The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-09-25
Her
Patriotism
1t Showed Itself Strongly
In Wartime
By AGNES q. BROdAN

ing paper, and again his heavy eyes
followed the printed list of those named
to answer their country's call. Yes,
there it was undoubtedly, the black let
tiers seeming to threaten him, John
Williams, Elm avenue"
There was no defect In either years
or physical fitness to excuse him from
duty. He had been chosen to serve
his country. yet every fiber of his be-
ing revolted. Not that John Williams
was coward. Courageously he might
face the fighting line Of battle, but to
leave his little invalid sister helpless
and alone-that was task which seem
ed an impossibility.
Years before she had been left to his
care, when the automobile carrying the
child and her parents had met with an
accident, leaving her orphaned as well
as disabled. There had been some IN
jury to the spine-1ust what the doc
tors could not determine. AS the years
passed Lillias had in degree outgrown
her serious trouble, but the shock of the
accident had left her In a state of al
most hysterical dependence, and mo
one could do anything for her but Jack. I"
at least that Is what various women
said who had been called tos occasion
al attendance during bis absences. With
the assurance of her brothers presence
the wraithlike girl could go about her
slight household duties, waiting like
some patient. soft eyed spaniel at even
ing for his return, and 1t had taken all
his efforts to keep the modest home
throughout his course of study.
Jack had avoided the distraction Of
love by deyoting himself unswervingly
to his sister. So now this was the
crisis he faced as the letters of his
own name twinkled back from the
printed page He must tell Lillias of
the coming separation.
"Lillias," he said desperately, "Pn
have to be away tonight. Do you
think Mrs. Holmes would come In to
stay with your 1t had occurred to
him suddenly that away from the dis
tracing appeal Of her eyes he might
come to some solution Of the problem.
The eyes now widened in the appre-
hension his absence always caused.
"Oh,' fretted the girl, must you go?"
He had gone. The destination did
not much matter, so he boarded sub
urban trolley and went flying along
through the glories of summer time in
the country. A small station at the
foot Of steep hill attracted his atten-
ton, Jack Williams left the car to fol-
low broad tree bordered road. 1t was
a very sleepy village. The road wander
ed, fragrant with the breath Of clover,
through struggling business street,
then on again past the white steepled
church into dusty silence. Houses widely
scattered at last seemed to cease alto
gether, and Jack had decided to sink
back upon the grass and think things
over when a garden wall doomed up be-
fore him. He had not noticed it at the
turn. 1t was cool looking old stone
wall, with vines clambering over its
sides and directly before him was a
door. The door being slightly ajar,
Jack stared inside, then followed his
own inquiring stare The place seemed
to have been unattended, uninhabited
for a hundred years. Tangled bushes
caught at ones clothing, growing things
spread themselves half over the traced
out pathways, an old sundial was
crumbling UNDECIDED In company with a
stone Cupid aiming his arrow. How
had this estate of long past grandeur
been so utterly desertedT Back in the
distance doomed a great weatherbeaten
house. Jack passed the imposing door
way, vines growing impudently across
its very openings, and for moment the
thought came to him, a thought as hys-
terical as any Lillias might entertain,
that here would be place for a man to
hide, man who was forced away from
his own. Then rounding the silent old
house. he came suddenly upon picture,
which, after the first start of surprise,
held him In breathless silence. Upon
an old stone bench heaped with cushions
lay sleeping as beautiful maid as a
certain sleeping princess in an enchant-
ed garden Of long ago.
At the first bewildered glance Jack
might have supposed the girl to be
dead, for all above her white gown
were flowers and bundles of flowers,
great punches of scarlet and white
geraniums, with centers of bachelor
blue. 1t was a remarkable tableau.
Across the girls breast was pinned q
small satin American flag The soft
wind rumpled the waves of her dark
hair. The crimson of her cheeks and
lips belied any first notion of death
Near by lay the waters of an old, silent
fountain.
Perplexed, entranced, Jack stood mo
tionless; then, like a certain princess
Of old, the girls eyes trembled into
wide awakeness, and she looked up al
him. Hers was not dreamy gaze
however. for she sat up Immediately
and asked briskly: "What is it? What
do you wantY'
1t was rather difficult to explain the
aimlessness- of his unintentional visit
but Jack managed to do so.
"You see." he added, 81 wanted O
quiet place to think things over. and
the garden looked so quiet"
1T is" the girl answered emphat
icaIly. She laughed. I'm afraid If
had realized Just how quiet l should
never have taken up my residence her
alone"
"AloneF' Jack exclaimed.
with one exception" she quickly re
sponded and ran to open a door of tn
house. Released. a ferocious looking
bulldog bore down upon him. to be in
stantly recalled by the girls low spok
en- ITS all right, Bob"
my body guard" she explained smil
ingly. And If Bob had not beel
locked up for punishment you woul,
not be in the garden this moment"
Lucky for me-" said Jack, that b
was locked up. Perhaps he'd like m
to vacate now. Do you think''-hi
eyes met hers pleadingly-"that yoV
could persuade him to let me stay jus
a little while? This place breathe
peace to my troubled spirit"
'"TroubledY Her pretty brows wen
up inquiringly. I'VE like to help pee
pie in trouble, but
You can" he added quickly, "if yov
will divert my mind by telling how yor
come to be here alone in this grea
deserted place. why red, white an,
blue flowers are heaped about you an,
Why
The girl threw out her hands, Will
the dog grumblingly stretched himsel
at her feet. zone thing at time" sh
protested. las to the great deserte,
place, it has been fought over so lon
by disputing heirs that 1t is mine now
being the last surviving relative, wit
no heirs left to dispute And, bein