The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-08-24
MAJOR GRAHAM
AND OTHERS.
A Conspiracy That Resulted In
Complete Success.
BY CLAY ARMSTRONG.

years. Ills uduSAtcE NSl1c was AAAC-
teen years old.
The major realized that he was
growing old, but when it came to the
daughter he continued to regard her
as a child Even when she got into
long dresses he would not have been
a bit surprised to find her walking the
on the limb of a cherry tree. She had
been away at school; she had returned;
he knew that she went to parties, and
he saw young men about the house,
but he seemed to be in dream about
her age. In his thoughts she had not
passed the rag doll stage yet.
Major Graham was enjoying his
cigar on the veranda one evening and
listening to Nellies chatter in an abb
strated way when that young woman
made sudden dive into the house and
young man came up the path and
took the vacated chair. The major
squinted at him and thought he recog-
nized him as young Hurlburt.
A young mans name may be much
or little to the father of the girl he is
in love with. In this case it meant
little until an explanation had been
entered into. Then it meant whole
lot. Young Mr.. Hurlburt loved Miss
Nellie; Miss Nellie loved him. He was
of good family and had some pros
poets; he knew she was an only child
and realized how hard it would be for
the father to give her up, but he would
love, protect and cherish her always.
The major was so shocked that in his
excitement he threw away cigar that
had been only half consumed, a thing
he had not done In battle with the
guns roaring around him.
Just what the man of war said to the
young man Of peace need not be re-
corded here. The gist of it was that
his daughter was still child. young
Hurlburt was only a "kid' and that
he should put his foot down against
any nonsense. Yes, sir, it must be
stopped. Yes, sir, he would tell his
daughter so. Yes, sir, and-Gnd-and
so forth. And the young man took his
departure a human wreck, and Miss
Nellie, who, of course, had heard all
from an open window, sought out her
good aunt and buried her face in the
lap of that individual and moaned out:
"Oh, Aunt Mary, 1 shall die-I know
1 shall diel Father won't let Will and
me get marriedy'
Aunt Mary was not a matchmaker,
but she had rather favored the young
man. She gave what comfort and SYM
pathy she could, and after seeing the
weeping "child" tucked into bed she
sought the father in an attempt to
soften his heart.
The major was wanting some one to
talk to just then, and she got all that
was coming to her. She had been re-
miss, she had been careless, she had
neglected her duties as ehaperon, she
had almost brought a calamity upon
the house of Graham. With her eyes
wide open she had allowed a mere
infant-yes, ma'am, an infant-to fall
in love and engage herself in marriage
to--to-well, to young man.
In vain Aunt Mary tried to exculpate
herself No one had ever talked back
to Major Graham, u. S. A., and got
the best of it, and she failed. He
could utter twenty words to her five.
and the odds were too great, even for
a woman's tongue She retired from
the contest to say to the fearful maiden
in waiting:
.If your father doesn't get over this
and talk sense Tll-Fn'-
you'll do something, Aunty?"
Il don't know what I'll do, but you
wait, Here you are, nineteen years
old, and he's talking as if you were
not out of bibs and high chairs"
There was hope that If Aunt Mary
went around with a serious look on
her face and had little to say and that
If the daughter went about with tears
in her eyes and heaved heartbreaking
signs at intervals the major might
come down off his high horse, but
after three days of it he seemed more
determined than ever. Finally, at the
end of a week, the sister said:
George, if that girl elopes to get
married you will have only yourself
to blame"
$50 children have taken to eloplng,
eh!" he replied in cutting tones.
That night there was a meeting OF
conspirators in Miss Nellie's room.
There were only two conspirators, but
they were enough. The major was
asleep and dreaming of battle as they
planned. There were no more tears,
no more signs. Next morning little
note was sent to young Hurlburt.
That night he disappeared off the face
of the EARTH
That night also good Aunt Mary
was engaged for two hours carrying
bundles and other things up into the
attic; and when morning dawned again
another sudden shock was ready for
Major George Graham, retired. He
was eating his breakfast when his SIS
| ter entered the dining room to an
nounce that Nellie's bed had not been
occupied during the night The ex-
| cIamation made by the major when 9
bullet killed his horse was repeated
on this occasion, and minute later
he was upstairs.
II predicted itP' observed the sister
as she followed at his heels.
'sLook for note" he replied.
81 have looked. The poor child left
none. She felt herself driven from
home by cruel father, and how could
she write"
| Young Hurlburt had just become the
| Junior member Of a law firm in the
! town. Major Graham walked into the
office and demanded information OF bis
whereabouts. He was told that the
| Young man had gone camping lie
went to the depot; he went to the po-
! lice; he telegraphed here and there.
| Then he went home to wait for news
and to say grimly to his sister that,
| while he would 90 everything posi-
HE TO bring his infant back, he
would never, never forgive her. She
had dishonored the name and must
| take the consequences.
The day passed and no news. 1t
was the same with another day. The
major was sorry that he had blurred
as he had. The sister took care TO
keep telling him what cruel father
he was and how much Nellie must
have suffered before taking the step
she had, and by evening of the second
day the old war hero was calling him.
self names.
The scene was the veranda again.
The major was smoking and signing
when young Hurlburt suddenly ap-
peared. He was not shot down In ms