The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-01-02

| REMARKED.
purling Of a little stream at our feet
and the tinkle of bells behind us. We
halted on rude bridge.
Halle, dear, let's stay here In the
peace and quiet forever" whispered.
She put her hand OH my arm. Il have
decided that l will marry you, Dan,"
she said softly
"Oh, Hallier' l cried and captured
the little hand. "Oh, Hallfe?'
1--WE been thinking it over since /
said no, and l am sure it needn't inter
fere with my work. l can't bear to go
away and leave you, and you would as
soon live in the east as the west,
wouldn't you, Dan?"
The expression of her face was eager
and sweet and shy all at once, but
frowning. l released her hand and
started on.
you were criticising this town the
other day." began slowly. You said
your uncle owned only half his home
because he has title to only the surface
right, while Mr. Brown owns the min
Ing right. You said that If you owned
a piece of property you should want to
own halfway down to China; that 1t
must be all or nothing with you"
Halle flushed, but made no reply.
1T is so with me. l want you, Hal
lie, but l want all of you-your mind
as well as your beautiful body. If you
are to be my wife you must not give
the Benton Clarion or any other news
paper a mining right to take the gold
of your brightest thoughts away from
me-"
But l am the best girl reporter in
the state. They said So" she protested
with sweet, unconscious egotlsm. 81
can't give up my work, Dan. I love it."
mo one can serve two masters, Hal
lie."
We walked a little while in silence
When turned to assist her up the hill
saw that her eyes We're wet, but she
was brave and proud, was Halle. She
looked up at me, laughing
"Thus endeth the first chapter" she
said mockingly
'Sc be it" answered, holding open
the great gate that she might pass
through
We went through a pear orchard, and
presently we stood among the gray
stone ruins. IN the Enclosure were pine
trees and naples waving their great
leaves mournfully; near the front en-
trance some stones had fallen from out
the wall and among them grew poison
oak; in one corner masses of blooming
catchfy and in the center six dande-
lion stems.
Rich man, poor man, beggar man.
chief doctor, lawyer chanted Hal
lie, bending over them. "Tell my for
tune, dandelions, pray you" She
pulled out her pretty red lips and blew
desperately at each one, but their time
was not yet ended. They refused to be
blown away. Laughing, she went over
to the catchf1y corner and sat down on
a stone.
"Tell me about it, Dan" she COM
manded, beginning to gather the scar
let blossoms.
MANY years ago good deacon own
ed gold mine" began, looking down
at her gloomily, "and in the foolishness
Of his heart he thought the yield would
never grow less. He said: i will not
live in houses like other men. l will
build me castle such as this country
has never beheld' So his workers laid
these foundations and built these walls.
Then one day the deacon went to his
mine, but there was no mora gold. His
castle was never completed; his foun-
tains never splashed In the sunlight
nor did his electric lights ever shine
down on the town below. He died, but
his folly remains. 1t has many appn-
cations. You, Halle, are squandering
the gold of an honest mans love. You
are building for yourself a castle of
fame Beware, lest it crumble in ruins
about your feet"
You are tragic tonight, Dan," she
remarked as she finished her bright
hued crown and placed it on her dark
hair
1.-THE sun is setting" l said, turning
angrily away from her beauty. You
have no business to be working among
men anyway. You are too pretty"
1t was a scornful glance she thraw