The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-04-11

ed to anything in public and gave away
by stealth more than half his income
he was no such parsonage as Miss
Catherwood, whose joy in life was to
write her name In front Of a good
round sum at the head and forefront
Of every important list.
Margery said audaciously that 1t was
Miss Catherwood's habit to let both
hands know all that even her little I'm
ger did. Possibly it was that speech,
with the necessary accretions from
mouth to mouth, which first made Ep-
pington's Lady Bountiful so high and
naughty toward its prettiest girl.
Margery Lane was easily that and
much more. There was a sweet soul
at the bottom of her velvet eyes, wit
and spirit a-plenty under her mop Of
floss silk curls. All the finest young
fellows Of the village were her chums
and sworn champions, even to the two
or three who had tried to be something
more. Margery's compelling gayety
shed sentiment as a ducks wing sheds
water. Thus she had laughed her would
be SWANS out of signing into a con-
seriousness of what she persisted in
calling their mistakes When she had
fully persuaded them to take her own
sane view she sent them rejoicing on
the way to court and marry other girls
Thus in her own way she was easily
as much a power as Miss Catherwood.
Otherwise she would not have been
what she was at the fair. Miss Gather
wood was the fairs moving spirit. If
she had dared she would have ignored
Margery. Since she did not dare, she
wisely resolved to make the utmost
possible out of her enemy. Conse-
Quently Margery had the stall which
dispensed impartially candy, cut flow
ers and literature. The girls chums
had behaved nobly in the matter of
buying, to say nothing Of her lovers,
actual, possible and impossible. Ma
jor Warwick put himself at the head
Of the impossible, vowing things were
at pretty pass, indeed, when the girl
he had brought up specially for himself
was whisked away from him all in
wink by his scapegrace of nephew.
Melville Warwick, the nephew, had
been Miss Catherwood's protege since
he was In short frocks-this in spite
of his own smoldering rebellion His
mother, gentle half invalid, was de-
voted to Pamela Catherwood, and Mel
vile never willfully crossed his moth
er in anything. He had worn Gather
wood leading strings with what grace
he might up to the day he was sent
away to college. When he came back
from it to find tomboy Margery crea-
ture Of infinite and tricksy charm,
withal the one woman in the world for
him, he let it be seen he meant hence
forth to have his own way Within
fortnight he had courted Margery open
ly, getting a nay-say, of course, but
equally, of course, whistling it down
the wind
III give you time to find out your
own mind,' he had said 1T may take
two years, but what is that beside liv-
ing a whole life without your"
Now he leaned upon the flower coun-
ter so ostentatiously rapt in the choice
of rose that Miss Catherwood had to
speak twice before he answered.
what is 1t, Aunt Pam? You want
rose? Let me beg you choose instead
some of those choice chrysanthemums.
You see, everybody wants roses, and
all the flowers ought to go. The chrys-
anthemums swamp any woman less
majestic than yourself A dozen Of the
biggest and hairiest, please, Miss Lane.
Change? Outrageous! Whoever heard
Of change at a fairT
81 don't want flowers. Keep your
money, or, If you needs must spend 1t,
come to some of the sensible tables"
Miss Catherwood said with what she
meant for a whitening glance at Mar
gerry, who smiled amiably.
do take him away, dear Miss Cath
erwoodr she murmured. 81 have done
my best to get rid of him this last hour
If he stays longer all the rest will hate
me. You are an angel to deliver me
from such a dreadful fate"
you mean I am an angel. Angels are
all masculine. l leave it to the highest
authorities if that is not true" Melville
said, standing stock still, his folded
arms propped upon the flower table.
Margery looked at him reproachfully
You are blocking the way of trade"
she said. 81 have somewhat Of con-
science, howsoever you may be lacking
In it. These flowers have got to be
turned into flannels and soup and shoes
for poor folks Are you willing to pay
In advance for all don't sellY'
"Willing enough-more than willingF'
Melville retorted "Only show me how.
I've been here three hours. Well, after
this l can give pointers to the poor
man who fell among thieves
melville! For shamel What shock
Ing irreverence! Still l am not alto
gether astonished," Miss Catherwood
interrupted, raising her eyes to the
ceiling. Nov, if you please, we will
be going. Miss Lane, sell my chrysan-
themums over agaln-and don't forget
to add what they fetch to the amount
of my original donation"
UNLESS you buy them yourself, no
body WILL" Margery said, with smile
of infantine malice. "They are so big
and dull and bricky red everybody has
shifted at them Indeed, Mr. Satmire
told me when he fetched them in, Pa
mela Catherwood is your one chance
for these"
"IndeedT' Miss Catherwood was so
near apoplexy she could not get beyond
the word. "T'll give you dollar apiece
for them," she said, land you can send
them straight to the Home Of the
Homeless" Then, with a kissing shrek;
Girl, where is my purse? 1 had it a
moment back-and laid it right there
under your hand"
Eyes, saw it." Margery said, hur-
riedly turning about masses of bios
sony green. Miss Catherwood watch
ed her suspiciously, crying jerkily all
the whole: MY purse! Gold mounted,
the clasp set with diamonds, and a
hundred dollars! What have you done
with it?"
"HushT' young Warwick said imper
atively, making to lead her away. Peo-
pie were gathering, staring, listening,
craning necks, to see all about.
Margery let fall her hands. saying
quietly, "It is not here"
The words took away Miss Gather
woods last vestige of composure. With
plunging lurch she overset the flower
table, clutched Margery by both shout
ders and shook her hard, kissing out:
''Youl You little bold'faced THEIR