The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-10-19

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orchard and climb tree, but she had
only started when she changed direc-
lions and wandered down the country
highway without definite aim or OBJ
ject In view except to have her pout
out. She had a stick in her hand as
she walked, and the thistles and may
weeds lost their heads as she came
within striking distance.
There are girls who look horrid when
they pout and wish they had never
been born, but Susie Cline was not
one of them.
Half mile down the road stood
what was called the old bachelors
place. The five acres and cottage were
the property of Mr.. Wayne Ashley.
twenty-five and unmarried. He lived
in the city in the winter and in his
country retreat in summer. He was
called a recluse. and there was story
to the effect that he had loved and lost
and was the enemy of all womankind
Had Mr.. Ashley chosen to explain to
the country folks he would have told
them that certain flowers and vege-
tables were fads Of his and he was
out there to grow them and commu-
nicate results to certain horticultural
and agricultural societies. In fact, he
was the partner of leading florist in
the city, though his name and money
were hidden under that of Go" No
woman had ever broken his heart or
smashed his idols.
Miss Cline and Mr.. Ashley had never
met. II she referred to him it was as
a poke" He didn't refer to her al
all. AS the girl reached his place OIL
this day her chin was in the air. Had
she belonged to the other sex it would
have been said that she had chip Oh
her shoulder.
In the ''poke's" front yard grew
blue hollyhock. the result of one OF
his experiments. Miss Susie opened
the gate and walked in for a closer
look. Seeing no one about, she walked
to the rear of the house to look at the
vegetable garden. A feeling of def
ance was mingled with her pouting
Any other day she would not have
dared to open the gate. On this da.
she was ready to defy the old bach
elor.
"U-r-r-r-r! Bark, barkI'
Miss Susie looked to her left, to
see a big watchdog coming for her
through the sugar beets. Ten feet
away was a small tool house, with tie
door swinging open. Scarcely con-
scious of what she did, the girl made
two or three jumps, reached the shell
ter and pulled the door to. Five sec
onds later the dog was leaping against
it and uttering growls to chill her
blood. She had just begun to beg and
plead with the dog to go away and let
her get back to the highway when
she heard voice saying:
Good dog, Dick! Hold him there:
It's dollars to cents that you've got
tramp for prisonerP'
Miss Susie wanted to cry out that
she was no tramp. but only girl who
had come out to pout; but she could
not get the words out The chip fell
from her shoulder and her teeth chat
tered.
"Come out of that, you trampw call
ed the mans voice after hushing the
dog
ooh, you won't, eh? Well. Wen see
about that. Watch him. Dick!'
The place was provided with wind
mill and water tank and garden hose.
l mere was a small unglazed window
six feet from the ground in the end
of the tool house. The poke" attached
the hose, turned on the water and
thrust the nozzle through the opening.
Susie screamed wildly. If it was
tramp in there he had falsetto voice.
The hose was pulled away. the door
opened, and there
Susie had sunk down in a heap-a
limp, wet heap.
Great Scott! But what is it?'' he
exclaimed as he stood there holding
open the door.
"Its-it's mer' came family after
moment regardless Of grammar.
why, Miss Miss-but didn't know
you were in here! l thought it was
tramp or a cat. | shall never forgive
myself. Why didn't you callout? AL
low me, please"
Perhaps a girl crouching down In
toolshed with her arms over her head
is more handsome object than girl
standing outside after having had
dozen barrels of water swished over
her. The peach basket hat-the linen
dress-the chin that had been In the
air--where had all the jauntiness dis
appeared to? And in addition to all
the other wetness, tears were rolling
down the girls cheeks over her hu-
initiation.
$50 sorry-so sorry" the man kept
repeating. "You-you are Miss Cline.
I think? / am Mr.. Ashley. wouldn't
have had it happen for thousands OF
dollarsy'
All of a sudden Miss Susie dashed
the tears from her eyes and began to
laugh. Her pout was over with. and
her sunshiny nature had asserted it
self. And Mr. Ashley laughed She
was laughing over the situation, and
he was laughing because she laughed.
II am a trespasser. and have been