The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-05-30
NOT A BAD DEAL.
BY RUDYARD KIPLING.

another that it was informed by the
true spirit Of Hellas, a third that it had
a Whit of Hymettus, a fourth that it
was hardly suitable for family reading,
and on the strength of all this lauda-
ton ITO Lalage'' was a success, and
several copies were bona fde sold to
] complete strangers. Imagine, then, the
bitterness of heart with which Adrian
Politics, the gifted author, saw himself
compelled to maintain strict anonymity
and to conceal from the world thirsting
to know him that he was the ga. P"
whose initials appeared in old English
letters on the title page.
Yet he did not hesitate, for he knew
that if his uncle, Mr.. Thomas Pottles of
Chaplain Common, discovered that he
wrote not only verses-which vas bad
but amatory verses-which was afro
cious-his means of present livelihood
and prospects of future afauence would
vanish into thin air. For Mr.. Politics
was a nan of strict views, and, wheth-
er one regarded this world or the next,
there could be no question that a bank
clerk of evangelical connections COM
mitted a grave fault in writing love
poems.
So poor Adrian had to make up his
mind to remain unknown and to hold
his tongue even when he heard that an
other man had been claiming the au-
thorship of ITO Lalage." Luckily, per-
haps, he failed to find out who this mis-
creant was, or probably his indignation
would have overcome his prudence and
he would at any cost have claimed his
own.
The secret was well kept, and Adrian
received the usual check at Christmas
time, and with it the usual invitation
to spend the festive eason with his un-
Gle and to bring with him his young
friend Peter Allison, to whom old Mr..
Pottles had taken a great fancy. Peter
was a man Of many engagements, but
sought after as he was and proclaimed
himself to he he remembered the good
cheer at Mr.. Politics. and accepted the
invitation. They went down together,
Adrian bewailing his hard fortune and
denouncing the imposter, Peter warmly
sympathizing, but counseling continued
silence and prudence.
"Ah, if / could only claim iti" cried
Adrian, opening his Gladstone bag and
gazing fondly at half a dozen neat,
clean copies of ''To Lalage.' 81 should
be the lion of the season, Peter.
Peter smiled and shook his head. ga
fortune is better than fame, Adrian, ="
said he.
For a day or two all went well at
Chaplain. The old gentleman was in
the best of tempers, and the two young
men did their best to keep him in it,
indorsing all his views as to the lax
morality and ~disgraceful tone which
pervaded modern literature and modern
society, and when they had done their
duty In this way they rewarded them
selves by going in next door and having
tea with Dora Chatterton, a young lady
whom they both thought charming. In
deed Adrian thought her so charming
that, after a short acquaintance, he
sent her a copy of sTo Lalage"-with
the authors kind regards. Now, Miss
Dora Chatterton adored genius. She
had thought both Adrian and Peter
very pleasant young men; she had per-
ceived that they both thought her a
very pleasant young woman, and she
had been rather puzzled to know which
Of them she would, in a certain event,
make up her mind to prefer. ITO La
lage'' settled the question. It was the
gifted author A. P. who deserved her
love, and A. P. obviously stood, not for
Peter Allison, but for Adrian Politics.
The very next morning she called
early at Mr.. Politics.. She found him
alone. The boys, he explained, had gone
for a walk. Dora was disappointed, but
failing the author himself she was con
tent to pour her praises into the ears Of
an appreciative and proud uncle. She
did SO, expressing immense admiration
for Abrams modesty in not having told
Mr.. Politics of his achievement.
"Humphl" said Mr.. Politics. "Let
me see these-er-things."
The effect Of "To Lalage'' on MI.
Politics was surprising and particularly
so to Dora. In less than ten minutes she
found herself being shown the door and
intrusted with a letter to her brother
in which Mr. Pottles stated that she
had been reading wicked books and
ought, in his opinion, to be sent to her
own room for an indefinite period.
"And / shall know if you don't give
it her, said Mr. Politics, viciously.
Thus it happened that Adrian and
Peter, as they were returning, met poor
Dora on the steps with this horrid note
in one hand and her pocket handker-
chief in the other-for Mrs. Chatterton
shared Mr.. Politics. views, and Dora did
not enjoy having to deliver the note.
They were just fastening up to speak
to her when Mr.. Pottles himself appear
ed on the steps holding out ''To Lalage"
in his hand. Adrian grasped the situa-
ton.
"For heavens sake, Peter, he whis-
pered, "say you wrote the beastly thingl
I'm ruined if you don't.
"Eh? But he'll kick me out"
'sI'll stand a pony
1.-TWO" said Peter, firmly.
"Well, two, but be quick"
Then Peter spoke up like a man and
accepted the blame of ''To Lalage."
"But your initials aren't A. P.," OBJ
jected Mr.. Politics.
"To avoid suspicion I reversed the
order. Mine are P. A"
"James, = said Mr.. Politics to the foot
man, ''pack Mr.. Allison's bag"
But Dora gave Peter the kindest and
most admiring glance as she murmured
softly to Adrian, They're lovelyl Oh,
don't you wish you could write verses,
Mr.. Pottles7
Adrian started. He had not bargain
ed for this. but Peter had overheard and
interposed
81 am more than eonsoled by your
approval, Miss Chatterton. Mr.. Politics
rallied to Adrian, and he had to go in,
leaving Dora and Peter in close CONVEX
~sation, and to assure his uncle solemnly
that he had been entirely disappointed
and deceived in Peter, and. worse still,
in Dora, and that he never wished to
see either of them again. Mr.. Politics
shook him by the hand and forgave him.
Adrian passed a wretched week. In
several newspapers he saw it openly
stated that Peter now admitted he was
the author of ITO Lalage." Peter
wrote that the $50 were most convent
emit and that he had had a most charm
ing letter from Dora, and that all the
literary world was paying him most
fattering attentions. Adrian ground