The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-07-09

seldom find that kind begging on the
streets"
They had reached Beth's home by
this time, and, as usual, Howard went
in with her for the afternoon tea Beth
always made by the living room fire.
When they entered the house the sub
| ject was not continued, though they
both felt dissatisfied. Beth busted her
self at the little table silently. There
was an angry light in her eyes. She
resented Towards interference in such
things, and she told herself that How
ard was not quite what she had
thought him.
| Howard was about to go when the
front door opened and shut and Beth's
Uncle John, with whom she had lived
since the death of her parents, came in
and went up the stairs to his room.
Howard settled back into his chair for
he liked Beth's uncle, who was jolly
old man. But Beth looked unaccounta-
bly, nervous, ratified the tea things and
rang the bell for more hot water. She
jumped guilty as an irate voice from
upstairs called, "Bethw
Eyes, uncle, what is it?' she called
back, going to the foot of the stairs.
what have you done with my gray
smoking jacket and those black slip
pers? l can't find them anywhere, and
left them right here on the floor
wish Mary wouldn't have cleaning up
streakS."
Beth darted a queer glance at How
ard and then ran up the stairs. She
spoke so softly that Howard could not
hear what she said, but her uncle's
voice was far reaching, and the young
man listened shamelessly, for he guess
ed what was the matter. Now he
grinned silently to himself as the one
sided conversation went on.
"What the deucew he was fairly
roaring. "That jacket is the only one
look like a peeled onion in that purple
thing, and you know it." There was
silence. Then the voice In somewhat
softer tones went on.
'Well, If you can't rest unless you're
giving things away and my things are
attractive to you, you just make it
point to ask me what 1 can get along
without. Well, then, give me my old
slippers"
Another silence.
do you mean to tell me that you
gave away that pair Of slippers that
I've been breaking in for year and
just got adjusted to my feet? BY
Georgei Who got thoseY
Silence.
"Well, he didn't need them as bad
as do. He couldn't feed my smoking
jacket to starving baby, and those
slippers will fit his sick wife to per-
lection, suppose. What else did you
give him?"
Another silence-then a snort.
There! That's enough! Don't tell
me too much at once! I'm liable to get
mad" When he heard Beth's heel
taps on the stairs Howard strolled to
the farthest window and turned limo
Gently around to speak to Beth as If
nothing had happened. Her face was
red and her eyes wet.
"Uncle's cross tonight" she said air
lily. "I-he acts as If he had lost
| something" She did not speak again,
but began to make fresh tea, and in
| minute or two her uncle appeared In
the doorway. He had on purple silk
jacket and a purple cap stuck jauntily
| over one ear on his bald head.
Look like the shah's butler don't
~ the elder man said as he carefully
lowered his heavy figure into his easy
chair and stuck his feet out before
him. "Your turn will come. You'll live
to see your best shoes tripping down
| the street, and you'll meet your hats
and coats and trousers strolling about
the city until you won't know whether
J you're dreaming or whether there are
two Of you"
| Harvey was little uneasy. He look
ed at Beth and smiled, and she looked
back coldly, thinking that she read Il
told you so" in his face. She disap-
peared when she had given her uncle
his tea and did not come down again
until Howard was gone and dinner
was ready.
The next morning Beth spent in
overhaullng all her clothes, piling into
a great heap on the floor everything
that she did not like or was little
soiled. And on the top she put the
| spring suit that Howard liked so much.
1t was little dirty around the edge Of
the skirt, though that was not why she
added 1t to the pile.
That's mine at any rate" she said
to herself as she gathered the gar
! ments into her arms and carried them
to the basement, where she bestowed
them all upon the new laundress. That
| days work was done, fearing that
Beth would change her mind.
Two days later Howard started up
to Beth's in his car to take her out for
a long drive, as arranged with her
over the phone. What was his amaze
1 ment, therefore, as he drove slowly
through the downtown streets to see
Beth In her gray walking suit and
toque just disappearing around a cor
ner He called to her, but she did not
hear, and the young fellow stopped the
machine With set chin and frightened
lips and hurt eyes he drove slowly on
up the hill and past the house, where
Beth In blue dress waited in the hail.
When she saw Howard whiz by,
never once glancing at the house, she
was first indignant and then angry
And after an hour of deliberation, dur
ing which her wrath increased, she
rang for a messenger and put into his
hands a note and little sealed packet
which contained her ring.
She came down to dinner pale and
wan. Her uncle looked at her sharply
seeing traces Of tears, and decided that
he would act.
"I'm sorry to speak about this
again." he said, clearing his throat,
"but If you must go Summing insist
that you take some escort with YOU
I'll go If Howard will not | was
amazed to see you down there among
the secondhand stores in that part of
town after what l told you the last
time. 1 don't care why you go; 1t Is
not safe nor respectable, either"
Beth was staring at him open eyed.
81 was not down there this afternoon"
she said Indignantly.