The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-08-06
THE RIVALS

pastor in a Norwegian settlement out
west, but at the time Of our story a prac-
ticing physician in that part of our town
where his fellow countrymen formed the
bulk of the population. He was not ex-
actly good looking, but he had an inter-
esting, intellectual face and was a good
talker, or, rather, he talked very little,
and when he did say something it was
always to the point and made an impress
sion, as if what he left unsaid was of still
greater importance and more interesting,
as though his mind was filed with all
sorts of clever things, which he was for
ever taking pains to suppress. The
young doctor was the lion of the colony.
Two girls seemed to have far better
chances than the others. These were
Olga Danger, the daughter of a prosper
GUS merchant, and Clara Waldsen, whose
father was the leading druggist in the
Norwegian quarter. Both were decidedly
pretty, although each in her own way.
Olga was rather solidly built, with large,
round, dreamy blue eyes, with slow move
ments. She spoke in deliberate, calm ac-
cents as If she took it for granted that,you
were intensely interested in what she was
saying and that there was, therefore, no
hurry. Clara, on the other hand, was
slender and active. She had a well shap-
ed little head, small, regular features, full
OF intelligence and something which my
friend described as "a sort of melancholy
Impotence"
They were the two best educated girls
In the colony, and for the last two or
three years-that is, since Clara came to
join her father, who had immigrated to
this country several years before-they
had been fast friends. The doctor visited
both houses, and the three spent good
deal Of their time together
1t was not long before the gossips came
to the conclusion that he was in love.
With whom? This was rather difficult
question to answer, SO opinion was d.
vided.
"He is certainly IN love with Olga
said lady to my friend one day.
"Your reasons, MADAME
''My reasons are the way he looks at
her, talks to her, of her. Can't you see
the man is crazy for the girl?"
That very afternoon another Norwe-
gian lady said to him in a confidential
manner:
w e dIC SO4A6 " nave a NNONAh5 OA~
of these days. Have you noticed DR..
Bordman's face when Clara Is about?"
NY friend, however, had his own opin-
ion in the matter. He had been watch
ing the former parson for some time. and
he had come to the conclusion that he
was flirting with both without being seri-
ously interested in eithe. of them.
'Mind you, l don't say he did not care
o.. 10, avnloiUa6 tfpns OIL
though I did not particularly like him, as
you viii see later, yet | was fair to him
and looked on with absolutely impartial
eyes. The fact of the matter was that
the girls had turned his head, so that he
was actually incapable of doing justice to
his own feelings He was an honest,
good natured fellow, in fact, and If dis
liked him it was for his reticence, for his
solemn manner, and. above all, for that
circumstance which will be made plain to
you in the course of my story"
That both of the girls were madly in
love with the young physician nobody In
the colony doubted. At first they tried
to conceal it from each other and to keep
up show of friendship, but they gradu-
ally became irritable, nervous, lost all
control of themselves, betraying their
jealousy on every step. carping at each
other. quarreling over every triie. The
curious thing about 1t was that the more
frequent these conflicts became the more
anxious both of them seemed to make up.
In case of an open feud the doctor would
have to visit the one in the absence of the
other, and this Olga and Clara dreaded
more than anything else. AS it was, they
were constantly watching each others
house, forever on the alert, forever calcu-
Iating, rejecting. scheming. If Clara, for
instance, came to the conclusion that
Bordman would call on the Dangers on
Thursday, she was sure to be there on
the same evening. In case Of sickness in
the family she would manage to run in to
offer her sympathy and help about the
time the physician was expected.
The two girls understood each other
perfectly Their mutual hatred grew and
grew, but for long time they simply
could not afford to fight in the open.
Still, such a state of things could not go
on forever. rupture was inevitable, ana
this is the way it came about: Clara took
sick. Eer Iittle brother was sent for the
DOCTOR and as he was leaving the house
the patient said to him:
"On your way back step in to see Olga
and tell her to come at once"
The boy called for the doctor, but on
mis- way back found Olga out. so that DR..
Bordman came prescribed some medicine,
had a chat and went away. About an
hour later Olga entered the house.
"Clara, dear" she exclaimed in heart
broken voice as she rushed up to her
friends bedside.
"Oh, it's nothing. It's only a headache.
| can't stand these violent changes IN the
weather, but it will pass off.
''Of course it will. child. was so sorry
your brother didn't find me. Father had
sent me to see somebody. When l got
home and was told you were sick, 1 was
scared to DEATH"
"Oh, you needn't have been scared.
I'm not going to die" This was said
with the gayest Of smiles, yet Olga's face
cloudcd The conversation was subse-
uuently conveyed to my friend by Clara
herself. who understood human nature
almost as we'll as he did, and in explain
ing the situation she told him the whole
truth about herself. She admitted that
when she said, "I'm not dying" she
really meant to tease her friend. "You
needn't be too glad to see me sick in
bed" her words really implied. 81 am
not to be got rid of so easily" OF course
Olga understood It all, intuitively, as it
were, and try as she would to keep up
the farce, she said, in her slow, leisurely
way:
81 am not waiting for your death,
Clara, and, what is more, if l were sick
wouldn't suspect you Of any such thing,
either should let you know that was
sick sooner than you let me know"
So far the doctors name had not been
mentioned, but each of the two knew
very we'll that he was in the others mind
and that she was carefully avoiding to
utter it. Clara was the first to call
spade spade.
81 sent word to you at the same time
we sent for the doctor-for DR.. Bord-
man." she retorted. almost shouting. III
you are out when one sends for you, it's
nobody's fault, l am sure"
Don't excite yourself dear" the other
returned, calmer and more deliberate
than ever. "You ought to have known l
was out at that time of day. / always
am. Besides, what has that got to do
with DR.. Bordman? What do ! care
whether it's DIR. Bordman or any other
doctor? But, then, you are exciting your
self, dear. 1t will do you no good"
"Never mind whether 1t will or not"
Olga's eisurely tones were too much for
her nerves now. She was struggling to
control herself, but it was of no avail,
and euddnnlv roiorinp To the roots of her