The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-04-28

SISTER HANNAR'S VISIT
BY c. 3. LEWIS.

Miss Dorothy Spencer, spinster and
forty years old, lived in the outskirts
OF the village of Grafton. She kept q
servant and COW, had a cat and lived
in comfortable way on her income
She was neither homely nor cookbook
Ing. She had widowed sister living
In Iowa, and one day that sister ar
rived on a visit. Her name was Han
nah, and, like most other widows, she
was full of business There were
things She wanted to know about al
most before she had taken her bonnet
off. and there was one thing in par
ticular that she lost no time in bring
ing forward
Nov, then" she said, as she got
seated In the big rocking chair, 81
want to know why you haven't mar
ried. It's nothing less than a burning
shame that you have lived to your
age without catching husband"
II haven't been asked" was the
embarrassed reply of the sister.
But why not?"
Il don't know"
Then we'll find out. Haven't you
kept company with anyone?"
Yes"
For how long?"
| Please let's not talk about 1t, sister
We're the Perkins family well when
you left homer"
Never you mind the Perkins fam
lily. but pay attention to this Other
matter. What's the name of the man
you've been keeping company with? p
Its Henry Goodheart. l don't know
whether you'd call it keeping company
or not He comes Sunday and Wed
nesday evenings and talks for awhile.
Twice a week, Ell? And how long
has he kept this up?"
mime years"
Dorothy Spencer" exclaimed Sis
ter Hannah, as she almost sprang out
OF her chair. do you mean to tell me
that man has been dawdling around
here for nine years and never said q
word about marriage?"
But he's one of the most bashful
men you ever saw" protested Dorothy
''and IL"
you are going to say you couldn't
ask him to marry you. OF course you
couldn't, but you could have brought
him to time years ago"
He's very nice man, and every
body thinks SO. l guess he thinks
don't want to get married to anyone
haf h,,ci hoo ha IN fpI
that? OF course you want to get mar
ried. Every woman does. All widows
and single women are just dying tt
be asked Nine long years and he has
| not asked for your hand! / thought
there was niger in the fence some
where, and have come on to see about
it. l have been married three times
in eighteen years. and I'm expecting
| the fourth man to come along any day
l didn't keep company with any of my
husbands over six months. After thai
time had passed just wanted to know
what they were hanging around for
Dorothy, something has got to be done
That Goodheart, or Goodliver, or what
| ever his name is, has got to come tt
time"
Please, Sister Hannah. If yor
should go to mixing in I'd be sc
shamed that I'd feel like running
away"
You leave 1t to me, and don't worry
I'm older than you are. I've had three
husbands and know how 1 got EN-
They were all bashful men. l sham
do anything to shame you"
1t was a conspiracy of one. Neither
Dorothy nor Mr.. Goodheart was taken
into the widows confidence. She had
been in the house three days when
Sunday evening came and he showed
! up on his bi-weekly tour. The widow
liked him. He was slow, but sturdy
and honest He didn't look nor tall
love. He talked more of sunf1owers
and onions than he did of love. Dor
othy was i'll at ease, as she did moi
know what was coming, and her heart
beat like trip-hammer as the widow
finally said:
Mr.. Goodheart. l think 1 shall take
Dorothy back to Iowa with me when
CO."
He gave a start of alarm and the red
came to his face. He made no reply
however. and soon took his depar
ture.
How could you'll" exclaimed Dor
othy, with glance of reproach, as the
gate was heard to latch behind the
man.
Il wanted to jar him." replied the
widow. He'll be over here within q
day or two and ask you to make him
happy"
But it will look as if we were drag
ging him in by the hair of the head
Never you mind the looks The
great object is to get married"
Mr. Goodheart didn't show up till
his usual Wednesday evening, how.
ever. About the time he was expect
ed the widow was at the gate to meet
him. When they had saluted each
other she said:
Mr.. Goodheart, want to ask you a
question In confidence"
"YesT'
Il understand that sewing machine
agent who comes through these parts
is very much smitten on Dorothy. Is
his occupation an honorable one? Do
you think him the man to love and
care for her? AS her elder sister ]
feel like a guardian toward her,
Mr.. Goodheart gave a start and his
hand on the gate trembled. He had to
wait minute before he could trust
his voice, and then he answered that
he didn't go much on sewing machine
agents. The widow sighed and said 1t
was a cold world, and the two went
into the house together. Her object
had been to arouse the spark of jeal-
ousy, but after the man had stayed his
usual hour and departed she could not
tell whether it was success or not
He had talked about as usual
Did you say anything to him out at
the CATER" asked Dorothy
None O your business whether
did or not. He's the woodenest man
IN four states, but I'll bring him to the
mark. He has either got to show his
hand or dust along and make room for
somebody else. | imagine he'll be
around tomorrow night"
It's awful. sister-positively aw-
full, said Dorothy, as the tears filled
her eyes.
Mr.. Goodheart did not make his ap-
pearance at the time expected He was
in no hurry to get up a feeling OF
Jealousy. The widow was provoked
On Sunday evening she met him 8
quarter of mile down the road and
gave him more of her confidence. She
confided to him the fact that Dorothy
was one Of the best housekeepers fol
a hundred miles around She WAS also