The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-10-15

leaning back comfortably as though
he came to stay.
"I'm very busy" said Lydia, picking
up her pen. "If you are going to stay,
do be still. You're shaking the table"
Lydia" said Woodruff critically,
you aren't a bit good looking when
you frown."
Lydia rose and faced Woodruff with
her head thrown back and an angry
flush on her cheeks.
Freddy" she said, 81 told you dis
tinctly yesterday that should not be
at home this morning"
"But you are" said Woodruff
''I'm not home to you or any one"
well, honestly, l did not intend to
come. l started out with the deter
mination Of going to the club. was
certainly headed in that direction, but
the next thing knew-here l was at
your door. So 1 thought I'd come in
and rest"
"Idiotr' was Lydia's rude reply.
II know. 1 have sort of formed the
habit of idiocy since I have known
you, and 1t is hard to break"
IF you are tired" said Lydia, "you
may stay In here and rest will take
my work into the sitting room Make
thoroughly comfortable. 1 will
see that you are not disturbed, and
you can get good rest"
But don't go now. l want to tell
YOU
Nov, Freddie, you're not
''No, Pm not going to propose to you,
on my honor. You know you told me
yesterday If 1 ever proposed again you
would accept me-"
$50 l did," said Lydia gravely.
well. then, what is itY
''It's-it's a plot, q fine plot for a
story. Aren't you out of ideas"
NO." Indignantly, "and If l were l
wouldn't deprive you of yours"
+Oh, well, I don't mind furnishing
you with few when your stock is
low. Always give of your little gen
erously to those who have none, say IT,
Lydia put her hand on the knob and
opened the door with determination.
"Oh, pleaser' Freddy was holding
the knob and her hand and looking
down at her entreatingly "Just give
me fifteen minutes. You won't miss
it."
Lydia released the knob and drew
her hand away with a little jerk.
IF were man." she said, staring
at the ceiling, I'D be a man. !
wouldn't spend my time aimlessly frit-
tering around and getting in the way
of people who have some object In
life. l wouldn't
IF were woman said Woodruff
staring at the carpet, 81 would be ami
able and gentle and eonsiderate of 9th.
er peoples feelings, especially if had
broken their hearts several times, and
l wouldn't be rude enough
Lydia sat down at the table in DIES.
peration.
"What is your plot, Freddy? Give ii
to me, and will take it down in short
hand"
That's dear girl"
Hurry up"
"Well, it's about man and a girl
you know"
"a man and a GIRL" scribbling
Starts off splendidly, Freddy-so orig
inal."
'@The man was awfully in love with
the girl, you know, and all that"
yes? This is really quite out OF
the ordinary"
Eyes, isn't 1t? But the man was moi
very much of fellow. He was not q
confirmed reprobate. He had never
swindled any one He was not a liar
and he was counted honest and
straightforward among men. But he
had never accomplished anything in
the world, for the simple reason that
he was an indolent fellow who had
never had the whip of necessity tC
urge him to endeavor of any kind. His
forbears had left him well off In world
ly goods. His mother, his only living
relative, spent the greater part of hel
time In society, and he, partly from 6
sense of duty and partly because ht
hadn't anything else to do, went about
with her. His winters he spent mostly
In New York and his summers on his
yacht Men called him a good fellow
and women had always smiled on hin
OR bis money. Perhaps that was the
reason at three and thirty his hear
was only little battered and was still
In his own possession. 1t was theI
that he met a girl
''The girl?" interrupted Lydia.
yes, the girl. She was differen
from the women he had known. Shi
was not so beautiful perhaps as some
but to him she was the most beautiful
woman in the wide world-a woman t,
do great deeds for. like some knigh
errant of old, for his ladye faire. Blu
this man, living in this prosaic TWEEN
tieth century, could find no way tt
prove himself, but If there had beer
anything, any task she would have set
he would gladly have given the bes
that was In him to win from her ;
word of commentator. He did no
lare at first to hope for her love. Al
be came to know her better he begal
to see how wide gulf stretched be
tween them. He began to realize how
he must strive to be worthy even to b.
called her friend. He tried to shake of
the old lethargy that bound him, tn
old precedents and customs that hat
nodded his life, to long for something
higher, nobler, more worthy of her.
Zone night he sat at his window
smoking and thinking Of her. AS b
looked up into the starlit sky he fel
into dream.
"He thought that he stood at the foo
Of high mountain, the sides of whicl
were steep and rugged. He though
that he began to climb, but always h
slipped backward into the darkness
and he seemed to make no progress ur
til through the gloom star began t
glimmer, shedding its bright light be
fore him. Following this bright, stead
radiance, he began to make some head
way. Step by step surer and sure
his footing became, and the star shon
brighter and brighter. When he ha
almost reached the top of the mour
tain it became so steep he would hav
slipped and fallen, when, 10, he felt
touch upon his hand, and a princes
stood beside him, the princess Of th
star, and she led him up to the yer
top"
Have you written itY'
yes"
Don't you think you could work
into Q storyf"