The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-05-22
AGiirl's
Error
She Mistook a Rogue For
an Honest Man.
Bx EDWARD 7. STEWARD

1 am in quandary. 1 had supposed
would marry Donald Chase and now
comes Oscar Richmond to mix me all
up. Donald is steady, honorable, has
excellent judgment; Oscar Is hand
some, full of sentiment, fascinating. 1
know l should remain true to Donald,
but Oscar carries me right of my feet.
The question Of money does not en-
ter into the matter Donald is doing
very well, earning a fair salary and
with a prospect Of being a partner.
Oscar is out of business just now. /
don't exactly understand why. He Is
very ret1cent | like reticence in q
man; 1t bespeaks self control. Oscar
can talk with me by the hour without
revealing any Of his affairs. OF course
II he proposes to me / shall expect that
he will tell me everything.
have tried to get Donald to tell me
why he distrusts Oscar. He says he
doesn't himself know why. 1t Is quite
likely that his distrust is due to jeal-
ousy. Donald is SO honorable that he
would not like to believe himself capa-
Bile of doing rival an injustice. He
Is unconscious that he is moved by
jealousy.
wonder who is this Girard Roberts
he has brought to see us. He has
known US but a few weeks, yet it seems
that we have all been friends for years.
It's strange how some people have a
faculty of insinuating themselves at
once into ones good graces. Already
/ call this man by his first name, and,
though 1 have known Donald since
was sixteen years old, l still call him
Mr.. Chase.
have sounded Girard Roberts as to
what he thinks Of Oscar Richmond
His reply was, Hes a bang up good
fellow" That doesn't help me. But
it's the most can expect from Girard.
who is all on the surface. Those peo-
pie one becomes familiar with on short
acquaintance seldom have any depth.
asked Girard what he thought Of
Donald and received the same reply,
Hes a bang up good fellow too" 1
was served right for relying upon the
opinion of such lightweight person.
Girard Roberts seems to have plenty
of money as well as a taste for jewel
~. The other day Aunt Aida was
showing him diamond she wished to
turn into funds. He told her to go
among the jewelers., ask them to fix
a price on 1t and he would give her
$40 more than the highest bid. She
did SO and got a bid of $270 for the
stone. Girard told her it was cheap
at $500 and he would give her that for
it. She accepted the offer. Oscar and
| were present when the sale was
made, and Girard laughingly told US
that he would rely on US as witnesses
In case aunty backed out. He didn't
have the money with him, but said he
would bring 1t the next afternoon at 8
o'clock.
When he called aunty was out. Os-
car and l were In the library. Girard
called to me to say to aunty when she
came in that she would find the money
for the diamond under a vase on the
mantel In the parlor. promised to
do SO.
Oscar asked me to go to walk with
him. I consented; went upstairs to
get my hat, and we walked to the
park. When 1 returned / had forgot
ten all about telling aunty that the
money for her diamond was on the
Darlor mantel. Indeed, never thought
Of it till just before going to bed, then
I told her. She went downstairs to
get it. 1t was gone.
Everybody is dissatisfied with me,
and am dissatisfied with myself for
being so thoughtless as to have left
$500 so long in an exposed position. 1t
has upset the whole household. The
servants who consider themselves un-
der suspicion are going about looking
very glum.
Aunty is furious with me. I expect
ed Girdrd would show his feelings to-
ward me very decidedly. What love-
ly fellow he is, after ALL He told me
not to give myself any concern about
the matter; that doubtless the money
would turn up, but if it did not there
was no one to blame but himself since
he should not have left so much money
in such a place. He explained that he
did not leave 1t with me because was
flirting" as he called it, with Oscar
and he didn't like to intrude upon us.
asked him whom he suspected, and
he said that since the front door stood
unlatched and any one might have
come In while we were at dinner or
during the evening when we were all
upstairs doubtless some person entered
possibly for an ordinary purpose and,
seeing the money, took it and left.
l have had a blow-sn awful vista
ton! Donald Chase turns out to be the
thief who took the bills left on the
mantel to pay for apnty's jewel. This
morning when he was at business a
constable called at his room with a
search warrant and found the bills In
bis bureau drawer. To think that DON
aid, whom we have all known so long
and considered the very soul Of honor,
CAOAA0 La OO1C buCn d
How could he have taken the money
without our knowing it, What Girard
Roberts told me is the only thing that
fits the case. Doubtless Donald called,
came right in, was waiting for some Of
us, when he noticed the bills. He must
have taken them and gone out without
making himself known.
am broken hearted by this discovery
that Donald Chase is a common thief.
Singular, isn't 1t, that a girl doesn't
know she loves a man till he turns out
to be thief? That's the way with us
women; we are always acting by con-
traries.
Not long ago was uncertain about
Oscar and thought Donald a splendid
man. But I was fascinated with Oscar,
and Donald seemed devoid Of romance.
Now that Donald is in trouble, through
his own fault, am giving him my
heart.
Girard Roberts has just come In. He
says that Donald has given bail for his
appearance when the trial comes of
and is now free. Girard says that, not
withstanding appearances are against
Donald, he doesn't believe him guilty.
"Then," / said, II don't believe him
guilty either" But the next minute I
reproved myself for being Influenced
by this easy going man. Did he not
say when I asked him his opinion of
Donald before this matter occurred,
Hes a good fellow too"
What's the use Of considering the
views Of one who talks like that2 i
told Girard to tell Donald to come and
see me, but he said he did not think
Donald would until his innocence has
been proved. really believe there has