladford kissed her elder sister affec-
tionately
"a woman who doesn't change her
opinion" said Miss Ladford dogmatio-
ally, sis as tiresome as one who never
changes her hats. don't know which is
worse"
, 1t seemed that everybody in the little
hotel awoke early the following morn
ing. At $50 the round checked maid
came up with coffee and rolls, and these
J they had near to the open window that
, looked on the square in front of the sta.
ton. Miss Ladford, in admirable spirits
and enjoying now the whole adventure,
saw Mr.. Mark Wallis below and re-
8 marked to her young sister that she sup
4 posed she had better 60 down in ordel
8 to make sure about the Luxembourg
] train. Alice Ladford cordially seconded
1 this resolution and said that she for hel
part would rather stay up stairs anC
. write.
a "Train doesn't go till g." said Mari
: Wallis cheerfully. "There's nothing t.
I: see at Karthaus so thought of having
: look round.
81 am tired of sightseeing, re
marked Miss Ladford. "This will hav
all the charm of novelty. May l com
with your"
r 81 want you to- P"
Doesn't matter about hat, does il
8 Nobody knows us. -
Nobody knows us here" he agree
J. lightly. Sin town we are of course in
y portant people. At least you are. Critic
% don't count.