The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-02-14


cause they were wise enough to look
ahead-to this. They knew then what
l begin to see now" bitterly.
The girl made no answer She hard
ly seemed to hear the harsh, bitter
tones with the half hidden strain Of
anguish.
''For four years you have lived like
this" a slight gesture indicating the
fairy land before them. "Your daily
association has been with persons of
refinement and culture. 1t is all about
you, everywhere, in the very atmos-
phere. While l." he laughed grating
ly-T have improved my mind and
elevated my tastes by herding with a
lot Of ignorant Scandinavians. I've
hardly spoken to another person."
But you've been successful, Nal
colm,' with gentle sympathy.
"In what?' shortly.
"Why, father said''-
ooh, l know what he said. l know
his acceptation of the word success
I've made money. I'm the richest
young man in the county. My farm is
a model. 1t is conceded that l can get
more work and better results from my
men and with less dissatisfaction than
any other man in the state of Kansas.
But what am l? A boss, the leader Of
a gang of fifty Scandinavian farm la
borers. Except for the few paltry dol
lars l have made l might as well be
one of them. I'd be just as fitting a
mate for you. When | listened to your
valedictory heard the tolling of the
knell of all my hopes. Any one Of my
men would have understood as much of
what you were saying as l did"
Malcolm Bell, how utterly absurd
and untruep
He hurried passionately on, as if she
had not spoken.
81 can make money. That is a quail
ity your father can understand and ap-
preciate He might be willing perhaps
to allow the engagement to stand, but
your mother-she is looking for you
now" he added, hastily drawing the
girl farther back into the shadow of
the group Of elms.
Winifred looked across the brilliant
campus Her mother was coming, and
In her heart Winifred knew that Nal
collins uRuttered words were true. In
the eyes of the ambitious matron this
young mans standing was very far
from the heights for which she had
destined her beautiful daughter. She
had forgotten the day twenty-five years
ago when she had given her hand to
the young carpenter whose yearly earn
ings then would scarcely have sufficed
to purchase one of the rings she wore
now upon her plump white fingers.
LET US walk in the other direction, -
said the girl calmly. 81 do not care to
go with mamma just now-and /
think" she added naively, mamma will
enjoy herself better if she doesn't find
me-"
You're good to stay with me at all,
Winifred," said the young fellow bro
kenly, 'and I'm a brute to rtimate
anything savoring of lack of respect
for your parents, but your mother told
me this morning that she meant to take
you abroad next year; that there was
no need of a girl with your beauty and
brains marrying a mere American es-
pecially since your Uncle Joshua's
death had made your father a million
aire''
Poor Uncle JoshuaT sighed the girl
tenderly.
Buying a title with your beauty and
your fathers money! holly. 1T made
me terribly angry, Winifred. 1 know
how unworthy am, and l am going to
give you up. But to think of your be
ing snatched away
The girl laughed a low, sweet laugh
of infectious merriment.
Malcolm, you are too funny! 1t is
just as you were when we were chill
dren. You are willing to give away
your cool<y, but you won't have some
one come up and grab it,
Il suppose l don't say things right,
Winifred. haven't a college educa-
ton. you know"-the hurt showing in