The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-01-03
Was It a
Wrath
II Brought Smell of the Sea
and Seaweed With
a Letter
By F. A. mitchell
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

| Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.
Kate Langdon was a character. Not
especially pretty, she had a way with
her that first attracted peoples atten-
ton, then won them. Some said she
was very deep, others that she was a
simple child of nature. She was Ger.
tainly reckless. She would f1irt with
several men at time without needing
the consequences and when cornered
would, if possible, dodge them all by
flight, leaving them to settle the mat
ter among themselves.
And so it was that some blamed her.
Others defended her. but all were
amused by her. 1t was very interest
ing to see a MILDLY come upon the
edge Of the vortex, get drawn in drop
out, giving place perhaps to a fellow
MILDLY, perhaps to an officer. Whether
the girl realized the wrong she was Of
ten doing, whether she was uncon-
scious of it or whether she had no APP
probation of the tenderness of mems
hearts, certain it is that she never seem
ed either ashamed of her conQuests OF
proud Of them. Indeed, she gave every
evidence that she regretted them.
A fine field for such girls is either the
West Point or Annapolis academy,
where young men are trained for the
army or navy. Kate Langdon the year
of the breaking out of the Spanish
American war visited the Naval acad-
envy as the guest of her aunt, Mrs.
Lyall, the wife Of one of the professors.
She hadn't been there week before
she had half a dozen cadets ''by the
ears"
In the class to be graduated the fol-
lowing spring were two young men,
Hector Peckham and Leslie Holt Both
met Kate Langdon, and both fell VIC
lently in love with her In the govern
ment academies the standard of honor
is very high. Neither of the cadets
would take the slightest advantage of
the other, but neither could find out
which was really the favored one. Nor
were they ever sure but that one of
several other cadets might not after
all carry off the prize.
Peckham finally won Kate gave
him her heart and, to the surprise of
every one, gave him the whole of it.
There were number of disappoint-
M o,,tc IN anucaruopoo ~ tl,;s vio%o,.xy
the most serious of which was Leslie
Holt Kate had given him a great
deal of encouragement and for some
time after she came to a decision
hadn't the heart to break with him.
When it finally came out that Peck
ask If the news were true. She con-
fessed, and he told her that she had
wrecked his life.
Young men have said this before to
young women, to marry some other
and live happily. Some have remain
hearts, to meet that idol when past
middle age and find it demolished.
Holt so long as he lived-he did not
live long-never recovered from his In
fatuation The words he used at his
last meeting with Kate Langdon made
the first change in her. By them her
light, gladstone nature received its
first SOLDERING
Meanwhile the Cuban war was COM
ing on, and ships and munitions were
being hurriedly put In condition for
war. And the cadets, too, were being
hurried on in their academic course,
to be graduated as soon as hostilities
commenced.
The following spring Peckham and
Holt were graduated and assigned to
war vessel sailing for Cuba. Peck
ham and Kate were married before he
sailed. The wedding was notable
from the number Of disappointed
young men in attendance But every
man of them swore by the bride and
considered the groom the luckiest man
that had ever wooed woman.
Kate, having Joined the navy matri-
monially, felt at home at naval sta
ton, and her aunt, who adored her,
invited her to remain with her in
definitely. So Kate stayed where she
would be in touch with her husband
far more than at home. That was an
exciting summer. First came news OF
the fight in Manila bay, then the en-
trance Of the Spanish Admiral Cerve-
ra's fleet into Cuban waters, its at
tempt to es ape and its destruction.
Peckham and Holt went through
this last fight. and when it was over
the latter ,fficer was ordered to the
command Of small supply boat and
directed to sail for the Brooklyn navy
yard.
"Can l do anything for you at
homer he asked of Peckham
Nothing, unless you will take a
letter for my wife. You can mail it
as soon as you get to Brooklyn"
with pleasure" replied Holt.
Peckham wrote short note to his
wife and gave 1t to Holt
"The tran I'm TO command is not
very seaworthy," said the latter IF
l meet a big blow may not get
through. But | promise you, Hector,
that your wife shall have the letter"
Peckham hoped that his friend
would get through safely, and they
parted
One morning young Mrs. Peckham
was sitting in her room at Annapolis
reading accounts of the naval fight on
Cuba-she lad read them many times
before-when a draft blew open the
door and there came into the room a
strong smell of the sea. Standing be-
fore the opening was Leslie Holt pale
and exhausted.
why. Mr.. Holt" exclaimed Mrs.
Peckham.
Without word he handed her a let
ter Thinking 1t to be from her hus.
band or that 1t might bring her bad
news from him. her attention was mo
mentarily turned from its bearer to
the letter. 1t bore evidence of having
been wet. A dampness chung to it,
and the letters of the superscription
had run together. She tore 1t open
and read it. 1t was simply an an
nouncement that the writer was well.
had suffered nothing In the recent en-
gagement and hoped before many
weeks to return to her. Having sat
isfed herself that it BODIED no harm to
the man she loved, she turned to its
bearer He was not there.
Thinking that what had passed be-
tween them before her marriage had
led him to go away without even hav-
Ing been thanked. she tossed the let
ter on table and ran out into the
hall to stop him. Not finding him in
the hall, she went out on to the porch.
He was not there. nor was he any
whorn to no soon though tI,oro x,yaS