The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-06-26
Observation-Disclosures:
|: HER MEMORY;
( TT WHISPERED q
FOR YEARS. e

From where he sat Professor Helfen
could see beautiful, ever undulating
stretches of green meadows, dotted
with the darker green Of the trees, and
in the far distance the everlasting
hills, majestically grand in the soft
purple beauty of their vast rolling out
line
"Come back to Erin, mavourneen,
mavourneenp JoyousIy sweet and
clear, nearer and nearer, came the
voice The professor sat motionIess,
listening with bated breath, lest he lose
syllable of that sweet old song, sung
in that sweet young voice. AS the
voice ceased he looked out. Coming
toward the house, balancing In either
hand foaming pail of milk, was
young girl. Even ere the song was
finished a harsh, tired voice called
sharply: "Come, Beth; don't yell SO.
You'll wake baby, and I've been an
hour getting her to sleep. Hurry and
set the table,"
The professor grunted scornfully
"H'ml Yelling, is it? The voice of an
angel! Music; l escape it not even
here. I'll wait and listen"
The world was two months older.
Into the best parlor shone the after
noon sunshine, playing gleefully on
walls that seemed to shrink from the
unaccustomed glare. In one of the
prim straight backed chairs. at the
front windows, sat Professor Helfen,
while opposite at the other window sat
a weary, sad faced woman, tearing idly
! at the red wooden curtain tassel that
had never before been treated SO
roughly.
My good woman, think! She has a
fortune in her voice. She has a voice
In thousands gem. But it is in the
rough. 1t needs polishing, years of it,
and it must be polished gently. Then
1t will shine-oh, dochl"
Over In the corner slim, dark eyed
girl hung on these words. Oh, to see
this world, to have the dreams she had
dreamed come trueI She found herself
listening again.
"Yes, yes, she can go, but bring her
back, bring her back. I've seven, but
4 CdA bRdlC ACA AOACTCAs AACA 0OA11C-
how Beth found herself In her moth
er's arms, who for once In her life Of
habitual self control had given way.
And so the ultimatum went forth. Beth
was to go.
Out in the garden twilight was fall
ing. The beautiful tender sky colors
were slowly fading into the dusk of
night. The very air, full Of the scent
Of the hay, was a caress. The very
peace Of it seemed mockery to Paul
as he stood before her. How could ev-
erything be SO serenely beautiful while
he was tasting the bitterness Of life7
He could not put 1t into any fine
phrases, this desolateness of his. He
felt only that If this love should be
taken out of his life the whole worth Of
his life was gone.
"You say you'll remember, Beth, but
you won't-you won't. 1 know it as If
years had already passed"
Only a boy in years, yet a mans
pain had aged the stern young face.
The pain In his voice touched the girl
looking up at him.
"I'n work hard, Beth. By fall I'm
going to the city with Lawyer Boote.
| heard the professor tell you you
couldn't love; art, had no room for
love. Beth, don't let him teach you to
forget me. When he gives you such
lessons as that, let what say now so
fill your mind that there will be room
for nothing else. I love you, Beth.
and some day you will be my wife.
Perhaps If you hadn't been going
away l should never have had the
courage to tell you, at least for years.
But I'm glad you know"
Listen, Paul l shall never forget.
You know my nature too well to be-
Iieve your own words. Forget you,
with whom l have grown up, who
have been the best part Of my hfeP
All, Paul, you know better. This is
the hardest part of 1t Paul-to leave
you. 1t seems but dream yet that
l am really going-going to see the
world that has seemed to exist only in
books. But the years will soon pass,
Paul We are both young, and no les
son he may try to teach me can blot
out the teaching Of 10 years Of life
and with such teacher. You believe
me, PaulT
And Paul, looking in the soft depth
of her souls eyes, was content.
The two weeks of the opera had be-
gun. A long line of carriages was
drawn up before c. hall, waiting to
deposit their burdens stately brough-
ans smacking Of solid responsibility,
smart landaus with gayly caparisoned
horses; while along the streets leading
to the hall groups of fortunes less ia
vored subjects moved quickly, meeting
at last in front of the hall, where they
Joined the large, well groomed crowd
pushing slowly up the steps to sit In
Judgment and perhaps ultimately to
pay tribute to the new prima donna,
Mile. Armstrong, daughter of their
own land.
In the dressing room before mirror
stood girl, still in the flush Of youth,
looking with unseeing eyes at the pale,
proud face framed in masses Of heavy
black hair, In which diamonds cleaned
like tears of fire.
81 suppose they'll all be there in the
very front, row of awestruck faces"
She smiled as she thought Of the six
staring faces that had gazed strangely
at her on her return home. would
have been like them, wonder, with no
taste of the glorious dishes with which
the world tickles ones palate? Would
1, too, have been content with their
and my lot? Perhaps. Poor motherl
She hardly dared touch me till took
her bodily in my arms How Mortified
she was when told her l had been
ON the stageI How she stammered
when she asked me If wore that sort
Of tight trousers that looked as If they
growed onr
She laughed heartily second.
".And then l went to the old orchard,
Paul. 1t was just such night as that
one-the night you told me not to for
get. I'm afraid the forgetfulness is
yours, after all, Paul Foolish, I'M
worthy of answering though they may
have been, those letters came right
from nv heart. Pshaw! That laugh
ter made my eyes dim for moment.
But you tired of them after year.
I'm afraid the professor was disap-
pointed in me for awhile. But had
my art, and art leaves no room Tor
love. That's the lesson you told me
not to learn. Yet for seven long years,
day after day, it has been part Of my
daily food. Yet IS years is almost
thrice seven, Paul, and habit is strong,
I wonder where you are"
In breathless darkened silence the
vast audience waited for the opening