The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-07-24

ner form-oh, say, Slade, I can't get
her face out of my mindr'
Slade lighted a fresh cigar. 81 must
tell you an incident of the same sort
thaC happened to O friend of mine"
ne said solemnly, land it may serve
to throw light on your own affair"
out with It," said Gilbert briefly
Its only 10 o'clock now. You have
till midnight, John.'
This man owned a grand old place
in the country, but he was bachelor
and never looked at it.
There was a young cousin of the
mans, girl who was beauty and
a toast. Never mind her name. She
has married and changed it for another
This girl was up to all sorts of mis-
chief and FRANKS and carried a lot of
scatterbrained young folk with her In
many harmless escapade.
"She conceived the idea of giving a
ball in the old mansion of her cousin
Now, / have not the slightest doubt
that the man would have gladly con-
sented to turn the house over for such
q hAhhAAAes A00 lIC9 dShCO ullu
But. no; of course half the fun lay in
the clandestine proceedings
and 80 one night when the moon
was young and the aged caretaker off
on leave several great automobiles roll
ed quietly up the long avenue, and
the mischievous girl and her friends
and their reluctant chaperons trooped
through a side entrance and made their
way to the great ballroom on the sec
ond floor.
1.-THE room had been cleaned in some
mysterious manner, and when the cleo
trio chandeliers were ablaze and the
polished floor stretched forth an invit-
ing surface the small orchestra they
had brought tuned up, and the fun be-
gan. Several servants unpacked re-
freshments In an anteroom while the
young people danced and between
dances wandered over the grand old
house lighted from top to bottom by
Laura's"-
Laura shouted Gilbert, but Slade
interrupted:
Hold on there, Danny! l didn't
mean to make a slipl The house was
lighted up and the dancing was going
on and everything was going along
finely when suddenly messenger APP
peared among them. The station agent
from the depot, who had known Of the
merrymaking, came to say that the
owner had arrived at the station and
was on his way to the house. He had
jumped on his wheel and sped with the
message
"phey worked fast and without judg-
ment. One bright soul cut the electric
light wires and plunged the house In
total darkness. Before q search could
be made for candles and escape made
the front door was opened and the In
trnders heard footsteps below stairs.
After awhile the library door opened,
and all was silent.
by aid Of matches and the sta
ton masters bicycle lantern the party
reached the ground floor and by stealth
left the house. That was all part Of
the fun, don't you know And then,
just as they were going to leave, one
Of the girls discovered she had lost her
pet handkerchief and was sure she had
left 1t In the library. She recovered it,
although she would not say how. and
she was quite breathless when she
climbed into the motor. And that is
ALL"
Daniel Gilbert arose to his full
height and laid his pipe on the man
tel. "And that was Laura, who got up
the party and everything. shall bless
your wife all her days, John, If she
will introduce me to my ghost girl
Viola-Viola whof"
viola Blair. She happens to be Wis
ting Laura now hardly think you'll
find her In the west gallery tonight.
DAN"
Gilbert pulled time table from his
pocket and looked at his watch. "She
is quite free" he asked abruptly.
Slade yawned and stretched his long
arms luxuriously. "She was-er-until
we always thought she had met her
fate just year ago tonight She has
never been quite the same since
can't say any more
There's a train to town at 11.06.
Well take it. You and Laura owe me
something, john"
wen pay it with compound inter-
est. That will be Violaw said Slade,
graSping his friends outstretched hand