The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-02-19

What In the world a woman like her,
with money and property and the
world at her feet, would want with a
poor struggling minister can't con-
ceive. But had heard so much of her
and the people so evidently had set
their minds on it, l tell you was in a
regular funk over 1t. 1t drove me to
put my timid hopes to the test for you,
sweetheart"
There was peculiar smile lowering
around Mrs. Morris lips, and for a
minute or two she said nothing.
"What is 1t, dear?" asked the minis
ter anxiously "You are not vexed, are
your
"N-no," hesitatingly, mot exactly,
but l am just thinking how beautifully
you have played into your congrega-
tons hands, for, do you know, Calvin,
you have really and truly married that
domineering person, Miss Nell"
Married Miss Nellr" repeated the
minister blankly, staring at his wife's
flushed, laughing face
Eyes, truly. l am Helen Gilbert At
water, called Miss Nell at the old home
in Littleton. Listen, dear. l had no
thought of deceiving you at first. did
not know you were in the church at
Littleton till we reached New York on
our voyage home. You know we were
pretty well acquainted then, but L
neither of US knew our own heart [
often intended to tell you in letter,
but somehow l couldn't | felt that IL
you knew 1t might make difference.
You were poor, comparatively. | had
all that money and property. And
and / loved you, dear, too much then
to have you leave me.
Then at the end you took me by
storm. 1 have been too happy to talk
of anything like that. and I had been
waiting till you would say something
of your work to tell you all about my
self"
But, my dear, why Atwater? 1t
was always Miss Nell Gilbert" The
minister was still bewildered.
Yes, my aunt did not like my father,
the man whom her young sister mar
ried, and never mentioned his name.
81 was always called Gilbert at
for discarding my name. There are
plenty of people in LittIetOn who know
my real name, but never used it, for
was but a baby when 1 went to live
with my aunt after my fathers death
Really, dear, you needn't be alarmed
l am not half as bad as I was painted
l won't try to run the church or man
age the organist or-or"-
"Or any one except the minister"
finished her husband. "Well, the sur
prise is certainly on me, but / must get
even with those people some way"
The news of the minister's marriage
spread like wildfire through the town.
He had sent a laconic message to one
of his church officers to the effect that
he had been married in Boston and
would occupy his pulpit the following
Sunday. That was all Married, after
all, and none of his congregation knew
a word about it, Who was she? No
body knew. Conjecture was rife on
every point and one version after an
other of the story of his wedding found
quick credence. Some of the older
members Of his flock were thunder
struck. To think that Mr. Morris should
trick them like that and be engaged all
the time. They had just set their
hearts on his marrying Miss Nell"
whom everybody knew and loved.
They were accustomed to Miss Nell"
and her ways. But stranger to steal
their beloved minister!
All week long the tongues wagged
necessarily over the minister and his
bride, but at Saturday midnight no one
had seen either of them. The church
was packed Sunday morning. The bells
had ceased ringing, and only a few late
corners saw the Gilbert carriage drive
up to the door and the minister and
lady alight from 1t.
Straight up the middle aisle he led
her, sweet and demure looking, while
the organ played softly and the silence
Of the church could be felt At the Gil
bert pew he left her, and the congrega-
ton had good view of the sweet face
framed in the masses of soft brown
hair. Mrs. Thorpe almost jumped out
of her seat. 1t was none other than
Miss Nell" Glance followed glance
all over the church. The minister GER
tainly had surprised his congrega ton.