The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-02-08
Sal In peep, somber couItatIon.

my mother, written mid tears of pride
and JOY could trace that from the
stained pages. dared not undeceive
her. had given them a modest home
out OF my earnings and savings.
sent them comfortable remfttances
regularly. let the old folks dream. l
want to entertain them on the basis
they believe mo to occupy. want to
send them horne happy in the belief
that am. as my dear mother has writ
ten me, a man among men,"
Dunn" burst forth Mr.. Blair, you
amaze mel" There was a culver of
his stern lip, for he was touched. Take
the house. Right or wrong, for the
old mothers sake go ahead" Then in
his brusque way he bowed Robert out
OF his private Office. And then for
nearly five minutes ne sat in deep.
somber cogitation.
The secret of the diligence and the
rigid economy Of his employee was out
at last. He was not a sentimental
man, but a thought Of his own mother,
who had not lived to witness his mate
rial success, came back to him with
strange force. He figured in his mind
that on an average Of one thousand
two hundred dollars a year Robert
Dunn might possibly save up the one
thousand dollars he was about to ex-
pend, but not much more. And yet he
envied him this opportunity of sacri-
ficing all he had to keep bright the
heart Of his devoted father and
mother.
It was peculiar situation Robert
Dunn realized this as he left the Office
that evening. He was about to attempt
gross deception and yet he could not
decide otherwise than he had done. He
pictured the delight his father and
mother would experience to see him
apparently surrounded by the best that
wealth and position could give. He
would have them enjoy the time of
their lives. He would send them back
home blissfully contented. Where the
harm?
1t was after supper at the second
rate boarding house where he lived
when Robert went to call upon Edna
Wilson. They had been engaged for
five years, but he had never been
able, they decided, to start out upon
the sea of matrimony until he had &C
CURED fair sum against the future.
She was a true, loving woman. There
were no secrets between them. Cheer
fully she had acquiesced in his past eff
forts to give his aged parents a COM
Portable home. She greeted him on
this especial evening heart and soul in
accord with his dearest hopes and
wishes.
Edna" he spoke at once, and quite
seriously, Il have been wondering II I
am doing entirely right in preserving
this comedy of deception"
She closed his lips with a pretty
gesture of her white, shapely hand.
mot another word, sir!" she COM
manded playfully. why, have been
singing to myself all the day long be-
cause of their happiness, over the JOY
and pride the old folks will take back
with them to their far-away home"
1T will mean the deferring Of our
own plans for home" suggested Rob-
ert.
st will make you the dearer to me
as the grandest man l ever knewl"I
insisted Edna. mo, move can wait,
dear Let US think only of them for
the time being"
And so the strange, unheard-of plan
was formulated to perfection. the
servants at the stately Blair home let
far enough into the secret to insure
no enlightenment to the -deluded pros
pective visitors, and Robert Dunn en-
tered upon the one wildly extravagant
epoch of his life.
It was grand triumphal march for
the aged father and mother from the
hour they arrived In the city. What
to Robert was the old-fashioned quaint
ness of the bonnet his mother wore!
What the plain homespun suit OF MS
sire-both feeling that their best
was indeed, company best, the very
best!
An automobile with chauffeur in
livery met them at the train. The
beautiful mansion welcomed them With
brilliant lights. The old people went
into ecstasies over their luxurious en-
vironment. Nearly every evening for
five weeks the devoted son took them
to the opera and other amusement
functions. The well-trained servants
never betrayed the scheme in play
The happiest couple in Christendom,
proud of the grandest son in the world,
the old folks at length departed, carry
ing back to their modest home memo
ries that would gid their last years
unfailingly.
And the Aftermath Virtue reward
adj Alwavs! It was the day Of his