The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-02-17

to set up housekeeping"
Loretta Campbell was thirty-nine,
too, and she knew that Esther was
aware of it, but she had CHEEKY bold
ness that carried her through very en-
barrasing situations.
I'm never going to be any older
than thirty-1ve," she said significantly.
Now, Esther, how you going to have
this neck fixed? High or low?"
After this important item had been
discussed and Loretta had returned to
the sewing machine, the little dress
maker paused In her furious pedalling
and turned her sharp face over her
shoulder
Did you know Emmy Slocum was
going to be married?"
'Yes-some time this month, isn't
it,"
THE nineteenth" Then after a per-
ceptible pause Loretta added: 81 won
der If Ed Slocum will come hame to
the wedding?"
I'm sure | don't know"
Il heard they didn't know what part
of the world he was in," pursued Lor-
eta, now that the delicate topic was
opened
''Indeed?"
Yes. l heard his father told him
he Needn't never come home until
he'd made enough money to pay back
some of that he'd ill-spent. | call that
pretty hard of old Jim Slocum-Pa
says he was a limb when he was a boy
and made no end of trouble for his
folks-yet old Jim is hard as nails on
poor Ed. Why, Ed can't be boy any
longer-he must have stopped cutting
up tricks long ago"
Esther was silent
ED wasn't what you'd call bad-he
was just full of cutting up. but it
seemed to cost his father lot of
money. Well, they drove him from
home and l guess his ma broke her
heart over 1t. l blame It all on old
Jim Slocum-mean as all get-out!"
II wonder what Mr.. Slocum will do
after Emmy's married?" said Esther.
Nobody knows-Dexter won't have
him live with them-he's as much as
said SO. Keep house for himself. l
guess"
Why, he can't do much. He's real
feeble-he must be seventy years DID,"
protested Esther.
Don't seem to make any difference
how old one is-they get trouble just
the same" remarked Loretta.
After Loretta had gone home that
night, Esther washed up the supper
dishes and then sought her little par
lor, where she lighted the lamp with
the dangling prisms and sat down by
the marble top table.
For long time she sat lost in rev.
erie. She was thinking Of old Mr.. Slo-
cum so soon to be left alone. She was
thinking Of the prodigal, Ed. who had
run away from home twenty years be-
fore. She looked back on her own girl
ish grief over that event as one reads
the story Of stranger.
Once she had sat in the parlor at
home, when Ed Slocum used to call
upon her three times a week, just as
she was sitting now. Then she was
waiting for him with fluttering heart
and eyes that were tell-tale. How
handsome Ed -black-haired, black
eyed, light-hearted-the best fellow in
the world, and it was this very easy
going nature of Eds that had led him
astray She still treasured the hasty
note in which he had taken leave OF
her 1t seemed to be the delicate rosy
thread that held her to her youth and
hope.
Some day he might come back. Some
day he would return. He had loved
her
Esther's brown head dropped little
YEARLY at these sad memories, but
she was a brave soldier and she lifted
her chin and took up the photograph
album and turned to Eds picture
placed there opposite that of her
mother.
Her eyes we're dim when she laid 1t
aside. He's my poor prodigal just the
same" she murmured to herself as
she blew out the light and went up
stairs to bed.
Two weeks after that Emmy Slocum
was married, and all Leavenmill was
interested in the masculine housekeep-
ing Of Mr. James Slocum. OF outside
help he would have none Emmy and
her husband had gone west, and the
prosperous Dexter had offered to pay
the wages of housekeeper for his
father-in-law, but Mr. Slocum had
CURLY refused.
One December day Esther met old
James Slocum hobbling toward home,
carrying heavy basket of groceries.
Cant help you. Mr. Slocum?" she
asked timidly.
mo, thank you. Esther-whea l
can't carry my own bundles it'll be
time for me to lay down and die" he
said, not unkindly.
I'm sorry you are all alone" ven
tured Esther, feeling very sorry for
the harsh old man who had driven his
son from his door, and whose daughter
had left him to make a home for her
self
Tain't any matterl" muttered
Jim; then. with a sudden change Of
tone he added in broken voice: " It's
some matter-4Isther, I'd like to see
my Ed before diei"
Tears came into Esther's brown
eyes. "Of course you would" she said
gently. Have you any idea where he
is now?"
Mo- reckon he's dead" said the
old man drearily.
What makes you think that?"
Il amt heard from him for long
while. Last time there came letter.
it was for my wife-he didn't know
she was dead, and 1 just cut out the
newspaper notice Of her death and
/ wrapped 1t around the letter and sent
'em to the address on the outside of
the envelope. Some place In Kansas
and I've never heard a word since,
and that seven years ago-but think
he's been here-T think he keeps track
OF u.s."
What makes you think so?"
"One Sunday Emmy and l went to
the cemetery to my wife's grave and II
was covered with beautiful white flow
ers-like nothing that grows here
abouts-and ever since then on hel
birthday there's always white flowers