The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-06-27
NOW OR
NEVER
Bly,.
|. Martha McCulloch-W Williams
Copyright, 1905,
by Martha McCulloch- Williams

Billy Wharton's coming did not sur
prise Joe in the least. She had known
something out of the common was go
ing to happen ever since Saturday,
when she had seen the new moon
clear, had black cat follow her home
and then dreamed of getting safe
across a clear running stream. All
these were omens of good luck. 1t
was the best sort of luck to have a
boarder In the big front room upstairs,
a gentleman evidently craving quiet,
solitude and country fare. Mrs. Greer,
Joe's stepmother, had been set against
boarders. She would have none of
them even yet but for that dreadful
doctors BILL She had been at deaths
door last winter, her first real Illness.
Though the doctor was in no hurry for
his fee, her independence chafed might
lily against having him wait
Therefore Joe had had no new sum-
not going to picnics and parties and
things = anywhere, indeed, but to
church, where the wearing of old
clothes might be regarded as a sign
of piety rather than poverty. The
board money would change all that.
In fancy Joe saw herself brave in new
winter 1nery, holding up her head with
the best. Her head had not really been
dropped, for she was by nature spirit
ed and full of fun. But the stepmoth-
er was a little morbid on the point Of
Joe's lacks. In fear, 1t might be said.
she neglected the girl, who, 1t was
well known. she did not love. Still
they had got on fairly together until
the epoch of Ransom Farley.
1t was Mrs. Greer's nephew and
prospective heir; hence it seemed to
him but right and natural that he
should marry Joe, who held a mort
gage on the farm. Mrs Greer had
fetched her husband and his daughter
home with her to live, and the Greer
estate had been turned into cash and
used to free the homestead from sun
dry membranes. Thus common In
terest had kept the two women togeth-
er after Squire Greer died. Ransom
thought it beautifully fit that they
should go on living together and letting
him take care of them. At least that
was his way of saying It. Joe snapped
that the caretaking would be all the
other way. She had hated Ransom as
a pink and white curly haired model
child. She did not hate him less now
that, although his curls were cropped
and his complexion was somewhat tan
ned, he still held himself to the model
standard
Joe was slim and dusky-lithe as a
sapling, with floss silk hair and eyes
outf1ashing black diamonds. Wild roses
blushed in her olive cheeks, her lips
were cherry red and her voice full of
flute notes. Billy Wharton had a weak
ness for pretty girls. He made love to
all fate threw in his way. Naturally
he made love to Joe Naturally also
he made her love him. He was the
man Of her dreams, In every way the
opposite of Ransom and very unlike
any of the farmer lads or caIlow city
youngsters with whom she had been |
brought In contact. But because she |
loved Billy with heart and soul and |
strength she fiouted him. laughed at |
him, made a pretense of quarreling |
and so kept him puzzled as to her
frame of mind Puzzling over a very
pretty girl Is bad for the affections If |
the puzzler wishes to escape free, but |
Billy did not know that In time He |
tried all a man might to read this |
maiden riddle. He had been quite fair, /
he thought-had told her In the outset |
he couldn't afford to marry until he |
was gray and bald.
1--WE nothing In the world now but
myself" he had said. And, though |
space rates give q decentish living for I
one, It's little short of criminal under |
taking to make them furnish rations |
for two" Then straightway he had
made Joe guide him to the deepest pool
Of the trout brook and stay with him |
at the stream side all through sum |
mer morning. In course Of the talk |
there she had somehow gathered that
long time ahead when certain lives and |
leases lapsed Billy would have a snug
maintenance. Possibly the information |
had its weight Possibly also it went
over her head. Certainly, when In the
sixth week of Billy's stay at the farm
house Ransom was pleased TO grow i
furiously jealous of him, Joe decided
something must be done-and did it.
did you know there was a wedding
coming off Sunday7'' she asked OF
Billy Thursday at noon Billy pulle4 !
out pencil and notebook, putting on
his most professional air as he asked:
"Will you give me the names of the
victims, please, Miss Greer? Also any
other particulars of interest%
mo! Go ask the preacher Joe said, |
smiling mysteriously.
Billy went, but came back more than |
ever mystifed. ''The wedding IS a ]
fact" he said, but SOLITARY fact. |
Brother Jones knows no more than we
do-only that he has been asked to holl
himself in readiness at the close of the
morning service. Furthermore, he !
says you asked him. Confess. young
lady. You are getting up a fine hoax"
''See If am Joe retorted, her head |
higher than common She ran of al |
most Instantly and was well nigh unap-
proachable throughout the next two
days. But Saturday evening she walk
ed with Billy all up and down the yard, !
the moon shedding silver fecks upon
them, the roses in the garden filing
the air with perfume. AS they walked
Billy held her hand. and insensIbly. It
seemed, she dropped toward him. Nei-
fher said very muph As fine clock
struck 10 Joe drew away from him
with little shudder. saying very low,
Maybe this is our last walk together"
But Billy, quite beyond prudence,
flung his arms about her and kissed
her full on the mouth, saying thickly,
1T shall not bel want yoS-always.
La slant littlo that nirtt Int .eon i,.ta