The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-02-12
- The ~
Wedding Dress

under the glass roof of Paddlngton. i'm
patient to start There are various rea-
sons for visiting ones great-aunt, such as
politeness, policy, necessity-or, it may
be, to give pleasure from your point of
view or to gain it from hers). But inn
patience is not as a rule one of the ac-
eompanying emotions. The explanation
Of it in Henton's case was this: He had
just returned from Blois, town of mid
die France, and srom a study of the
French language, and there had preceded
him-by the space Of three months-from
the same town and the same study one
whom he knew to be the most beautiful
lady in the world. She lived at Paignton.
Mr.. Henton's great-aunt also lived there.
"Que voulez vous p as they used to say at
Blois-Mr. Henton was impatient to visit
his great-aunt.
Three months is a long time, particu-
larly when spent in a perusal of the
French irregular verbs and the equally
irregular French minor poets. Henton
realized that as he sat in the train. 1t is
possible to forget so many things In three
months. He himself could forget nothing
except irregular verbs-either in those
three months or the three before, when
there had been boating, riding, picnics on
the Loire But would she remember
that afternoon, for instance, the vines
were particularly purple on either bank,
and there was hardly a gust or ripple
when he ran the boat on to sand bank
and they had to wait there for over an
hour in midstreamP She had been most
gracious about it, and he had considered
few places equal to a sand bank on the
Loire But after three months! The
most beautiful person in the world must
surely have so many other things-and
people-to remember! Would the train
never start?
Some one--a man--came up to the car
riage door, opened it and began to ram
in baggage-things strapped together and
parasos and box marked with care"
SIS that alp asked the man, turning
to some people behind.
Everything. But have you put my box
in carefully"
Henton sat up in his seat. 1t was the
inevitable third person. 1t was she. 1t
was her luggage. She was coming down
in the same train with him. Truly the
Great Western was the finest line in the
world.
The man was reassuring her about the
box.
at wouldn't do if your wedding dress
went wrong" he said.
Henton, who had risen to his feet ca
gerly, collapsed. Wedding dress?
II shouldn't be able to proceed with the
ceremony if it were crushed"
"Poor bridegroom" said one Of the
others.
'Tts in the rack" chartered the man.
b,,. nj in
Train doesn't go for ten minutes yet.
Let's walk up and down. | suppose after
tomorrow we shan't see you till the hon
eymoon's over?"
The party turned away from the car
rage door and went down the platform
Henton was left to his contemplation, the
hateful box before his eyes So-she was
to be married tomorrow, and he was
TO travel down with her and her we'd
ding dress. This was to put faith in
woman 1t might have been expected,
of course, if he had not been fool. 1t
would have been polite to let him know
she was engaged; that could easily have
been done. At least two things were GER
tain: OF all rivers in the world the Loire
was the most deceptive; of all railway
lines the Great Western was the most
diabolical. What is the good Of vines be-
ing purple or of running boats on to
sand banks?
An old gentleman got into the carriage,
took a corner by the door and threw
pocket handkerchief over his head, as II
contemplating sleep. His entry gave Hen
ton the idea of escaping while there was
yet time before he had been seen. AS he
stumbled to the door the insuferable man
I Al I..1.-~ - ,Nrf
the handle.
Jump in. Maisie," he said. TRAINS
Just off,"
Henton returned to the far end of the
carriage. Maisie had got in and was bid
ding goodby through the window.
"Goodby" they chorused.
Don't forget to give me tender
glance as you go down the aisle tomor-
row." added the insufferable man.
81 shall be too nervous" she said.
She took her seat as the train began to
move, and in so doing became aware Of
Mr.. Henton for the first time. A faint
blush came to her cheeks.
"Mr. Hentonw she said, holding out
her hand This is a pleasure and sur
prise"
ga great surprise, he answered icily
''and-pleasure."
She looked a little perplexed at his cool
ness.
"Are you going so far as Paignton"
she asked.
"Farther," he said. Considerably
farther"
He had decided to go to the extreme
limits of the world, where whirlpools are
and volcanoes and other desperate things.
She looked at him in wonder, resenting
his tone, but made another effort.
at seems a long time since we were at
Blois."
"Only three months, but | agree with
you that one can forget good deal In
three months"
AS a matter of fact he was agreeing
with himself.
"Not the sand banks on the LoireT' she
said mischievously.
.Sand banks? Oh, yes--on the Loire
Of course"
"And the vines" she went en-, "how
beautiful they were-particularly that day
we-but I'm afraid I'm boring you with
"reminiscences
"a very pleasant day." said Henton
frigidly. 'But l did not think at that
time that l was to have the-pleasure-
Of congratulating you on your-your wed
ding dress"
"Oh.,' she said, and a glimmer Of
amusement danced in her eyes, thank
| you! IL had only known you were to
be in England-but you won't even be
near-otherwise should have given you
an informal invitation to come and see
the ceremony"
al regret that shall not be in the
neighborhood."
sThen of course it's impossible"
| Her tone was as cold as his now, and
she also sat back in her corner. The train
rolled on, and the old gentleman dozed at
intervals. Finally, as the train began to
/ indicate a halt, he awoke and inquired II
they were approaching bis destination.
81 think so,' she said, looking out.
'Then perhaps some one will oblige
me by handing out my parcels as l get
| down" said the old gentleman, looking
toward Henton.
| He might as well have addressed the
cushions. Henton was planning scheme
for exploring Patagonia, provided that
rattlesnakes abounded there.
| "Politenessl" snapped the old gentle
/ man.
s'May / help youg' She handed him
out his bag and his parcels and his air
cushion.
THANK you, ma'am; thank you. But
in my day it was the young men who as
sisted the old"-
The sound of his swapping aroused
Henton, and he sprang up confusedly.
s'Can / be of any assistanceT he in-
quired.
mo, sir; you cannot. sirl There is a
time for assistance, sir, and that time Is
when assistance is required, not when It
is entirely useless"
But the train was already moving
/ m. ...a.o alnna in the carriaga now.