The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-07-23

cnurch, tried the door and then turned
away and went back home.
Il shan't rest mite till 1 find outr'
declared Mrs. Clarence Sayles, twist
ing the last clothespin into its place
on the line and wrapping her red
hands in her Bingham apron. 81 told
Clarence that something was up when
Timothy didn't go to church yester-
day"
"I'll bet the Barton temper is at the
bottom of it," said her Sister-in-la law.
Bessie Sayles.
But somehow they never really ar
rived at the true solution of the trou-
bic, although Timothy's actions were
eccentric for another seven days.
Meantime Lucy had had a consulta-
ton with her pastor and came away
with renewed courage The Rev. Mr.
Pudderson employed up to the minute
methods in settling the difficulties of
his parish He did not offer to pray
with Timothy He knew that that
would only add fuel to the mans OBJ
stinacy.
Its the only way you can break
through it. Mrs. Barton" he said as
he shook hands with her at the door.
Lucy was very busy in her room that
evening. At breakfast the next morn
ing Timothy, eating his pancakes in
sullen silence, did not notice that his
wifes hair was dressed with unusual
care, and he could not guess that under
the clean print wrapper she wore was
hidden her best dress.
Timothy was cutting cordwood now
adays, and when he had finally dis
appeared in the woods his wife had
finished her last household task, slipped
Off the wrapper and made ready to go
out. She did not wear her fur cloak
the one Timothy had given her as a
wedding present-but she did wear n
warm cloak that had been hers before
they were married
She had note all written, and she
left it on the kitchen table where he
could read it when he returned at din
ner time. BY the time she was ready
the station stage had backed up to the
door, and Lucy entered it, carrying a
small travelling bag. Mrs. Clarence
Sayles and her sister -in-law, Bessie,
had another topic to wonder over.
At noon Timothy tramped up to the
kitchen door. propped his ak against
the house and went in. At sight of the
clean, dinnerless kitchen a look of
wonder came into his face. A vague
fear clutched at his heart. Something
must have happened to Lucy! She
was sick. He had defied God and man
and the almanac, and punishment
would be his
A quick tour of the little house fail
ed to divulge the whereabouts of his
wife, When he returned to the kitch
en- he found the note He grew very
pale and leaned against the wall while
he read it The handwriting was
very trembly, as if Lucy had been agi-
tated when she wrote the note.
"Dear Timothy" it read, according
to my marriage certificate we were
married on Feb 90 1908 If, as you
say, your almanac is correct there
wasn't any Feb. 20 in 1908, and so we
weren't ever married at all. Such be
ing the case, l am going away to stay
with my cousin, Lydia Deems, in Cen
terville. Goodby. Your friend, Lucy
Deems.
"P. S.-Of course if your calendar
was last years, everything would be
all right-same as before"
All that long afternoon Timothy
Barton sat and stared at the calendars
on the kitchen wall. They all bore the
figures "1911." and yet this was the
year 1912.
1t was over small matters like these
that the Bartons had worn themselves
out-had broken hearts and warped
lives.
Timothy struggled bravely with his
inherent obstinacy
At sunset he tore the out of date
calendars and almanacs from the wall
and stuffed them in the fire. He went
out and harnessed Brownie to the top
buggy, and he put in plenty of fur
robes for warmth. for 1t was a long
ride to Centerville.
He was going to bring his wife home
He was going to give In.
The Barton obsdnacy had succumb-
I'd to love for a woman.
1t was the wear 1912