The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-12-12
ftte's pnssihtIittes
BIZ EDGAR TEMPLE FIELD.

Uniformed attendants few here and
there in breathless haste, walters and
"omnibuses" lowered distractedly
about the flower bedecked tables in
the grand dining saloon and the palm
garden, and through the rich corridors
flowed a ceaseless stream of elegant
women in trailing silken gowns and
prosperous looking men in Tuxedos or
swallowtail coats cut to reveal daz-
zling segments of shirt front ana
The riot Of luxury, feasting and en-
joyment was at its height when two
men met in the office-two men Of 40
or thereabout, with that indefnable
air of self conscious power that marks
the successful business man. e-setz r-.
'By the gods, if it isn't Ned Frink."'
exclaimed the taller of the two, stop
ping suddenly with outstretched hand.
'"Teller" cried the other, joyfully
selling the proffered hand "T'm glad
to see you, old manp' io
In another moment the two, seated
in couple Of the big, thronelike leath-
ern chairs which the Aston millions
have provided for the purpose of at
once comforting and impressing the
hotel patrons, were giving an account
of themselves In true American fash
ion. ~ o
They had not seen each other since
Is years before they had separated
after four years Of intimate compan-
ionship at fresh water college to 60
out and seek their fortunes after the
impetuous fashion of western youth.
you have prospered, hear" said
Frink, "and have become an out and
out New Yorker in fact and senti-
ment." 81
"Oh, I've had my ups and downs"
replied Teller with a little laugh, "but
I'm on top nowl AS for being a con-
firmed New Yorker, well, Mrs. Teller,
like most eastern women. doesn't care
for the west We've never even done
the conventional trip to California.
She prefers crossing the pond when
we travel" ~ ii
In the last words was all the COM
placency of the man who had had
hard fight Of it and won, but Frink
easily forgave the little touch of vani-
ty. He had been through it all him
self 7a Raaioi n3
''Then there's a Mrs. TellerY' he
said, smiling.
ooh, yes, and Jack Teller the sec
ond~ replied the other. ''You must
see that boy, Ned"
Il want to-" said Frink, but some
thing wistful in his voice struck his
friend.
"And youY' he asked quickly. Sure
ly you've not remained single, my
boyY'
I've never married" was the brief
reply.
why, you're the very fellow to have
a romance, l should think" went on
Teller. you used to be sentimental
chap at college, always writing verses
and all that
Frink laughed.
Eyes, had my romance" he said.
well, I'm sorry it doesn't seem to
have had happy ending" said Teller
sincerely. "a wife is a great help to
a man. I'd like to tell you before you
meet her." he went on, bending for
ward earnestly, what mine has done
for me. She's made man of me and
proved that l was worth the Job. She's
been more than a wife to me. She's
been my good, honest, loyal chum.
There are not many men who can say
that of their wives" urF
mo, l fancy not" assented Frink,
smiling. i0oi 4isD{ 81,
tits wonderful the understanding
she had Of the way man feels, an
inexperienced girl like her." proceed
ed the other. You see she was
stenographer in our Office when l first
met her, and fell in love with her at
first sight almost. I'd made little
pile, and when we were married
thought things were coming pretty
much my way. But hard times set
tied in, and 1 lost everything. For a
long time it was hard work to get
bread and butter, but that girl stood
by me through thick and thin. When
| was sick for year with rheuma-
tism, she went back to office work and l
kept me and the boy with what she
earned with never a word Of COM 1
plant or regret through it all. l tell
you, old boy, she's got the stuff In her
that heroes are made of. Goodness
knows where she got it, that courage
of hers. l never asked her about her
family, and she's not one to talk much,
but l fancy they were ordinary
enough. I believe she came from
some little town In New York state,
and know she never had anything
much in her life But now the strug-
gle is over, and l can give her about
what she wants, thank God. | tell
you. Ned, it's pity you let one disap-
pointment spoil your life There's
nothing 80 sweetens existence as the
companionship of good woman" 4
"And nothing poisons it like a bad
one" said Frink bitterly, 91
But surely the good ones outnum-
Der the bad. Forgive me, Ned. but
isn't it rather narrow to let one wo-
man prejudice you against the whole
sex? OF course l don't know your
story
tits not pleasant" said thef other
man, knocking the ashes from his
cigar with nervous fingers. 1T all
happened the year l left college.
met a girl in Denver. She was beau
tiful and clever, and you're rightiabout
my being sentimental, Teller. 1 fan
cied because her eyes were pure kand
bright as the stars in heaven thatishe
must be an angel She was poor Atoo.
Her father was a drunken, goods for
nothing fellow, and she was veryJ I'M
happy, and l pitied her. All. was
very far gone indeed. We were going
to be married when l had made mon
ey enough, and meantime Il was happy
as-well, as happy as fool
"And then one day as we were walk
ing down the street together we met
a man, low fellow, with,a dyed mus
tache. knew him. He was a shoe
string gambler who came down some
times from the mining camps and as
vile cur as ever breathed. To my
amazement he stopped and spoke to
me. What are you doing with my
wifeY he asked angriIy. supposed
he'd been drinking and was about TO
brush him aside when l happened to
look at her. and what saw told me
all. She was. covering before that
beast, with every vestige%of color gone
from her face and her eyes fastened
on his with such lookEthatin fash
I knew that her fear of him was no
new thing with her. 10"
"'Great God, Lucy II cried, tell me
this isn't trueY Butt she only gave a
little moan, and SO Titurned away and
left them there. II never saw her
again %