The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-07-27
HER TRUE MUSIC.
The Surprise That Came After
} the Lovers Were Engaged.
BY sETrINA MAYHEM.

BY BETTINA MAYHEM.
copyright. 1903. by Associated Literary
Prees.l
'St. James park? Pardon me. Can
you direct me to the Woodson resi-
denceY
The parks thick turf had deadened
the sound Of the steps; hence the two
clerical looking gentlemen had OBJ
served at close range for some time
the girl In the swing before either of
them spoke.
For minute sensitive face, franz
ed by big hat, lifted, and a pair of
glowing black eyes Travelled with slow
elaboration from one to the other be-
fore she replied
''The graystone, first turn to the
left"
Then she resumed her book, the
wide hat dropping SO that the merest
outlines Of chin and neck peeped from
below the edge Of the brim.
"A pretty hat and pretty girl" the
Rev Paul Freyer meditated, ''and a
picture worth remembering"
Two hours later from the landing of
the stairs his eyes fell upon the same
hat, entirely at home on the rack in
the Woodson hall. he knew it in
stantly. By no chance could there be
two such hats. 1t was broad and low
crowned, a mass of white peoples
with dark hearts-one of those articles,
In fact, which proclaim with brazen
tongue the personality of the wearer.
Perhaps the graystone, with its web
of duh green and gay red creepers
and its more than full quota Of hooks,
sunny and conspicuous or unexpected
and shadowy, had something to do
with the Rev. Paul's mood. At any
rate, before he stirred from the land
ing the pretty girl In white, with the
glowing black eyes, had responded to
his imagination by assuming the pro-
portions Of his ideal-a Portia, veri-
table Portia.
Who was she2 The Rev. Paul de-
rived a pleasurable shock from an in
spired guess. Who else, indeed, but
Ada, stepdaughter to his sister, Mrs.
Sara Woodson? Quite distinctly he re-
called forgotten fact. There had been
at the time of the marriage mention
made of child. That, of course, was
years ago. She was now probably well
grown.
He had been in college then, after
ward travelling abroad Returning, he
had Immediately settled into pas
torate that had taxed his powers to
the uttermost and tired his very soul.
Sister and all else outside Of duty had
gone from him with an imperceptible
drift till the day dawned when he was
peremptorily ordered away for rest
He had come protesting, regretting,
and now-what If He laughed softly
and sought his sister.
In the dining room, when he entered,
the pretty girl, prettier than he had
thought, stood with her hand on the
back Of chair at the foot of the table.
my stepdaughter." Mrs. Woodson's
smile was gracious and sweet. ada,
my brother, the Rev. Paul Freyer, and
his assistant, the Rev. Mr.. Condor.
Just think, Ada" she laughed gayly,
Afor the whole Of the summer they
have nothing to do nor thought or
wish but to amuse. That list we were
preparing for our summer reading
"Oh, Saraw Eager and bright the
clear voice f1oated from the foot of the
table. 1--WE must-we must first finish
that story Of 'Sindbad the Sailor 1t is
Maupassant's very best. Maupassant?
she reflected. Perhaps, now, it's Poe,
or maybe" and the big childish eyes
sought those In turn Of each present
"No; / have 1t. It's Halifax. Am ]
right? Sara, do set me straight"
Mrs. Woodson's hands dropped heavy
on her unfolded napkin, and the Rev.
Paul's heart contracted to diminutive
proportions For him the golden bowl
was broken, the swift born hope Of an
hour trailed in the dust. The-the hat
then, had not been
He sighed, and the sigh was-for the
smallness Of the beautiful concrete and
for the greatness Of the beautiful abb
stract.
And Ada babbled Joyously on, her
clear voice and soft laugh dominant
features of the dinner hour The
chatter of child" the Rev. Paul de-
cided, uneonsciously talking down to
her. Afterward she fitted about the
rooms, never still, the quick tattoo OF
her high heeled slippers quite as mu-
steal as her rendition of famous con-
certo and disappearing early with a
pleasant good night
"a charming young girl" ventured
Rev. Mr.. Condor, and the Rev. Pau.
REINFORCED the remark with: For all
the world like a white butterfly. Has
she never gone to school, Sara? p
But II Ada had not womanly graces
and scholarship she possessed an ae-
complishment out of the usual, a con-
slant eruption of small talk. No con-
versation, serious or learned, could re-
sist it without thought she cleft it
at a blow, severing each thread past
hope of redemption.
thinking cymbals," the Rev. Paul
remarked one day, watching the fly
ing, whirling white figure In pursuit
of butterflies In the occasional patches
of sunshine among the great trees.
"It's a pity SO exquisite creature
should be $3.50 You ought to send
her to school, Sara"
Mrs. Woodson flushed to the little
curls on her forehead. Paul." she
said. you Go Ada injustice. r. She
stopped, laughing lightly. as Ada fut-
<orod ;ufn fhe room
ada" she called, "Paul is recalling
his youth by translating some Of ths
Homeric poems He's found his stone
wall. Perhaps you can help him over
Obediently Ada bent over the stall
wart reverend, her white forefnger
tracing the lines, translating slowly,
word by word, with great difficulty,
but with absolute correctness, the en-
tire passage. her bright eyes meeting
his uplifted gaze at the finish with the
frank pleasure of an unspoiled child
'sWhy. ladybird," he laughed, who
could have dreamed Of that pretty
head holding such gems of wisdomT
Mere accretionsr' She had seized
her net and was off after a big white
moth with dark patches on his downy
wings
The Rev. Paul watched her thought
fully. Sara" he said, "the child has
possibilities. This glimpse of memory,
with one or two glimmerings Of mind
that / have surprised, convinces me
that she could be awakened. You
ought to send her to school.
81 didn't mean to Offend" he added
as Sara's face, flushing and twitching.
appeared above her paper, her eyes