The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-08-13
Copyright, 1901, BY George Lincoln.

GOO oCCo OCCo oGCo oCoO oC0O OCC
Miss Maud Beecher was Chicago girl
She went to Boston on a visit to hel
cousin, Miss Teresa Holland, girl with
fad, and that fad was old historic
houses, of which Miss Teresa had made
large number of photographs. If Miss
Beecher had fad, it was the adornment
of her own stylish person, especially with
jewels, of which she had rare collection
The two cousins did not find them
selves very congenial, and Maud soon
tired of wheeling through the historic
parts of Massachusetts in search Of the
most tumble down houses there. She got
on better with Tom Holland and often
other fellows" Tom was II, and he
found bis cousin very amusing.
At last Tom and the other fellows
went to the Maine woods for hunting
trip, Mrs. Holland and the younger chill
dren left for their seaside home, and
Maud and Teresa were left alone in the
great city house.
Teresa was surprised one day when
Maud appeared with her travelling bag in
her hand. She wore a covert cloth skirt
and a silk shirt waist. She had fastened
costly diamond pin in her hair and an
other in her breast to hold in her watch
with its jeweled pendant. On her fingers
were many rare gems.
''Well," exclaimed Teresa, "where
now?"
ITO the Maine woods to see Tom"
Maud replied gayly. Teresa dropped her
pen in dismay.
"Going to see Tom," she CALCULATED,
land wearing all those jewels! Really,
Maud, l shall have to telegraph mamma
if you insist on this wild prank. Come;
will give up this article and go with you
to the beach If you wish. thought you
were quite contented."
mo, Teresa, viii not let you sacrifice
your precious article. / am quite deter
mined to go fishing with the boys. Don't
be a goose, Teresa; let me go. Mrs. Bur
ridge is up there cooking for the boys.
shall be chaperoned all right. It's no
worse than wheeling with them all over
Massachusetts"
Teresa gave it up and went back to her
article after remarking that at least
Maud ought to have sense enough to take
off her jewelry If she didn't want to get
robbed.
Maud protested that it was safer on
her person than anywhere else and that
she had a channels bag around her neck
with all her stones in it. Then she start
ed off down the street, and Teresa soon
forgot all about her, remaining absorbed
in her work till the dinner bell rang.
Then she remembered with a pang that
her cousin had done very uncircumspect
thing and felt bound to write Mrs. Hol-
land about it.
Maud enjoyed her journey immensely
and was not at all alarmed to find she
must spend the night in Portland and
leave at an unreasonable hour in the
morning. She accomplished all her ar
rangements without difficulty and was
treated with respectful courtesy by all
the railroad and hotel officials.
As the train bowled along northward
in the early morning she was congratulate
ing herself and thinking with scorn of
timid young maidens who never Travelled
alone when she became conscious of Il
pair of eyes riveted on her face. Wheel
ing in her chair, she encountered them.
They were gray, unpleasant eyes, and
they did not drop before hers, but their
owner smiled boldly.
She turned quickly away and buried
herself in newspaper. The eyes still
followed her, and she ventured to turn
toward them again and pretended to fall
asleep, thus gaining an opportunity to
study the offender through half shut eyes.
He was a well dressed man, though
Maud's mental comment was that he
was "cheap."
"Probably wants to firt," she thought
angrily. "Well, I'm not that kind" and
she inyoluntarily tossed her head. Again
the man smiled.
Just then an older man with smooth,
hard face joined him and both began to
talk earnestly, frequently glancing across
at Maud as though she were the subject
of their talk At last she could endure it
no longer and beckoned to the conductor.
'HThose men," pointing directly at them,
"are annoying me very much by their
holiness"
81 am very sorry" returned the polite
conductor. 81 will see that it does not
happen again." And he moved toward
the young man.
The elder man rose as the conductor
crossed the car and engaged him In
conversation which Maud could not hear,
but the conductor glanced back at her
several times and she knew there was
some mystery. She would have shrieked
aloud could she have heard what the cool
stranger was saying.
The young lady is my niece he said,
"and this young mans sister. She has
been insane for some months, though
quite harmless and quiet. At last her
mind became so deranged that we decided
- Aof~ Aox % tot iiffIo in the
woods. Her mother Is there already
waiting for her. She likes to fancy her
self travelling alone, so we humored her
by getting seats over here and letting her
nav for her seat. 1t is one of her fancies
to pretend not to know us. Her brother
has smiled at her several times, hoping
to get some sign of recognition. Poor fell
low! He is very fond Of her. suppose
we ought to have told you when we got
on, but we hoped she would take the
journey quietly assure you we will get
off if she is troublesome" and he sighed
deeply
"Sad caser murmured the conductor
and moved away.
DR.. Herman Aldrich was in the smoker
at the time of the above interview, but
when the conductor came through he
stopped socially and told him Of the case.
DR.. Aldrich was a warm friend OF the
Hollands, but had never met Teresa's
cousin Maud. Had he dreamed who she
was his interest would have been more
than professional AS it was he hurried
his cigar and went back to his seat, which
was next Maud;s. He looked at the girls
regular profile, and at last she turned her
clear eyes full upon him.
In some way, known best by the man
who professed to be her uncle, nearly all
the people In the car had become &C
quainted with the story Of the insane
lady, and wherever she turned she met
curious or plying glances. She grew
more and more nervous, and at last her
composure gave way. Rising, she was
about to pass down the car to seat
where she could be free from these an
noyances and think what was best to be
done.
She had taken only a step or two when
the elder man was by her side. He laid
his hand firmly on her arm.
Matte" he said, you had better sit
right down.
"Will nobody help mel" she cried
and, looking about, saw every one gazing
pityingly at her, but not one started to
her assistance. One woman tainted, an
other had Mysteries, and the little con
ductor hustled up officiously and said
quite loud enough for Maud to hear: "She
seems to be getting violent. We are near
Green Pond station, and think you will
have to get off here"
'What!" she cried. "Do you think am
crazy? Oh, my GodP' And, sinking into
her chair, she buried her face In her
/ hands.
AS the train slowed up the two men
took her by the arm and commenced to
drag her down the aisle. She fought
them inch by inch, but they were strong
men and she slight girl Of 20. so they
had her at the door when the train stop
ped. Suddenly her face frightened,