The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-09-19


plainingly and carried my parcels"
If he had not happened to see an
old woman or a lame cat to help over
the crossing. In which case, very likely,
he would have laid the parcels down
and quite forgotten to pick them up"
Perhaps, for Nick Is a bit absent
minded, but he is perfectly adorable
when it comes to giving girl her own
way"
MY brother Is happy in winning
your good opinion. 1t is my misfor-
tune
NO, it's your fault; you are 50
frightfully conventional. Dear me,
what curious people"
''They are the drift from the street.
None of our set ever
There, the auctioneer Is beginning
again. 1t will be perfectly delightful
to buy something and not have the
least idea what 1t is-so weird and
mysterious!"
Nellie, surely you are not going to
bid out loud in this crowdv'
Il certainly am. There is no harm in
1t, and l am sick to death OF the right
angle rules by which you and uncle
measure my life. Wonder what that
woman found in her parcels? There
goes up a bandbox. l shall bid on
that"
Nellie, don'tY he first commanded,
then entreated vehemently, but she
was as q deaf adder that stoppeth her
ears.
Fifty CENTS" she called, In answer
to the auctioneer's challenge, at the
same time stepping upon an empty box
by the wall, SO that she was in plain
view Of the whole crowd.
"Seventy-five centsv' screamed a
feminine voice across the hall.
"One dollar" flashed back Nellie, her
color rising. her eyes shining, for her
cousins voice came up to her in agi-
tated whispers.
Zone fifty" came from her opponent.
1.-TWO dollars" cried Nellie, pushing
Adolphus' hand from her sleeve.
Three dollars" shrieked the other
woman, nervously counting the change
ding, the entire crowd having centered
its attention on the nervous woman
and the ''swelr' girl, and there were
cheers and counter cheers as the bids
rose dollar by dollar until at last the
coveted box was knocked down to Mel
lie.
She was still laughing and flushed
with her triumph when they emerged
from the door over which flew the red
flag, but Adolphus felt miserable and
compromised, and this feeling was not
abated when he saw the establishment
in the eyes of Miss Curtis, whose Ian
dau happened at that moment to pass,
for Miss Curtis was the personifica-
ton of rigid conventionality. He count
ed the meeting as one more misfortune
in an unlucky day.
Nellie's excitement waned as they
walked, and by the time they entered
her uncle's gate she was strangely ST
lent Adolphus evidently took this for
hopeful sign, for presently he cleared
his throat, adjusted his monocle and
began:
Nellie, we must talk seriously. The
time has come
mo, 1t hasn't come" she said, in
terrupting him good naturally, 80 stop
right there. don't know whether
this Is lecture or proposal of mar
riage-your private talks with me vi
brate between these two subjects
but l am in no mood for either For
heavens sake. Adolphus, throw that
glass away. hate to be spied at like
thatp
With reproachful sigh he removed
the offending glass and said: mick not
only lectured you yesterday; he posi-
lively scolded you, and
And deserved it, but 1 answered
him back spitefully, like the little beast
am, and he-he hasn't even noticed
me since" She turned her head SO
that he did not see the CULVER of her
red lips, the passionate protest of her
eyes.
All their set knew that her dicta-
torial old uncle intended she should
marry Adolphus, who satisfied his So
cial ambitions, while Nick. who cared
nothing for society, smoked pipe and
forgot to have his trousers creased,
was thorn In the old mans side
Between these two were constant dis
agreements, which Nellie had hitherto
managed to make up, but yesterday
there had been a quarrel Of unusual
violence, and there was even some talk
Of Nick's leaving the house. 1t waa
Of this she had been thinking as sh5
followed he's purchase home
"Adolphus," she said as they mount
ed the steps, ''can't you do something
anything--to patch up this new quar-
rel between Nick and uncle? 1t isn't
Nick's fault that he is-that he was
was born different from you and un-
cle."
II quite agree with my uncle about
this Summing business. A man in
Nlck's position owes something TOTO
/ appearances"
Stuff" she scoffed and ran by him
into the house.
In the library, to stem the tide OF
Adolphus' wooing, she hastily opened
| her box and lifted out the contents, 9
quaint and curious boahet of decade
ago, bonnet with a scooped brim
piled high with flowers and nodding
plumes. AS she put i on her head
shrieking with laughter, her un&e and
Nick entered the room, both of them
showing in their manner strong excite
ment. The girl paused in her pirouet-
ting and paled at the sight Of the stern
| faces. Her uncle saw her strange head
gear and angrily demanded its origin
| Adolphus explained very carefully, not
forgetting his own expostulations
against the caprice The old man turn
! ed wrathfully upon the girl.
| You and Nick are of piece in your
attempts to humiliate and make q
laughingstock of me- My niece, the
female head Of my family. bidding al
common auction against washer
woman! Take that hideous thing out
Of my sightT'
But the spoiled girl only made him q
daring little courtesy which set all the
bonnet's varihued plumes a-nodding.
Nick crossed the room to her side.
Nellie" he said wistfully, Il am go
ing away for good; my uncle and
have agreed it is best. He has for
hidden. me to speak to you Of marriage