The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-07-13

f'@>~ $500
hurry? Why, we have been gone only
two months, and before that he was
always hanging round after you"
She fairly sputtered in her excite
ment, but a glance at her daughters
face Gained her. It wore the look of
one stunned by the shock Of sudden
blow
"Of course" she went on more quiet
ly, sit may have been going on for a
long time. Maud is not pretty" with
an admiring gaze at her own daughter,
"but she is kind and pleasant. He
might have done worse"
Connie had started to her feet
Eyes, he might have done worse"
she echoed. But shall write him a
note tonight and scold him for not
having told me before-me, whom he
called his best friend. Now, mother, If
you are determined not to see any
thing more today you can easily find
your way home. will follow out the
program alone" And, picking up her
guidebooks, she hurried Off.
Mrs. Curwin gazed after her with
growing anxiety. Did Connie really
care?
Meanwhile the trim little figure was
hurrying down long aisle. Her eyes
passed over kaleidoscope succession
of objects that somehow failed to
make any impression on her brain.
The exposition roared and flashed
around her, and In her mind one train
of thoughts kept repeating with hor-
rible persistency.
Jim engaged-her Jim! Yes, he had
been her Jim, she said almost savage
ly; had been her best friend for ever
so long. She had been coquettish and
hirted with the other boys but he had
known all along, she felt sure. Had
he only been flirting with her? No,
no! But here he was, engaged to an
other girl! And then the whole mis-
sfable circuit began once more.
She came home to the pension so
white and weary that her mother was
alarmed, but she pleaded fatigue and
went OF to bed like tired child.
Poor Mrs Curwin was much PEI
picked in the days that followed. Con-
ME seemed the usual Connie, but what
had inspired the girl with this insane
notion Of staying in Paris to study
artf She argued and scolded, but all
in vain. Connie was young person
of a determined mind, and on this
subject she was more than usually de-
termined. Her mother finally resigned
herself to the prospect Of being an ex-
lie from her beloved native land, for, OF
course, where Connie stayed she had
to stay, too, until Connie wearied OF
this latest within. Mrs. CurWin de-
voutly hoped that it would be soon.
However. there was one alienation
for her misery. Connie seemed to have
lost her enthusiasm over doing the ex-
position. She spent her time investi-
eating art schools and studios, leaving
her mother to plunge into all the de-
lights of shopping, of which the good
woman did not soon tire. To be sure,
Connie might have shown a little more
interest in her purchases. 1t was all
very well to say that as an art student
she would need few clothes. Mrs. Cur
win knew better. Connie had always
been fond Of clothes, and some day she
would wake up from her art dreams
and find that her wardrobe was bare.
But her daughters Indifference ito
her real interests" did not prevent
Mrs. Curwin from entering eagerly
into all her plans for the studio. II
only they had brought some Of their
home furniture with theml Connie
tried to explain patiently how out Of
place the heavy, elegantly upholstered
pieces would be In a studio and how
much more delightful 1t would be to
pick up the necessary things one at a
time In the various curio shops. This
last idea was balm to her mothers
rudied feelings. 1t offered such In
finite possibilities for shopping.