The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-06-30
IT PAVED The WAY
BY cLARIssA MAcKIE.

long flight of stairs to her hall bed
room on the third floor back. Once
inside its narrow confines she closed
the door and sank down upon the
small bed that sagged in the middle
"Oh, dear, am 80 dreadfully tired,
she sighed as she pulled out her hat
pins and smoothed back the gray.
brown hair from her forehead. ut
must be perfectly lovely to have q
home of ones own and somebody to
earn the money I'm so tired Of sew
ing. sewing, sewing-and coming home
to this!" She looked around at the
shabby room with it's battered oak fur
niture and hideous wall paper.
There came knock at her door.
Come In" she said as she stood be-
fore the mirror ooh, good evening,
Miss Browns supper ready?"
Il guess it is-the bell rang five
minutes ago; Just button my waist for
me will you, Miss Cricket? Say. hasn't
it been an awful day." Miss Belle
Brown, who worked In hairdresser' s
shop, turned her broad shoulders en-
cased In crisp white waist and Miss
Cricket stood on tiptoe to reach the
top buttons.
Miss Brown chartered necessarily,
while the little seamstress struggled
with the buttons.
Il had a ride home tonight-Mr.
Dickson came along in that funny lit
tie red car of his and brought me up
in jiffy Saved carfare and l tell
you every nickel counts, don't it?"
Indeed it does" sighed Miss Crick-
ct; there, Miss Brown, that's the last
one"
Thanks. You're not anywhere near
ready, are you? Can't help you do
your hair7 It's pretty. so thick and
wavy-say, you've got some gray
hairs! We've got some stuff at the
shop that'll fix that in no time; but
don't know as I'd touch it; that little
bit of white along your temples is
mighty becoming goes that
second bell; l expect Biddy will be
cross as two sticks If It's her even
ing out she'll expect us to gobble and
git! There, l thought I'd make you
laugh! You oughter laugh more, Miss
Cricket, it's SO becoming to your pref
ty teeth and it shows your dimples!"
Nancy Cricket laughed all the hard
er at this last sally, for she knew
very well that the dimples which had
been one of her girlish charms must
be entirely absorbed in the creases Of
time
The Beeks boarding house was SO
thoroughly respectable that its in
mates endeavored to endure its in
creasing shabbiness as the years went
by and the monotony of its plain but
substantial home table. The dwellers
on the second floor who occupied the
larger and more comfortable rooms
had been there for many years and
Mr. Benjamin Dickson, who kept a
stationery store on the Main street of
the large city. was unQuestionably the
star boarder' Of the establishment.
There were never any frowns for Mr..
Dickson even If he did appear late at
his meals. nor was his especial liking
for a particular cereal overlooked in
the morning. The other boarders, and
those on tho third floor especially,
meekly accepted what masterful Mrs.
Beeks placed before them with the
understanding that Mr. Dickson paid
fancy price" for his room and
board
Miss Brown and Miss Cricket found
all their fellow boarders gathered
about the long table. There was the
usual assortment of workers.
Scrambled egg night" Kissed Miss
Brown in Miss Cricket's ear as they
sat down. 81 can always tell because
we have stewed apricots and ginger.
bread at the same time-ugh, just
think of eating stewed apricots when
fresh berries are in market"
Miss Cricket smiled YEARLY and at
tackled her lukewarm scrambled egg
with small appetite. A good cup of
tea would have been refreshing, but
the black. acrid brew that Biddy placed
beside her was nauseating. It was
really remarkable how Mrs Beeks
could take perfectly good tea and
make it taste exactly like bitter medi-
cine! The boarders all discussed this
talent of Mrs. Beeks' and Miss Finne-
gan, the milliner, said that Biddy had
told her that Mrs Beeks put the dry
tea into the pot with cold water and
let 1t come to a boil to draw out all
hn OF ~
Biddy's word. for Mrs. Beeks was
capable of any experiment in the d.
rection of economy.
Mr.. Benjamin Dickson looked across
the table at Miss Brown and Miss
Cricket He was quiet, middle-aged
man. with handsome face and kind
brown eyes. Mr.. Dickson was always
Immediately clothed and on one fin.
ger of his left hand he wore an old
fashioned ring that had belonged to
his mother
Mr.. Dickson noted that while Miss
Belle Brown complained of her food
she Gte heartily of everything within
her long-armed reach, while Miss
Cricket said nothing, but pecked
daintily at her food like some tired
little sparrow who tries to make q
meal from bit Of string In lieu OF
something better.
When the meal was over the board
ers gathered in the front basement
sitting-room, with the exception of Miss
Cricket, who started upstairs to hel
room. There were SO many things tc
be done to make herself comfortable
for another long days drudgery at the
needle and her weary body cried oul
for sleep.
1t was a very surprising thing tc
find Mr. Dickson standing in the front
hall at the foot of the stairs and ap
parently waiting for her.
Good evening, Miss Cricket" b,
said rather difidently; Il was won
dering IL breath of fresh al
wouldn't be good for you this even
ing"
Nancy Cricket caught her breath
Never before had Mr.. Dickson invited
her to ride In the little red car. al
though once. several years before. he
had taken her to lecture. How de
lightful 1t would be to join that pro
cession Of motorists in the park ant
know that one was out simply fol
pleasure! To feel the soft. sweet vino
against her tired face-Nancy be
heved 1t would actually smooth ou
the lines that gathered there.
"Oh, thank you, but" she wal
saying when Mr.. Dickson stopped hel
with a frown.
NO butts Miss Cricket I'll wal
for you down here"
Nancy darted upstairs to her LITTLE
room, quite unconscious that she hat
been looking pretty as picture II
the eyes OF Benjamin Dickson. Un