The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-06-05


GIRL or THE PICTUR1
which clearly was not from the San
Francisco firms with which he had
business dealings.
Culver laughed so heartily when he
had read him the drst few paragraphs
that he had become silent, and he
would read no more, dsyouring. the
contents, while Culver chucklsd over
the girlish letter the elderly spinstsr
had indited. 1t was more like the let-
ter Of schoolgirl than Of a woman
OF forty.
1t was q giriish letter, II not school
girlish, full Of excuses and explana-
lions that the writer had been tempted
to answer because Of the sincerity Of
the communication and Culver's rec
concentrations. Culver reflected that
1t had been capital letter and won
dered how long he should let 1t run on
before he should disillusIonizs Narbsl
with a prose portrait Of Miss Lucy az
he remembered her
Before he decided to stop the fun q
photograph arrived, a picture Of q
young girl with frank, honest eyes and
q face that won even Cuiver's admiFR-
ton. though he shouted In his gise az
he recalled Miss Lucy. with her prim
ways and angular features.
He had Intended to give the hoax
away, but this was too good to be
abandoned, and he listened with q
smile to Narbel's rhapsodies, until one
night Blake shocked him with the an
nouncement that Miss Mears had con-
sented to marry him and that he was
going east to get her.
AS gently as he could Culver ex-
planned the deception and sought to
dissuade his friend, but Narbel would
have none Of 1t. 1T may be az you
say" he agreed coldly. But my word
is passed and am going east, to keep
it."
"But she's forty II she's a day"
pleaded Culver. Surely. Blake. you
don't want to marry n woman seven
years older than yourself"
u shan't have any woman saying
that / broke faith,'' he said soberly.
1.-THE train from the mines 10 going
down tomorrow. / shall go with it."
He was as good as his word. When
| the train toiled back across the sandy
wastes the foreman declared that he
had seen Narbel board the eastbound
| limited, and Culver gave up his time
to fixing up the house.
There was little to do In the orchard
The plants would not bear before the
following year, by which time tnars
and they could ship the fruit Mean
while all he had to do was to see tAat
the trees were irrigated and that no
stray cattle got In. 1t was easy
enough, with the help Of the men, to
| set up a shack for himself and leave
the old house for Narbei and his bride.
He even had time to ride over and
tell the men at the mine Of the Joke.
and when at last word came over their
wire that the pair was due to come out
with the train they all gathered at the
ranch to welcome the new Mrs. Esrbsl.
They rode out to meet the dust cloud
which marked the track Of the long
line of wagons across the alkali. but
the figure In the buggy beside Narbel
was 30 swathed in duster and wells
that NO hint Of her appearance could
be gained, and the men, with many
a nudge and smile. fell In bshind and
rode along,
They all turned in At tbs ranch Uata,
but Narbel swung his wife out Of tia
buggy and took her into the house.
MRS. Narbei VIII be siad to NEST yss
when she has had q Chance Do tidy
up" he said, with q grave tAsA bat
she wants the dust 90 Axses