The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-09-06

pHSS anywhere as city DreQ young
man. And I.ila-how my heart wen
out to the poor child in her effort t
dress in a fashion more In keeping
with the apparel Of those girls t.
whom Henry had been accustomed. Il
was all inference with me. but It was
plain to see that she had prepared her
self against his return to modify the
difference between her and their habil
iments.
wondered II he noticed this and Il
1t pleased or displeased him. Surely
her effort was not very successful Ii
the country one may get city fashions
but 1t Is not every worker who car
make them up. But in the few mo-
ments they were passing it was Inn
possible for me to tell II there had
been any change In Henry's feelings for
Lila. So pieced out the story In this
wise: Henry was beginning to see the
difference between her and the girls he
had met mean by her" her clothes
"a certain deficiency in what city peo-
pie call chic. | am not referring to
Lila as soul. not even as a body, for
In bodily beauty she would doubtless
far surpass many a city girl Well.
what do ! refer to? Why. clothes and
manner; that's all.
After this Henry seldom came home
during vacations | heard that be
usually went camping with his fellow
students. At any rate. lost track of
my lovers. | was reluctantly obliged
to consider my story, If not finished, at
least passing through stage of inter
ruption. Henry had become interested
In career which would have nothing
to do with farms or farmer people
When he was graduated learned that
he was intending to study medicine.
But before he entered medical col
lege his father. who spared no expense
On his education. sent him abroad.
When heard of all these matters.
which were taking him farther and
farther away from provincialism and
his provincial sweetheart. ! groaned in
spirit. for saw that my love story
was likely to end in nothing.
1t was some time before Henry was
to leave the medical college that !
heard bad news of Lila. They said
she had some trouble that was drag
cling her down. but the doctors could
not discover what 1t was. They could
not diagnose it-that is what they call
ed it. Her father sent to the city and
brought a doctor to the farm especial,
ly to see If he couldn't tell what was
the matter with her. The doctor said
he couldn't find any organic trouble.
whatever that means, and the only
remedy he thought might benefit her
was change of scene. He advised her
father to take her on a trip. But
Farmer Bunker couldn't afford to do
that and Lila didn't care to go.
| considered this merely a part of
my love story. 1t was plain to me
that Henry Morse had drlfted away
from the little girl had seen him 60
ing by our house with when they were
children. and the parting was killing
her
They say story writers often fall in
love with their imaginary characters.
Therefore It's not strange that story
creator like myself should fall in love
with real person of flesh and blood.
l had always known the Bunkers. so
went to see Lila. That was In the
spring-May. ! think. found her sit
ting In an easy chair at her window.
pale, languid and without interest in
anything. 1t may be that she devined
by my bearing toward her that knew
what was the matter with her. AT
any rate, when | went up to her. took
her hand and drew her head down on
my shoulder she left it there and seem
ed to get relief from the tears that
came.
While she was weeping on my Shout
der was thinking. Not having any
lover to bring back for myself, wish
ed could bring back one for this poor
girl. And formed plan
But it was some time before car
ried 1t out. not till summer came.
Then l told LiIa's parents that /
thought 1t would do her good to come
and make me u visit. Since Lila said
she would like to do so. they consent
ed. and within a few days she was In
my room. the room from which had
first seen her go by with her child
lover | said nothing about Henry
Morse either as boy or man any more
than If he didn't exist. But when
put Lila in an easy chair at the very
window from which | used to watch
her and him and thought Of her as she
was then and saw her as she was now
made up my mind that If was go
ing to make a good. real story of her
case couldn't rely on things to hap
pen themselves. I'd have to bring
them about myself.
was thinking. too. that my love
story had been going on long enough
and 1t was time it was brought to a
close. Besides Lila was so weak thai
| feared In her condition she'd contract
some real disease So l wrote DR.
Henry Morse. who had just been ad
in my family who was dying of some
disease that none of our country doc
tors could tell anything about and
would pay him whatever he asked If be
would make flying trip and diagnose
Il spelled it diagknous-the case.
He wrote back that he remembered
me very well and would run down in a
few days
OF course didn't let on to Lila what
I had done She. poor child. wasn't
dreaming what an influence my seeing
her go by my window so many years
before would have on her life. hoped
Henry would come as soon as possible
for she was dropping more and more
every day.
Well, one morning he came. He said
he had answered my call after his
arrival even before going home.
was glad of this. for was fearful he'd
hear something that might interfere
with my plan | just led him upstairs
opened the door. and he went in and
| closed 1t behind him.
l reckon be didn't make as long a
call as that on a patient for good
many years. don't know what hap
pened between them-didn't see the
surprise of either Of them. All know
is that when he came out two or three
hours after he went in he looked at me
as though he was going to say some
thing. but pressed my hand instead
Then went III TO Lila. She had the
happiest smile on her face ever saw
She put her arms around my neck and
cried and laughed. And that's the end
Of the story.
don't see why real story writers
don't do something themselves to fin
ish their own stories.