The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-04-04


man from enjoying his property. He
therefore makes it a condition with
you that you shall bind yourself never
to marry"
Being too young to settle such an
important matter for myself, my &C.
ton was decided upon in a family CON
ference or. rather. by my mother, who.
being the last court of appeal in all
matters pertaining to the household,
decided that should accept the offer.
She gave no reasons in support of this
decision, but it was supposed that she
fancied my uncle might find a new
love and his antagonism to women
would vanish In this case l would
at least be educated by him.
When l went to live with my uncle
he was forty years old At that age
man, especially if soured by the mis-
carriage of love affair. is not likely
to fall into another one. Instead Of
softening toward the opposite sex his
antipathy increased His associations
were not with young and pliable WON
en-, but with those of his own age
Something of his own crankiness In
them drew sparks. as flint striking
flint. One by one his unmarried WON
en- friends fed away from him, he shut
his men friends there evenings for a
rubber at whist.
Had my uncle desired to bring me
up to break my contract he could moi
have placed me in position better
calculated to bring about such re.
suit. An old housekeeper was the only
woman in our home except the negro
cook We do not covet what we have,
but what we are deprived Of ] went
to school with boys and never asso-
ciated with girls. From the time
was fourteen till was twenty ! did
not know what 1t was to have a girl
friend When ] saw them on the
street going to school would turn to
follow them adniringly with my eyes
One day when | was about sixteen,
walking with my uncle. one of those
1.-THE creatures whose skirts extend
only to their ankles passed me. He
observed me turn and look at her.
you have remarked. see," he said
to me, that innocent looking crea-
ture. She is very pretty to look upon,
admit. but under that grace and
/ beauty is poison-poison of the most
virulent kind. She will grow up to
womanhood without a spark of that
sense Of honor which is born in us
men and which | and your school
masters are endeavoring to stimulate
In you"
Nevertheless. Uncle Frank" | re-
Piled shes mighty pretty"
A deep sigh was his only response.
This girl l used TO meet every day
as we were going to school. She must
have seen admiration in my eye. for
after awhile she would pass me with
a very conscious look. casting her eyes
in every direction except toward me.
hitching her shoulders brushing back
curl that hung on one of them or in
some other way indicating that she
was aware that a youngster of oppo-
site sex was interested in her In one
Of these meetings she was sufficiently
agitated to drop several of her books
l took them up and handed them to
her. she avoiding looking at me as If
were an ogre, glance at whose
face would turn her to stone.
Not having any assurance and de-
string to give her a flower. one morn
ing upon meeting her ! dropped it on
the pavement shortly before we pass
ed. I turned. dreading to see her
walk over 1t with her head turned
contemptuously upward, and when 7
Jaw her stoop and pick It up my heart
beat like trip hammer | considered
that | had been a marvel of bravery
] wondered how had dared do it
What avail is it for the old to at
tempt to instill their ideas, their fears
their hopes-indeed, their varied ex-
periences the young? 1t did not
enter my head that this delicate crea
ture would ever be aught but thing
Of beauty and a JOY forever. My I'M
cle's prophecy had no more effect
upon my heart than drop of rain on
my cheek. From the moment l saw
her pick up the flower / had not the
courage to hand her openly I was a
changed man-boy. l grew bold as a
lion. A few days later went to
school with a bunch Of violets in my
hand and on meeting her did not fear
marvel of courage that waste
toss them to her. She caught them.
and the smile she gave me set my
heart aflame
And so Dame Nature went on with
her work as quietly as II an old cur
mudgeon was not attempting to
thwart her, as unconcerned as the vio-
let's tossed to the maiden with whom
she designed l should fulfil her inten-
tions OF what Importance to me
were my uncfe's warnings that this
sweet creature was reptile with pol
son in her breast? And what booted
1t that ] had made a contract with
him never to marry? Marry? What
had my love to do with marriage? 1t
was love-love absolutely pure-that
had taken possession Of me. Mar
rage was something to be considered
when should reach what to me was
an advanced age And the girl! Be
tween her and that something which
falls to the lot of older people was
: still the gulf Of some five or six years