The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-07-04
Ole SAVING
REVELATION
By Virginia Leila Wentz
Copyright, 1906. by Virginia Letta Wes,tz


people, for the most part, making for
home, because the strong wind which
had suddenly swept up the city streets
was now driving a dizzy herd Of snow
fakes before it
Women sitting In their sleighs, I'M
der the full stare of the setting sun,
whit too heavy. Down in the city's
narrow streets and wind swept tene-
ments the poor drew their shawls and
coat collars higher round gray, pinched
faces.
Helena Christy had to hold her toQue
on with both hands. Her cheeks and
lips were as red as June roses. Some
chiffon ribbons blew out from under
her furs and tapped across her COM
panion's face They had the faint scent
of some flower or other. Whatever it
was, it was the scent he loved best In
the world.
But if either the woman or the per-
fume awakened any sentiment In him
the expression of the Hon. Kelsie Sid
dons did not show it. His handsome,
manly face wore the aspect Of stern
restraint habitual to him.
AS he leaned against the sleigh cush-
ions and beheld the diminishing per-
spective of electric light pricking itself
out down the snowy drive. caught sight
Of the blue mounted police on their
mettlesome steeds and recognized ia
miliar faces In the long procession Of
sleighs and carriages rolling northward,
he was conscious of only one thing-he
had set out on this drive with the fixed
purpose Of asking the woman beside
him to become his wife. And her home
lay just at the lower end of the park.
He was a man who never went back
on his fixed purposes.
AS they were turning out of the park
on Fifty-ninth street Helena was say
ing:
1.-THE woman who Is worth while new
er undertakes the offer of marriage
from any man. Be he much or little, it
is the greatest compliment he can pay
her. Coming from you, my friend, such
a compliment is the more to be valued.
But 1 cannot marry you"
The man did not answer at once
Neither did the expression Of his face
seem to change. He tucked the lap
robe around her little more securely.
do you know" he remarked when
he had finished with the fur robe, I'D
like 10 trespass little further some
time and ask permission to discuss the
matter with your They were pulling
up In front Of the big white stone apart
ment house where she lived.
~As l said" came back Helena's
voice lightly as she undid his work Of
robe tucking. I'm asking me to marry
you you paid me a great compliment.
In exchange. dare say, 1 owe you per-
mission to indulge your hobby for ar
gument and discussion. Come in now,
won't you, and have some tea with me?
l warn you no amount Of argument can
profit either Of us; but still, come"
Within, behind heavily curtained win
dows, In sharp contrast to the biting
cold without, were sweet warmth, soft
rugs, draped screens, shaded lamps, all
the dainty plenishings of modern bou-
doir. In the fast growing dusk the fire
light flashed on the little silver kettle
beginning to steam at the spout, on the
Dresden and old Worcester ware on the
ebony tea table; on the woman who
had drawn low cushioned chair close
beside It.
1.-THE situation is like this" the man
was saying In rather much the same
tone Of voice he would have used in ar
guing an important case before the SUI
preme court: ''You are thirty-or Is 1t
thirty-one? You have reputation as a
brilliant, beautiful woman and all that
You can, I am aware, marry any one
of three or four men who can offer
quite as much as l, but modesty WAS
never a characteristic Of mine. And
can give you almost anything you wish
that costs money. l stand well In my
professlon-close to the top of it, In
fact. am not yet forty. On the whole,
marriage between us might be what
Is termed very suitable match"
The woman smiled openly. Does the
prosecution here close its defenseY'
Her father also had been a Judge.
Sugar and cream? Yes2 Well, herep'
She deftly poured out the fragrant
drink.
Az the man reached for his cup he
looked at her trifle perplexed.
Are you offended? ?" he asked. 'I've
made an offer of marriage in perfect
~ businesslike way, having heard you
often declare that marriage contract
is like any other contract and should be
entered into only when both parties are
aware Of what they are doing and are
rid of glamour"
His companion paid him the tribute
OF lingering glance in which a ques-
ton mark was barely perceptfble But
In the shadows he could no longer see
her face-only the white parting Of her
FURNISHED hair where the freight
shone. In a second she was slipping her
tea nonchalantly enough and had re-
covered her vein of light raillery.
Offended? Oh, certainly not. But
the defense will submit an argument.
The match would be, as you say, a
suitable one-what do our French cous-
ms call it?-marlage de CONVEYANCE.
AS for the three or four men to whom
you refer, I cannot answer I've no
ticed, however, that the number of my
proposals is falling off lately. attrib-
ute the fact to advancing age You
were not wrong when you said l was
thirty-one. The defense will close the
argument by saying that she has de-
termined to becoms,an old maidp
The Hon Kelsie Sfddons was leaning
forward, his strong, muscular hands
clasped loosely before him, whimsical
smile on his lips.
'Oh, you will never die an old maid
1 will answer for thatp The smile
vanished. He resumed his stolid man
ner. But your refusal of me is final,
I take it?'
do seem to be melting?" Helena
inquired, with a touch of defiance
which comported Ill with the tumuftu-
Gus beating Of her heart and most an
moving feeling of tremulousness about
her lips.
The man rose and went to the win
dow. Far off, across the park, arose
the big hotels on the plaza, their lofty
outlines seen obscurely through the
snowdrift. The lights of swiftly NOV
ing sleighs and carriages down below
glimmered family, and above all and
through all trembled the unearthly
voice that Is never silent, though II
may speak In various moods-the voice
that mods into itself the cry of human
joy, the wall Of human sorrow, the roal
and crush and rush of the million mind
less things that man has made to serve
/ his ends-the voice of the great city.
II think" he said at last, and his