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

ner ARRIVAL. cousin Helen is very par
ticular and fastidious about gentlemen.
She is a great belle-and, for that matter,
a great beauty-and the least coarseness
in a mans manners or dress always
shocks her keenly.
Roberts brows darkened / had gone
too far. For the first time since knowing
| him / saw his handsome mouth take a
bitter sneering curve.
"Perhaps a clod like myself had better
not appear at ALL" he said, while your
paragon Is here"
But he did appear that night. Helen
was very affably cordial to him. She
knew nothing of our engagement. / had
never mentioned word Of it either to
herself or Aunt Cornelia.
When Robert had left US that night and
we were alone together, she astonished
me by saying;
"What charming man Mr.. Carroll isl
Why have you never mentioned him to
me, Ada? Has he been long in Meadow
town."
ooh. yesl Nearly all summer"
"He comes of the CAROLS of L., does
he not?"
Eyes," I said. little confused great
deal astonished. ''That Is, his GRANDPA
Their, Mr.. Everhard Carroll, lives in L.
| This Mr.. Robert Carroll is an artist, as
he told you, and-and quite poor"
ooh, know nearly all about his fam
fly" Helen said. His grandfather, Mr..
Everhard Carroll, treated him shamefully
on account of embracing art as profess
sion. The old gentleman is one of the
greatest millionaires in the country, and
he has given out, believe, that he will
bequeath all his fortune to this Robert,
his only heir, though he refuses to notice
him while he liYes-and for that absurd
reason too! Is 1t not wonderful what
simpletons some people can make Of
themselvesW
Every" murmured. was more con-
| fused than ever.
During the next four or FIVE days Rob-
ert came constantly to the cottage. Helen
showed the most marked attention and
rapidly growing preference for his soci-
ETY.. His manner was very courteous to
me-nothing more. could not complain,
for | had more than once pointedly limited
to him that desired no mention Of our
engagement to be made during Helen
Abercrombie's visit.
Two weeks passed on. At the end of
those two weeks / was sick, tortured.
agonized with jealousy. 1t seemed to me
that in every motion of Roberts and in
every sound of his voice saw proof that
he had transferred all his old allegiance
from myself to Helen. And for my own
feelings, every vestige of my own slum-
bering, maltreated, half despised love re-
vived under the present shock of circum-
stances. | blamed myself for the past
l hated myself for It'll told myself that
7 Jocoruad %orsrihlo rou0{chnonf
And the punishment came.
Helen staid with us three weeks. The
night before she left they took walk to-
gether among the paths that skirted our
cottage 1t was a night of perfect au-
tumn moonlight, and now and then
could see their dark forms sharply out
lined in the silver air as | watched them
from the window Of the sitting room,
where l sat alone, with a miserable,
throbbing, foreboding heart.
At last they entered the house. Then
l heard them pass into the little library
where mother often sat and was sitting
now. Presently heard Robert ask:
where Is AdaY'
He had never called me ada" before
In her presence. knew what was COM
ing then. heard mothers answer, I'm
the sitting room. l think" and waited
and shuddered.
The door was half closed. Presently
there sounded little knock upon it.
/ rose as if stung.
"Come in," / said.
Robert entered.
/ can't write out his words. They were
very mildly spoken. He said that he had
for some time been forced to believe that
cared nothing whatever for him.
And then, though my heart was nearly
breaking In my breast woman's pride
came to my rescue.
"You are right" l said, 81 do care
nothing for you. suppose you have
come to tell me that you wish to break
your engagement with me and marry
Helen Abercrombie?"
81 do" he answered simply, ''if you
will release me-"
every WE'LL" l managed. 'You are
perfectly Free"
But the sitting room light was dancing
before my eyes as said it, and my poor
heart was wildly gailoping.
had got my punishment Was 1t
oversevere? Often, often | think so dur
ing the lonely. eventless years of maiden
hood which have followed.
They have been married almost more
years than can count over. / rarely see
them, but know they are very happy.
Do you call this miserable, sad story,
reader? Well, remember that, as l said
at first, it is 'sad, but true"