The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-08-01

and would accept none. Therefore, al
though she was called the housekeep-
er, she stood on an equal social footing
with Mr. Powell and his daughter, who
were under an obligation to her from
the time she entered the house.
Helen Powell was a childlike girl,
very amiable, by no means aggressive
and easily upset by misunderstanding
ing with any one. Those who knew
her best assigned this as the cause Of
her remaining away from her desolate
father. thus throwing his care upon
Miss Willard. On this account they
excused her, but the outer world did
not excuse her. She was looked upon
as very unnatural child Of suffer
ing parent.
Miss Willard RETAINED from any
comment upon Helen's actions, but
when pressed for an explanation would
say: Helen is perfectly excusable.
Her absence Is no fault of her or her
father. Devoted to the memory of his
wife, he broods constantly over her
loss. How can such household be
place for young girl just budding
into womanhoodr'
Helen was fond Of society, and this
was excellent proof of Miss Wizards
explanation 1t tended to separate the
former more and more from the best
people OF Deerfield and drew the latter
closer to them. Mr.. Snively, minis
ter Of the principal church in the town,
preached a sermon on the text, THE
greatest of these is charity" instanc-
ing case Of noble woman who was
giving up her life without hope OF re-
ward to the care Of an old person,
while one who should be near and
dear to him was spending her time In
the worship Of Mammon. Every one
in the congregation recognized in these
persons Mr.. Powell, his daughter and
Miss Willard.
There are always carpers, and In this
case they averred that Mr.. Powell
possessed a little money, and, being
an old man, Miss Willard was looking
forward to its inheritance. One of
her intimate friends, hearing of this
slanderous statement, repeated 1t to
Miss Willard The lady replied that
If anything could induce her to leave
the poor old man to his fate this un-
just charge would. She declared that
she possessed an independent income
Of her own, whereas Mr.. Powell did
not give her enough to run the house
and that she was frequently obliged
to make up deficiencies from her own
purse.
'Then why do you submit to such
injustice?" asked the intimate friend.
"Why do you not force that inhuman
girl to come and bear this burden,
which belongs to her and not to your
II promised Mrs. Powell before her
death that l would take care Of her
husband"
A number Of ladies Of Deerfield were
one day drinking afternoon tea togeth-
er when the subject Of Miss Wizards
sacrifice came up. Not only were en-
comiums passed upon Miss Willard,
but vituperations heaped upon the I'M
natural Helen Powell.
IF she ever comes to Deerfield
again." said one Of the ladies, 81 shall
give her piece Of my mind"
''Ehe ought to know how her neglect
or her poor father is regarded" said
another
Il have mind to write to her about
it," chimed In third
you don't need to do that" snap
ped fourth. Il met her at ball in
Chicago last winter and told her just
how people were talking"
"What did she sayY' asked the first
speaker.
why, she just looked out Of those
simpleton eyes Of hers and said, sPeo-
pie will talk no matter what you do
Then young fellow with his hair
parted in the middle whisked her
away in the barn dance"
"She doesn't appear to have. any
soul or any conscience" was the last
comment, and the ladies turned the
conversation upon the coming sleeve
for woman's dresses
Finally 1t was announced that Mr..
Powell was very i'll and his end was
approaching. Every one expected this
would bring his unnatural daughter to
his bedside. But every one was disap-
pointed. Helen did not appear till the
day her father died. The town-the
social tpwn-wa furious. Only a re
gard for the deceased as an old citi-
zen and admiration for the woman
who had been an angel of mercy to
him kept most of the circle from re-
naming away from the funeral.
However, strange to say, these two
reasons and a third crowded the
church where the services were held.
The third reason was that there was
a universal desire to ogle this dread
full girl who had deserted her father.
She walked into the church beside
Miss Willard, and every eye was
strained to see the two women, who
represented the opposite types Of sac
rifice and selnshuess, though It must