The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-01-29
1900
A MIND WAVE.

stand that suddenly blossomed into a
mass of waving blue silk when the first
man appeared, his uncovered head glis-
tening like gold in the sunlight. 1t was
Halstead, the captain, hero of the foot
ball field-more than that now, for he
had been one Of the first men of his uni
versity to enlist under his country's flag
in the war that in one short year had be-
come little more than a memory.
All the horrors of the camp, the siege
of illness through which he had passed,
had become part Of the past. He was
only conscious that he was back on his
native heath again, and the cheers in his
honor that rose from the stand were
echoed upon the lips Of his companions
and brought the color to his face.
He was conscious somehow of voice
invisible, voice that he had thought
forgotten, which seemed to call to him
across the field, making him think again
Of her, and 1t annoyed him. When a
man has been doing his best to forget a
girl for more than year and thinks he
has succeeded, it is ridiculous to have
her memory crop up like a ghost at the
biggest game of the year, when great
things are expected Of you.
He plunged into the queer tumbling
antics preceding the game, hoping that
the feeting memory of her would drift
away, and he spoke to the men next mm
about new signal that had been agreed
upon only the day before. Then another
roar went up from the stand, this time
in welcome to the players of the opposing
team, who came stamping on the field
like so many giants in black and orange.
Then the game began. Through it all
Halstead played so brilliantly that the
wonderful victory OF the day was credit
ed to his prowess and placed his name
among the bright ones in football history
But he was only vaguely conscious that
he was on the scene, just as a soldier IN
battle often fights like hero with only
a dim appreciation Of what is gong on
around him. When Halstead read OF ms
teams victory next day. it seemed to him
like something in which ne had taken no
part. He played like man IN trance.
receiving the severest punishment with
out realizing that he was hurt. Now and
then be felt mis- companions throw tnelr
arms around MIN ana mug nlil III Tue WIN
enthusiasm with whicn cohege boys re-
ward each other for good play, oul
AA~AASSSSA ''~~-H N--- N~-S-- o. o.
thinking of the girl he had met over
year ago.
1t was at dance given long before the
war had become posslDillty Halsteau
had thought the girl one of the incest ne
had ever met She had brilliant soil
taire dimple that fascinated him when
she smiled. He had danced with her
three times and had carried ner OH ID trl-
nh tho Ofhor follows fQ Mrs
Venable's little palm room, which had
been the background FOR many nlrta
ton. And there he had discovered that
the prettiest girl ne mad met during the
term was higher educated young per
son, with views. despite the uilip!e
and crown of fluffy, childish brown mar
caught up with frivolous piue fipoon.
She was taking course in metaphys-
les, and when he said something ABOUT
calling next day she horrif1ed MN py Tell
ing him that she was going to read pa
per before one of the classes the FOLLOW
ing morning The subject was SuDeon-
scious Mind Forces. she asked MIN II
he didn't think brain currents very inter
esting.
Conversation was impossible with
girl like that, SO they danced again, ana
then Halstead evacuated IN ravor OF one
of the others who had been clamoring
for her as partner de thought WIN
grim satisfaction that girl VINO TAXED
metaphysics IN conservatory was 10.
likely to make great NIT with any OF
them, but he kept his eye on her during
the evening and noticed that she ate ices
and sandwiches just like the otner girls.
Later he saw little Thorpe helping ner
with her wrap. and he hated MIN.
Next morning he found himself going
across the campus to the hall. and ne
met Thorpe wearing a faded rose Oh MS
coat and an air of Importance thar SAT
somewhat humorously upon his four foot
two.
The girl with the dimple read lengthy
paper that was mingling OF mystical
ideas set forth in fascinatingly poetic
style, which carried her hearers with
her, although mucn she nao written was
preposterous. mere were esiuenVes ma
she had SKINNED sucn emo o. tne century
sciences as tneosopny anu o'nei Sui's
treating OF the mysterious iofees y .ne
mind. Inc ldea OF SOUS colniiiuhiVati
with each other through ume ana space
was the theme OF ner paper ano lnls
she had dressed up IN Corehlesque n'gnts
OF words that seemed 10 enenan' uei
hearers. Sne related instances OF PERSONS
being drawn across seas ana continents
IN oDedlence 10 the summons VI sonie
mastering nina.
Halstead felt II pity tnat sucn nice
girl should De nounderlng among un
known mysteries Oh lnis sori; NJ IN
aglned her IN re" years WIN siasses
and uncurled halr lectniing classes. NeAl
day ne called on the VenaDies WIN Tue
idea OF putting 1ortn one more enort 70
reform ner' Dur MRS Venanie saiu ,ne
girl mad been calleo suddenly 10 Dill
more through the deatn OF an uncie- one
was now one OF the ricnest young Wo
men 10 the country Ana tnen 10 Hai
stead she became memory
One day he picked up New forK pa
per, and the eyes OF the girl iooKeo Out
from one OF the pages lser picture was
wreathed in flags in connection with
story about the war just declared against
Spain. The girl had joined the Red
Cross forces as a nurse and was to start
for the south Immediately. She had
given literally from her fortune to equip
an expedition and was leaving her home
and friends to stand beneath the flag.
Halstead had been stirred to the wild
est form of enthusiasm from the very out
break of the Cuban trouble. Now he
seemed to decide. He organized a COM
pany of his mates at the university, and
they marched on board transport few
weeks later, bound south His mind was
suddenly filled with thoughts Of her.
Their common patriotism seemed to have
united them. He prayed that chance
would send him to whatever part of the
earth she might be in, so that he could
make known his chivalrous devotion to