The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-04-18
FLORINE'S
AMULET
Copyright, 1901, by ina Wright Hanson
BY INA WRIGHT HANSON

Observation-Disclosures ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
found Florine by the tea table on
the veranda gazing dreamily into her
gup. She wore my roses In the belt
Of her white gown and in her bronze
hair. For some time / had not dared
to approach Florine without being for
titled with disagreeable speeches; 9TH
erwise 1 should have been guilty Of
proposing to her. Considering that her
monthly income was quite equal to my
annual one, proposal Of marriage
from me would be palpably absurd. I
sighed, and my sigh aroused Florine.
"Oh, I'm glad it's your she said
brightly II saw q visitor In my tea
cup"
/ frowned and took chair on the
other side of the table.
IT wish you wouldn't" 1 said.
wouldn't what? Give you a cup
Of tea? Well, you needn't drink it.
Are you afraid it will hurt your COM
plexion?"
Her tone was bantering, but her
eyes had a hint of concern In their
violet depths. l looked away as I an
swered:
1.-THE other night at pit you turned
your chair around three times, and
then when you lost you attributed it to
the misplacing of your rabbit foot"
81 did make a mistake" she said
gravely. sit wasn't the rabbit foot;
1t was the day. Wednesday is my I'M
lucky day"
IF you keep on folks will think you
are weakminded," l continued, keep
ing my gaze carefully from the danger
Gus charm of her face. 81 have actual
ly heard it said that you wear an anu
letr'
Florine was silent so long that /
was compelled to glance at her. She
was regarding me with what might be
termed complex look. Her mouth
was dimpled with smiles, her lifted
brows were derisive. but her eyes were
troubled l ignored the eyes.
This superstition business detracts
from your real WORTH" 1 went on re-
lentlessly. TT is the flaw in the dia-
mond, the blight In the rose, the-the'-
Fly In the ointment?" she suggested
politely.
ITO have 1t told around that you
wear an amuletP' l reiterated In fine
scorn.
Then Florine laughed When Florinel
laughs
you poor old deary' she exclaimed
as soon as she was able. 81 don't be.
aieve you have the ghost of an idea
what an amulet isp'
was solid on that score, for had
dictionary.
".An object, usually a peculiar bit
Of stone, metal. bone, paper, wood OF.
die like, worn by superstitious people
as a protection against witchcraft,
bad luck, disease, accidents, etc. A
charm
"Oh, don'tp' she choked. you are
too absurd" Then she went of into
another gale of laughter.
II don't see where the absurdity
comes in," l retorted. IF that isn't
an amulet, then what Is it?"
supped my tea with dignity while
Florine recovered herself.
II knew a girl once who wore an
amulet" she said at last. att was the
well, the picture Of somebody she
liked"
Picture-ah! To be sure, 1 wasn't
an Adonis, neither was / afraid Of
breaking the camera, but for one rea-
son or another l had faced a photoe-
rapher. Picture, was 1t? Was she the
Krl7 wondered.
at wasn't bone, metal, stone, paper
or wood" she went on. "And she
didn't wear 1t as a protection against
anything. She just wore it because
she liked 1t, because she liked the man
whose picture was In it"
~It wasn't an amulet then" 1 said,
setting down my cup.
"It was an amulet" contradicted
Florine "Unimaginary folks get their
definitions out Of the dictionary. Other
people
"How about a walk? 2" l interrupted
1 couldn't even pretend to be disagree
able any longer; neither could | mus
ter up determination enough to leave
her-lovely, laughing sprite that she
was. Perhaps there was less danger
In walking.
But l am going to have another
caller" she demurred.
do you see him in your teacupT
asked.
mo; 1 see him at the gate" she
laughed, although he may be coming
to see mamma. He is. very. fozd Of