The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-03-14

the gifts Providence sent me- / didn't
quite expect this end. but why worry?
My heart is clean and peaceful as that
of a boy and Pm glad I've been a.
fool"
Mark Paxton was leaving the old
house, for 1t had been seized on q
mortgage. He was leaving town, be-
cause he had sadly learned that those
whom he had benefited In the past
had no gratitude in the present He
had never been an idle man, even
If he had done more pottering about
the place than steady work. He knew
he was handy and willing though, and
he doubted not that he would be able
to earn a living.
Not for moment did Mark Paxton
bewail his fate. He owed no man q
dollar and was content He did not
regret his past benefactions to others.
1t warmed his heart still to recall the
weak and helpless, aided at least a
little along their hard road of life.
They had forgotten him? Well, that
was human nature-in the main good,
he decided.
'The stranger spoke OF another fool,
just like me-" ruminated Mark. "a
woman after my own heart, I'm think
ing. I'd like to know her.
He remembered the name Lesbis
Tresham. He knew that she lived
down Hamilton way" Hamilton was
fifty miles distant, far enough away
to serve as a trial point for work
without intruding gossips dishing out
his erstwhile "fooiishness."
"I'll try Hamilton. anyway" decided
Mark and thitherward bent his way.
'Why, I'm getting looney, / do be-
level" he added with a faint smile.
Il can't get this Miss Tresham out of
my mind. You'd think i was some
love-Iorn simpleton doting over a
sweetheart, the way keep feeling
somehow, as If. being a friend to all
humanity, as they say she is. she
must be friend to me-"
Mark was not analyst enough to
comprehend that the thought of Miss
Tresham stayed because he had no
settled plans in his mind, and one
definite point focused it and held it
steadfast.
At all events Mark reached Hamil-
ton. Then rather sheepishly, though
cautiously. he began to make inquiries
concerning Miss Tresham. 1t was
pleasing entertainments to have some
object in view. He learned that she
had the life tenure of a, house and
little patch of ground on the edge
of the town. This Mark located. Its
owner he had heard a dozen times
had impoverished herself with her>ill-
advised generosity. Mark noticed a
woman in a sunbonnet trimming some
rose bushes. He trembIed, and he
flushed, too, as he entered the garden
and approached her
Miss Tresham?" he inquired STUN
blingly, Il"
There he paused. There was turned
towards him the sweet lovely face
that the sunbonnet had hidden.
Fathomless eyes looked into his own
kindly, encouragingly, true blue eyes,
the expression of which he never for
got. She smiled indulgently as he
faltered on:
Il am poor man, no work I un-
derstand gardening. There's that lit
tie patch behind the potatoes,
peas. winters vegetables. I-I-would
work for board and lodging"
why, you are welcome to that
much. If you need it," spoke the lady
brightly. There is very comfort
able furnished room over the stable
and as to the meals-they are plain"
I'm plain man." answered Mark
eagerly and Enthusiastically.
So it was arranged Struggled right
down into nest of rare comfort"
Mark put it. He loved his work. He
loved his pretty quarters over the
stable. Alasl he finally thought of
tearing himself away. for he loved
Miss Tresham, tool
AS to the lady, she discovered
traits in his character that soon inter-
ested her One day she came across
him tenderly restoring a wounded
robin to its nest Then she learned
of his sitting up all night with the
dying head of poor family in town.
Then she found who he really was.
The herol-the first man she had yet
met who. sharing her love for fellow
human creatures, had devoted his life
and his fortune towards doing them
goodl