The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-12-06
Ann Appleby's
ParlOr
Her Sacrifice Brought
It's Reward

BY CLARISSA MAcKIE
1910. by American Pres

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The minister passed a long white
hand over his bald head and looked
unhappily around the darkened int
rior of Miss Appleby's parlor.
The minister shifted his feet uneas
lily and looked across the room at Miss
Appleby's face, which seemed merely
a confused blur in the gloom. He was
youngish man, rather difident IN
manner, but brave to recklessness in
dealing with the problems offered by
the stiff necked, rockbound members
of his little flock Then he said:
Nevertheless l must dhere to my
opinion that it is yolr duty to offer q
home to your cousin. Suppose you
had lost your house and its contents
by fire and the exposure, to weather
had brought ON an attack of rheuma
tism which rendered you helpless
Would you want to be cared for by
kind neighbors when relatively the
grace of God, Miss Appleby-had q
roof over her heady
.'Mr. James. you know my house is
filed up with summer boarders,' said
Ann Appleby in strained voice.
every room?"
EYES," said Ann firmly. I'm sleep
ing in the clothespress myself
"Can't you let one of your boarders
go?"
81 can't spare the money"
'"Then let your cousin have this
room-you do not use it." ventured Mr.
James boldly.
For moment there was silence
fraught with horror; then Ann spoke:
This room! Why, this is my par
lori"
The minister arose, and his tall form
doomed near the ceiling of the room.
TITS not your parlor, Miss Appleby
it's Gods parlor, and it is his command
that you prepare it for the occupancy
of his handmaiden. Sarah Drew an
going to your cousin now. Shall l tel
her you have prepared a room for hel
and that she will be welcomew
YES" said Ann Appleby grimly.
pleby moved slowly about the parlol
with reluctant feet, pushing the furni
ture into stiff rows against the walls
unfolding one slippery sofa into {
springy couch, fresh with linen from
some secret closet where homespur
treasures were hidden in lavender
Perhaps no one could quite estimate
the mental anguish that was occasion
ed by these preparations. 1t was &
violation Of AIMS most sacred tradi
tons that the Appleby house should bt
without best room. About this
gloomy apart nent were centered recol
lections Of joy and grief. Weddings
and funerals and the minister's pres
ence at a ceremonial tea were the only
events that marked the opening of the
parlor. The boarders had the use Of
the large sitting room across the hall
and even as a brief respite from the
stress of long days work Ann would
not have dreamed of withdrawing int
the parlor's prim seclusion
And now it must be opened for thu
coming of Sarah Drewi 1t was to bt
used as a sleeping room by an invalid
Sarah's medicine bottles would cumbel
the mantelpiece, and lint from the bed
clothes would fleck the cherished car
pet But Ann found a certain savage
| pleasure in leaving untouched the pic
lures and ornaments about the room
Sarah Drew might occupy this room
| but she would always uncomfortable
feel that she was violating the aimos
sacred precincts of her cousins home
1t must always be parlor. and The
occupant would be proportionately I'm
comfortable, for Little River folk wer,
not given to desecrating family affairs.
When Sarah Drew hobhledi into tn,
room the next day her mild eye
opened wide with amazement.
You're never going to put me il
here, Amir she gasped.
"Why not?" queried Ann grimly
twitching the washstand well into
view and rafting the china bowl ant
pitcher Il guess you'll find every
thing pretty comfortable. Sarah. 1
you don't just ring this here bell ant
Emeline will wait ON you"
But / can't sleep here, Ann qua
vered her cousin TREMENDOUSLY. why
it's your best room. l never slept il
anybody's best room"
"No more did IL returned Ann rathe
tartly. But 'tisn't my room. MI
James says it belongs to the Lord
SO you see it's no credit to me tina
you're occupying it,"
"Oh,, did Mr. James say that be
fore you would invite me? I'm dread
full sorry, Ann. / wish didn't have +
come; but. you see. the house burne,
all down, and l didn't have a sticl
left. and so l came to Little River +
stay with Mrs. Bell, and now all tn
children are down with the measles
and there wasn't any place to go blu
here. l amt got nothing till | collec
my insurance money. I'll pay YOU
Ann pushed her into a chair and re
moved the straight brimmed hat tina
settled unbecomingly over Sarah
| nose.
| "Pay nothing" she snorted con
temptuously. IF seem ungracious
Sarah Drew, you can lay it all to tn
fact that l never could find the can
celed mortgage note on the place afte
Uncle Abel died Your place was Ief
free and clear. and I've had to pa,
Josiah Leeds $3.50 dollars a year in
terest, and I'm wore to skin and bon
taking a pack Of city people to board
Now. don't say a word. I'll sen,
Emeline with your supper, and after
wards, when ali these critters is fed
I'll come ard set with you"
In the parlor, where the late after
noon sunshine poured through the un
shattered windows. Sarah Drew sa
in wretched silence. while ETnelin'
padded heavily to and fro, arranging ;
supper on the marble topped table
She moved the glass bell aM. thu
shell basket to one end of the tabl'
and spread damask cloth. On it sh'
placed a dish of creamed toast, fresl
berries from the garden, ginger cook
les and tea.
When Emeline had departed Saral
came to the table and tried to eat, bu
the GOODNESS of the marble seemed t.
strike through the damask cloth ant
chill her rheumatic limbs to the bone
j As she slipped the tea from one o.
Ann Appleby's fine china cups hel
mild eyes evaded the glances Of thu
stern visaged family portraits. TX
her nervously wrought fancy these an
cestors glowered in angry disapprova
of one who was thus SCATTERING al
the Appleby traditions at one stroke.
1--WE wouldn't eat in the parlor,
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