The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-04-13

nights in succession in the foolish hope
that be might come? She set the tea
kettle on, stirred the fire and went up
stairs
In the second drawer of the bureau
lay the pink albatross waist folded In
white tissue paper and sprinkled with
rose leaves gathered the summer be-
fore from the La France rosebush that
grew in the yard.
She had worn it four times vainly
and twice not in vain-those two pre-
cious evenings when he had really
come. She would not put 1t on tonight,
no matter what her mother said. She
could not bear to sit another evening
in it waiting and listening to every
football with hope and longing and ul-
innate despair.
A sob burst from her, and she flung
herself upon the bed, with her hands
over her face. But she did not cry.
She dared not. 1t would not do Tor
her mother to see her tears or to sus-
pect that she cared poignantly.
Why could not her mother see that
he would not come again and cease
torturing her with expectations? Her
little first romance was over almost
before it had begun, and in her heart
she knew what had ended it.
1t shamed her to think of it; but, aft
er all, she could not blame him. And
she could not blame her mother either
foolishly ignorant of the ruin she had
wrought
Dena was twenty-four years old,
and she had never had lover. For
six years she had taught steadily with
out anything happening. and she was
growing very tired when he came. He
was the son of the people with whom
she boarded, and he had been away
long time.
Dena liked him instinctively. She
FAD never seen any one she liked so
well-so strong and thoroughly SELF
reliant he looked in the week that was
left to her before her school closed.
They became good friends, and he told
her when she went away that he
would come TO see her.
The doctor told Dena when she went
home that she must rest for the re-
mainder of the winter. Her mother
grumbled openly. She did not like to
see the girl idle, but she became recon
ciled to it when she discovered that
Dena had an admirer.
1t was her belief that every girl
should marry before she was twenty
five, and in Dena's case there was lit
tie time to lose She set about hurry
ing up this possible match.
The first evening. Nick came it was
she and not Dena who entertained
him. Her nimble tongue scarcely
paused. She gave him Dena's exact
history from her first tooth to that
day. Dena sat by and heard with
Nick In an embarrassment of silence
that she could hardly have broken had
she been permitted.
Never had her mother been so volu-
BILE with that destructive volubility
which wearies and sickens. At inter
walls she glanced at Nick's puzzled
amused face and clasped her hands
harder to keep from crying out.
All that week her mother discussed
her prospects and gave the advice her
own experiences warranted. Once Dens
cried in agony, But can't you see that
he may not even think Of marrying
mel" and fell thereafter into fearful
silence.
But the following Saturday evening
he came again. and again Mrs. Naugh-
ton sat In the room and talked every
minute. Nick and Dena parted with
out having said half dozen words Il
each other.
But this time Nick looked neither
puzzled nor amused. His eyes mar
rowed speculatively as he watched
Mrs. Naughton.
When at last he went away Dena
knew to a certainty that he YOU'D