The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-04-22

| ALICE WAS FRANKLY INQUISITIVE.
forth Alice's laughing challenge From
that moment Mr. Remington" as he
was dubbed by the two bachelor maids,
held a new interest. He might mean
toothsome cake or box of candied
| fruit.
Alice edited the woman's page of an
afternoon paper and occasionally went
down town on the same car as did the
man of the typewriter Beyond these
infrequent encounters fate did nothing
to hasten settlement of the wager
until sudden cold snap arrived and
Frances, returning from the art school,
slipped and almost fell on the icy side
walk
Feeling a strong grip on her arm, she
looked up to meet the magnetic gaze
of Mr. Remington.
'No damage done, is there?" he ask.
ed cheerily.
She WINGED as she took step for
ward
II am afraid I've turned my ankle"
Take my arm" he suggested, noting
her white lips. IF am not mistaken,
you live in this block"
"Four-niney-two." she assented, IF
you will be so good"
1t was pleasant to lean on the strong
arm and ease the injured ankle. He
helped her carefully up the stairs, and
Alice fairly gasped when she met them
in the tiny private hall.
rs there nothing more that can
do" he asked as he deposited her Oh
the sofa-"arnica, witch hazel, lini-
ment, any pet remedy to be had at the
| druggists? Pray, command me-"
There is nothing, thank you, Mr.
Hooper" he prompted, Frederick
Hooper"
'Mr. Hooper" Frances continued. Il
am greatly obliged to you for your
courtesy"
May ! drop in tomorrow and see
how you are?" he asked rather eagerly
as he picked up his hat
1--WE should be very glad to. have
you." said Alice cordially. and when
the door in the hall below slammed
she danced back to Frances.
II am afraid you win," she shouted
at the sufferer. I'm sure it's nothing
less than a collection of essays on the
higher life He's a dearr'
The next afternoon, true to his word,
Mr.. Hooper called to inquire for the
invalid and slipped quite naturally into
the Morris chair Drinking tea and
munching thin bread and butter. he
changed the very aspect of the room.
He sounded the masculine note their
den had lacked before
Alice. whose bump of curiosity had
grown in journalistic circles, was
frankly inquisitive.
1--WE have often noticed you across
the way" she said. you are at your
machine so constantly that Miss Nor
ton declares you must be writing the
coming novel;
Hooper laughed frankly. boyishly.
Yes, | write NOVELS he admitted,
''the kind my readers pronounce bully
| am under contract to grind out a
dime novel week.
This was worse than railway guides
Frances fell to studying the wall paper
pattern.
''You see." he ran on. Il need the
money. It's easy work and well paid"
Wouldn't you rather write real
noyels?'' persisted Alice
well. yes. if it would pay as well.
ut when a man has to make money
literature is classed with luxuries"
'If one has an invalid mother to sap
port or sister to educate" suggested
Alice musingly but he interrupted
briskly:
Nothing of the sort. I'm alone in
the world; haven't even first cousins.
But when ! came to town had fine
stock of ideals which gradually melted.
| wrote verse that was pronounced fair
and for which got as high as So
when l sold it. Likewise | wrote es-
says which | never sold l had the
manuscript of a historical romance
too. | have that yet Then a man for
whom | had done a little work asked
me to substitute for his dime novelist,
who was i'll. wrote my first tale, and
he liked it. The regular writer died,
and l stepped into his literary Shoes
1t is big pay, steady work and no
trouble after you get the hang of the
thing. It's not exactly idealistic, but
it means a good restaurant, good
clothes and a den of my own
When he had gone, Alice looked
quizzically at Frances.
We'll" said the latter, with just a
tinge of bitterness in her voice, 81
guess you came close enough to the
truth to take the cake"
Il don't care" asserted Alice Loyalty.
Il like him, and / hope he'll come
again."
And he did, first bearing flowers and
small delicacies for the invalid and,
when her injured foot no longer served
as an excuse for this coming, calling
apparently In a spirit of pure camara-
derie. In many ways he was a boy
despite his thirty-fve years, and his
visits acted like tonic to the over
worked. high strung girls. Occasion
ally he brought with him the script Of
bis latest story and set them laughing