The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-02-09

QuESllOA 1Ol A1AIl. DJ 0OAA AeOSCAcJ
he added, 81 think I'll do it for him!
I've a maiden aunt back east who's
been crazy to get married for more
years than I've lived Her names
Adora DERRICK, and she must be about
sixty now
"She's got a little money, and she
may think that he's marrying her for
that, but she'll take him. Wen carry
along the game until we've proposed
for him, and then well let Ben get
the answer or else wen bring the old
lady on and let him fight it out with
her."
"That would be great" declared
Henders approvingly. Let her walk
right up to him and put her arms
around his neck and say 'Darlingr I'll
bet that will scare him into talking"
an be one to help pay the old lady's
travelling expenses on this here excur-
sion," broke in Denver Bill, who dealt
bank what will it costf"
"Say $780," suggested Coven as he
took off his hat and threw In $50 In
a few minutes more than the needed
sum had been realized, and, calling for
pens and paper, Covell wrote the first
letter, while tho rest of the crowd
looked on.
Betterley was not disliked In Bal
moral, but his taciturn ways and his
refusal to make one of the crowd that
nightly thronged the Brindle Pup
marked him a man apart from the rest.
Hence the crowd was willing to pay
for the pleasure of seeing his amaze
ment when his undesirable bride elect
should appear.
Unmindful of all postal regulations,
the postmaster agreed to let Coyell
have the letters addressed to Dan Bet
terley should any come from the little
New England town where Miss Adora
Dedrick lived. Presently 1t came,
heavy letter in which Miss DERRICK ex-
pressed a willingness to correspond
with a man so well recommended by
Cousin Covell.
81 guess she's forgotten you, COL
suggested TENDERS when this line was
reached but Covell merely grinned ap-
preciAtively and continued to read.
There was little to laugh at in the
letter. Indeed, more than one in the
crowd wished there was some one
back east who would write letters like
that to him, but Covell's vivid descrip-
ton Of Miss Dedrick's overripe charms
and the thought of what Dan would
say when she arrived kept the joke
alive during the correspondence that
eoJl NH Mfccs Tlndr@iaE
wrote that she was sending her pic
ture and the accompanying photo
graph proved to be that of a comely
girl scarcely out of her teens Covell
rolled on the floor In his delight.
cousin Adora was that old before
they knew how to take pictures" he
insisted ''She must have begged this
of photographer. | think that it's
time to spring the joke now Wen
send her the money to come on with
and ask her to start at once. Dan will
see this picture, and when Cousin
Adora comes l reckon he'll be some
surprised"
Covell laboriously indited a lengthy
letter, In which he declared Dams in
ability to wait longer for his bride and
begging her to come west at once
A few days later a telegram tele-
phoned from the railroad town to
camp announced her start, and when
they had learned the sense Of the
message the plotters allowed it to be
delivered while at the same time Miss
Adora's last letter and her picture. in
closed In the original letter, were
placed back In the postoffice and de-
livered to Dan that evening
The Brincle Pup kept open until 4
O'Clock in the morning that the earli-
est news might be learned. but Dan
gave no sign that he was disturbed.
A scout reported that his shack was
In darkness.
Il don't think I'd lose sleep N.Y.
self" admitted Henders with regret.
81 suppose 1t took him rather sudden
that some ones done his counting for
him, but he's willing to make good for
his unknown friend with the original
Of that photograph"
swat until he sees what he draws"
caminded Covell Hell go some shy
Of sleep when Cousin Adora gets after
him with all those letters. She'll new
er believe that he didn't write them
The thought cheered the disappoint-
ed ones, and even when Dan went
quietly to his claim on the morrow
and did not even ask the postmaster
about the letter they chuckled as they
thought of the awakening that was In
store for him.
Every man In the camp was on
nano wnen the stage came over from
Buxton three days later.
Far down the trail the driver waved
his hat three times as signal that
the bride had arrived, and they were
all lined up about the front OF the
hotel where they could watch Ben and
his sister without being so near that
he might suspect something
There was a tense moment when
the yelled figure descended from the
interior of the stage, but murmur OF
disappointment followed when it was
seen that heavy automobile veil was
impenetrable.
Dan came forward. and the arrival
turned to him. He led her up to his
sister. and the three climbed into the
Betterley blackboard and were or to
Dams shack before the camp fairly
realized that 1t was being robbed OF
its fun.
"It's going to be curious when she
takes off that there VEIL" said Hen
ders. with sigh, "but it's darned
mean that we can't declare in on the
deal. | sort Of feel that I've been
cheated
Same here" chim6d another voice
and. though CoveIl urged that there
still would be plenty Of fun, he was
decidedly unpopular for the moment.
In an effort to change the humor OF
the crowd he invited them over TO the
Brindle Pup. and they were still hav-
ing drinks at his expense when Dan
Bettcrley strobe in and drew Covell |
to ore side
Look here,' he said quietly. but |
with ring of determination In his |
voice. "Dora has been asking for 'Cous- |
in CoveH.' and suppose that means
you. If # does, you are at the bot
tom of this trick. want to know
what It MI means"
at was sort of joke" explained /
Covell, who did not appear to be
greatly ENJOYING the Joke" Some
of the boys thought that you ought +
to be married, SOS Julie could marry
Howard Wetton, and l remembered
that l had a Cousin Adora back east
Id frVl
the last fifty years, SO | thought I'd I
10 fh. -I,DI lo4 1p ordT---