The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-05-07
,ives M V-o71 Tne 1rsT T77T1-

craved beauty above everything. Be
sides, there was Amelia Ware but he
dared not let himself think of her
Since they could not marry he meant
to marry this Josefa 1t made him
laugh only to think of her saying NO
to him. How could she when she knew
nobody else save a few awkward coun-
try fellows?
Imagine his state of mind when Jo-
sefa did say mo" the first time, the
second, the third, and each time more
and more as though she meant it, Aft
er the third rejection he went to Mrs.
Dalton She laughed a laugh of in
dulgent pride when he had finished, but
said emphatically: Il don't blame Josey
NOT a bit. You've got the name of
being a dreadful fiirt Whether or no
you deserve it / am not saying. Other
folks are saying Judge Wares girl is
crying her eyes out about you and she
isn't the only one. but that doesn't mat
ter I'll go over and stay all night
with Cousin Anne tomorrow. You come
out the next day think you'n lind
things changed q bit"
Woman disposes; man proposes;
sometimes fate lntervenes, Josefa
stood with fate IN this particular wreS.
tie. She said No again and IN way
that told Jack Melvin al least the
game was up. But Mrs. Dalton held ON
stoutly to her plan. Cousin Anne had
fallen in with il ardently For all her
thrift she had whole lot of family
pride. Moreover. she wanted Josefa TO
get the Dalton money. So she joined
forces with her cousin. and between
them they gave the prospective heiress
small peace.
Obstlnacy. pure and simple-that was
what allied Josefa. So said her two
elders in conclave. There could not
possibly be anybody in Melvin's way
! Josefa had been sent to school, the
strictest possible boarding school, when
she was barely thirteen. Since she
came back from it none of the young
sters roundabout had done more than
| speak civilly to her. Not one had so
much as come to the house, except
| Clayton Trigg, who was a faroff cous-
| in and had come to buy yearlings and
fat lambs. In virtue equalf% of his
kinship and sudden shower he had
lstayed to dinner and after it had shak-
en-, hands cordially with both the ladies
n N ~ house. All he had said to Josefa
81 that if she happened to be at the
= county fair next fall he hoped she
would look at his saddle horses, Mug
gins and Mill Boy, as he was sure they
would win the blue ribbon.
| At fair time, with Josefa still obdu-
rate, Mrs. Clayton had doubts as to GO
ing, but Mrs. Dalton overruled the
| doubts. Thus the three went together
In the Dalton barouche, and for the
best part of the day Josefa was handed
| over to Melvin. Just how she managed
it she never knew, but toward o'clock
| she slipped away from him and lost
herself In the crowd. 1t was deli
| cious sensation. All the late summer
she had been telling herself she would
run away if she had chance, but how
could she when she had not so much
| as a dollar of her own? She almost ran
| until she came to the farther side of
the amphitheater. At the foot of the
| stairway she found herself stopped,
her hand strongly gripped and frank,
sunburned face, with honest blue eyes,
smiling down at her, but flushing in
spite of its sunburn.
Mrs. Dalton was off with a knot Of
the daughters. Mrs. Clayton stood rapt
in contemplation of prize patchwork
Each believed Josefa safe with the
other; also that Melvin was further
guard. Therefore they smiled amiably
when the ringmaster shouted that
there was new feature, wedding in
the exhibit of Scrollsaw, Varnish s.
Co, the enterprising furnishing men.
A popular young couple had agreed to
be married in the parlor arranged by
the firm, who meant to show their ap-
probation by making the newly wed q
present of the suit. Mrs. Dalton said
to her next neighbor: "Oh, reckon it's
somebody from the back country 1t
must be. Only pumpkins and their
sweethearts still tolerate parlor suits"
The neighbor nodded, but added:
Lets go and see. l come to fairs
mostly to see that sort of people. They
are sociological exhibits, you know
better worth while than anything in
| the ring"
"Do you think so? Then let's hurry"
Mrs. Dalton agreed, but somehow in
spite of hurrying their progress was
slow. They came close enough at last
to hear without seeing. After the ben
ediction the crowd drew its breath,
and women in it whispered: "Why, did
you everl The girl looks radiant and
| quite the lady. And the fellow didn't
kiss her, although the squire babe him
| do it,
Here they conner said others, fall
ing apart to make way. Mrs. Clayton
had somehow met them-Melvin was
across the way, with Amelia Ware. her
eyes downcast, clinging to his arm.
Between them, bright eyed head up,
walked Mr.. and Mrs. Clayton Trigg.
| Josefa went straight to her mother.
saying demurely, but with the least
hard drawn breath: Were going on
little trip, mother, but it won't be ex-
travagant The money for the parlor
suit-we sold it before we earned it,
Will more than pay expenses. You
stay with Aunt Ria, please, till we get
| back
"And then we're going to take care
Of you always" Clayton Trigg inter
rupted
Mrs. Dalton was too stunned to
speak, but Mrs. Clayton said composed
ly: well, Joe, l suppose you had to
follow your nose. The Morrises al