The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-03-30

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Old Captain Blandtng had two alb
sorbing passions IN life-his love for
cards and bis love for his daughter
That's.
1t was wonderful how many young
men were willing to pass their even
ings at the captains house playing
with him. He was a wary old oppo-
nent and all but invincible.
The young men came by twos and
threes in their best tailor made suits,
with posies in their buttonholes. Often
they brought offerings to the captains
daughter.
That's accepted the gifts and the too
evident good WIN indifrerently. Some
times when fourth hand was needed
at whist she lent her aid. Otherwise
she betook herself to the parior and
practiced as diligently as If there was
not a man in the house.
Aunt Lefty, Captain Blandings wild
owed sister, kept house for him and
mothered his otherwise motherless
daughter. She was a gentle soul,
large hearted and small minded, who
made the best doughnuts in town. By
the aid of her smiles and her cakes
she encouraged eligible men to fire.
Quent the captains house, hoping that
some one Of them would prove ac-
ceptable to That's.
That's name had been given her be-
cause of an early fondness of her ia
Their for Greek literature That's, de-
spite her name, did not lean toward
scholarly achievement. She was a
butterfly, very beautiful to look a
and very difficult to catch.
She had read little poetry and very
many romances where the heroines
were all beautiful like herself and the
heroes proved their devotion by as
founding deeds of valor These men,
who sat evening after evening with
bits of red and black pasteboard be-
tween them. evidently lacked every
heroic quality.
When one by one these timid adorers
laid his heart at her feet she promptly
trampled upon it and sent him away
smarting.
When after few evenings he did
not again appear the old captain would
wonder mildly what kept him away
Sometimes he asked the victim and re-
ceived q stammered excuse.
BY the time the young mans place
at the card table was filed the captain
had ceased to remember him.
1t was Sheldon King who brought
Billy Smith to the house for the first
time Billy was a newcomer In Ken
sington and wholly unacQuainted. He
was a little fellow with hair Of no
particular shade of brown, square
plain face and blue eyes behind
glasses. He had no stories to tell, no
jokes to raise laugh, and he had
never handled cards before In his life.
1t took him the entire evening to
learn to play pedro, but he applied his
mind to 1t with a will, and when he
went away the captain slapped him
OH Tie 6uOuluGI anu lO10 LAA14 AC UO0A0
make player if he kept at 1t. The
captain always said that to the de-
feated, who sometimes chewed their
lips over 1t bitterly.
The capita in conceived a great liking
for Billy, and they spent many even
ings together. BY spring Billy had
learned all the games the captain knew
and could even beat him at some Of
them.
He came obviously for the captains
sake alone, for he brought no offer
ings to That's. He had his own way
to make and an invalid sister to main
tain at an expensive sanitarium. This
much he told the captain and was for
ever after silent about his affairs.
Sheldon King presently, having had
his wings badly singed at the candle
Of That's indifference, ceased to be
seen at the captains card table. Bu-
Billy came unfailingly. The captain
was delighted with him.
Here at last was man who did not
play to ones humor, who beat one IN
mercifully If he could or was beaten
without showing the white feather.
The second winter Billy's sister died.
He stayed away two months, and the
captain openly fretted for him. Then
one evening Billy appeared with Do1
of the captains favorite cigars. The
captain fairly wept for Joy at sight OF
him and shook his hand twenty times.
he called That's to see who had come
That's came, startled by the clamor ana
a little disguised when she found only
Billy. She gave him cool little hano
and a cool little smile and cool little
phrase Of welcome, then returned TO
the piano and Chaminade. She did not
understand Billy, who brought cigars
to her father instead Of bonbons to her.
Two years went by. The circle about
the captains card table had changed
many times and had dwindled to al
occasional widower, silly Tom Pke
and Billy. One by one the other young
men had mended their hearts and OF
fered them good as new elsewhere.
The votive offerings that now came
to That's shrine were far less frequent.
Billy brought her nothing at all, but 1t
was wonderful how many little things
he found to present the captain with.
He even gave Aunt Lefty beautiful
crochet hook with a chased gold han
die.
More years passed and more slowly
ror That's Chaminade had ceased to
charm her, and she missed the excite
ment of past alteration. Mr.. Sweet
had gone away, and Tom Pike, in de-
spair of winning That's, had married a
woman easier to WOO. There were no
new lovers Forthcoming, for That's was
now generally labeled dangerous. More
over she had ceased to be the beauty
of the time.
She had reached a very trying period
of her life, being too old to go In tht
young set, too young to go In the ole
set and prohibited by reason OF hel
maidenhood from the married set
Her dreams did not, as In the past
satisfy her. Her hero, the ideal Of he
imaginings, had not come. She believ
| ed now he never would come. She be
gan to sigh when she looked in thu
glass. Sometimes she saw hersel
quite old, sitting at table pouring tel
for Aunt Lefty or playing cards will
her father and having no interest u
life beyond these two daily duties.
That's ideas of life were changing
She discovered that Billy Smith had
good forehead and mouth and that hi
hair looked better with CLEANS OF gra.
in it.
/ Billy still came to the house as IN
failingly as ever. He was almost tn
only single man who did come. On
consciously almost she began to lool