The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-02-06
TIE
TQcfleSSneSc
Of Me
By INA WRIGHT HANSON
Copyright, 1905, by P. C. Eastment
By INA WRIGHT HANSON

IL By INA WRIGHT HANSON
II Copyright, 1905, BY P. C. Eastment
1t is notable human trait that two
men who barely recognize each other
ut home Will exchange the most cordial
pleasantries If they chance to meet
abroad. In cognizance Of this law of
nature l was more than ordinarily de-
lighted to see Miss Alice Ruybottom Of
California enter a railway train It
wasn't that Miss Ruybottom and had
only bowling acquaintance. In truth,
we had had great deal more than
that. Operas, balls, teas, picnics, ex-
cursions by land and water, walks,
talks and drives-we had enjoyed them
all together, expecting so to continue
to the end of our lives. But one day,
as we stood looking over the pictures
hanging for prize in the Mark Henry
art rooms, among which was one Of
Alice's, she suddenly tore my ring from
her finger, threw it at me, burst into
| tcdAE anu LIEU, CIylu6 Oub l4dt SIG
hoped she would never see me again.
l am naturally proud man and, not
being able to perceive any reason for
her actions, took her at her word and
sailed that night for Europe. The year
of my absence had dragged woefully,
and l came home, all the while debat-
ing whether l should seek her again or
whether l should let pride dominate
love. Now, fate seemed to have given
poor love chance, SO with some little
trepidation l went forward and stood
at her seat
Good afternoon, Miss Ruybottom,"
l said politely.
She looked up, her face tremulous
with bushes. why, Joep' she ex-
claimed. How glad am to see youi
Do sit down"
sat down, my heart throbbing with
happiness. l was about to blurt it all
out at once-my longing for her and
my delight at being with her again
when my eye CHANGED to fall on her
suit case. In great glaring letters
read, Mrs. DR.. Arbogaste"
l received two separate individual
shocks-the first that she was denied to
me forever, the second that her charac-
ter had lost something of its sweet sim
plicity to allow of her proclaiming her
self as Mrs. Doctor"
isn't it delightful that we both hap
pened to get this trainY' she said, her
sweet face still pink. II remembered
that your mother lives around here
somewhere. l suppose you are visiting
her"
1 bowed assent. l couldn't trust my
voice Just yet
II am visiting, too, but am going
home soon. Pm glad I'm on my way
to see No. 43. / don't think I could
stand many more relatives
l must have proved a sorry conversa-
tionalist, but Alice didn't seem to mo-
tiee. She chatted in her charming way,
her voice thrilling me as of old, her per
sonality sending delightful zigzags Of
feeling all over me, but through it all I
was tasting the bitter fact that she be-
longed to another.
Alice" said at last, now that 1t In
too late to repair mistakes, 1t probably
won't be any good for you to tell me
why you threw me of so suddenly that
day in the Mark Henry, but 1t would be
of considerable satisfaction to me TO
know"
You said you thought l should win
prize, for it was the poorest collection
Of pictures you had seen for a long
while"
meditated. "Well," I acknowledged.
ut was an ambiguous sentence. But
why should you have chosen to take the
uncomplimentary meaning? You ought
to have known me well enough to know
that wouldn't have Intentionally hurt
your feelings. l meant it all right"
II know l acted very foolishly, JoA
but was tired and nervous, and that
speech was only the last of many AS
look back they seem unimportant
kept me in nervous strain wondering
what you would say next. Do you re-
member the time you had mentioned
some Mrs. Newrich whom you had met
and asked you what she was like?
You answered, oh, the kind of woman
that you would expect to see wearing q
purple bonnet and red waist"
II have some faint remembrance of
some unpleasant occurrence over the
remark, but
why, Aunt Rachel was present and
her favorite combination Of colors is
red and purple Don't you remember
her scathing rejoinderT'
Too well / remembered 1t. So that
was tiny penchant for saying the
wrong thing in the right place or the
right thing in the wrong place. join
ed ruefully In Alice's melodious laugh
ter and kicked surreptitiously at the
suit case
IF that unsightly object is in your
way" remarked Alice sweetly, "set it
In the aisle l don't know where the
owner is, but as didn't see any other
unoccupied seat l ventured to take
this"
And you are not Mrs. DR.. Arbo-
caster" 1 said stupidity.
mo, nor Mrs. Anybody Else But
where is your wife? From what you
said l inferred
why, grille, I'm not married. l
mean to be, though. If the sweetest girl
in the world will have me- Alice, I've
changed. l really have I'm older now
and have gained swads of tact. Alice,
will you try me again"
was talking to the back of her pref
ty head, but l kept on desperately. At
last she turned around / leaned for
ward eagerly.
Joe" she said, lust look out here"
! looked out grimly. A woman was
running toward the train, followed by
thin girl and fat little boy Into
the car they tumbled, not breathless,
for they all talked at once, and fell into
seat across the aisle
who would have supposed that clock
was slow?' painted the woman. why,
thought had plenty of time"
ma, | want u drink" remarked the
fat boy emphatically.
For mercy's sake, be still and let
me ketch my breath! We haven't our
| jackets, an Johnny's collar an necktie
lynn on the table! Mercy, amt 1t
lucky heard the train whistle! But
to think that clock was sloww
Alice was taking a ridiculous interest
In these people. They had come in at
crucial moment, and was not
pleased.
Poor tired thingsw murmured Alice.
''They will be cold without their
wrapsl"
''They ought to be coldr' growled.
why didn't they start in timer
''Why, the clock was slow. How
could they help 1t II they didn't know