The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-05-15
LIBERTY OR WHAT?
A Story Of Love and War.

Already the sun had begun to tint the
western sky with soft crimson glow.
The windows in the weather beaten
barracks caught and held the rosy light
as though loath to let the brightness
90. and even the little matched cottage
under the hill was bathed in the glory
Within the little cottage under the
hill preparations for the evening meal
were being made. Back and forth
across the room a tall, straight figure
moved, full of that supple grace of the
southern woman.
"Zoritsa, have you heard what de-
cision has been nader"
mo, mother" answered the girl
captain Newcombe told me today
that they were all on the tiptoe Of ex-
pectation, but determined to fight it
out and win, no matter what happens"
'eThe captain is very gallant. II all
the men were as brave as he, there
would be no doubt about an American
victory"
81 am afraid your criticism is unjust,
mother. You are letting ten come I'M
der the ban Of your displeasure be-
cause you chance to know the merits
of one. Captain Newcombe thinks all
his men brave"
"Well we need not complain Of Lieu
tenant Hopes courage, for he certainly
displayed perseverance, at least, before
he won you, after many rebuffs."
"Oh, yes, Lieutenant Hope Is exceed
ingly brave, if you call persistence In a
love affair bravery l wonder if In
war a besieged army is ever worried
into being captured. Really. / feel like
a prisoner of war since
flush, Zoritsa," came softly from
the corner. "You are hasty. 1t is no
less than treachery to-
'"Treacheryw interrupted the girl i'm
petuously. 81 think your definition and
mine differ. But forgive me, deal"
suddenly softening and laying her
flushed cheek against her mothers soft
hair. 81 am tired tonight. And, moth
er, do not ask me why. have crayed
my liberty as no one ever did before,
and tonight I'm free, mother, free! Do
you understand what that means to
me, dear? l have broken my engage
ment with Lieutenant Hope"
'Tt may be at the risk of your happi-
ness, dear"
81 have gladly taken that risk and re-
joice in my liberty. All, mother, hber-
tyl wonder not that mems lives are
lost for liberty"
The widow Juaniquez and her daugh-
ter were in the little cottage making
bandages and otherwise busying them
selves with work for the army.
''It is strange, mother, that Captain
Newcombe did not come in as usual
this evening"
eyes. He said yesterday he would
come up as soon as his duties were
performed. l do not understand his
absence"
Zoritsa glanced quickly at the still
girlish figure bending over her Work
Was that flush softly creeping ovei
the fair, youthful face? She caught
her breath. Did her mother care? She
had not thought of that. But, then
why not? Was not the ''senorita' the
belle of the village? And yet the
thought had never come to her that II
was still possible for a man like the
captain to win her mothers love. Why
even the idea was absurd. Did sht
really care for Captain Newcombe
Surely his interest at least was nc
more than friendship. When he hears
that she is not bound to Lieutenant
Hope, will he not show her it is she
whom he loves?
Great excitement seemed to prevail
In the village next morning. At every
other door groups of people were stand
ing, the men angrily gesticulating. the
women crying. In front of the cot
tage were two or three villagers talk
ing to "Irish." as he was familiarll
known in camp.
"Yis," he was saying. thin spinal
poems I'D there" jerking his thumb
toward the barracks. "were too bus1
enjoyin ay thimsilves to be bothered
wild the thrublcs av handful av poo
divils. But yen niver be afther catch
| in Captain Newcombe a-nappin, ant
ez soon ez he heard the fuss he Offered
himsilf and his men to go and hell
| thin.
"Yis, we wint, but how many he
J come back ag'in? The dirty sphalpeen
made a ragged edge of our company
the finest yell see anywheres-and tn
captain himsilf has been killed entoir
ly. All, twas sorry day that brough
/ Paddy Malone to this God forsakel
counthry!'
The two women within, SO dear t
each other and yet each seeming t
stand in the way of each others happi
! ness. strained their ears to listen. AL
most unconscious of the others pres
ence, they both ran out at the mans
words and stood there with drawn
faces, deathlike in their awful pallor
| while he repeated the news that made
desolate many happy Preside ant
yelled with tears the light in loving
eyes.
The Widows 1.-THE form swayed ant
trembled, and she would have falleI
had not Zoritsa suddenly seemed t.
realize that her mother was there
With quick catching of the breatl
and dry, choking sob In her throat
she reached out her arm and caugh
her.
Each read with anguish the truth Il
the others eyes, and in each heart wa
momentary struggle for the victory
The painful quietness of despair seem
ed to envelop the young girl, and, wit
eyes heavy with unshed tears, she hal
blindly led her mother into the house
This, then, was why Zoritsa ha
claimed her freedom. oh, why ha
she not told Zoritsa before that tn
captain had already confessed bis loy