The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-09-25

,, ing in the village hall tonight in honor
of the brave boys who are leaving for
war, and 1 am going fairly to border
the platform in fragrant red, white and
blue" She bent quickly to pick up a
bundle of knitting, and her lovely bright
eyes flashed at him over the needles.
''Oh, if I'd been a man. she said.
IF only l might have been man, to
be of some use to my countryl l sit
here and knit for the soldiers; wind
pounds and pounds of bandages; / tie
red, white and blue flowers to show my
patriotism. But what does it all
amount toY' She put the knitting
aside, with a sigh. YOU" she asked
almost anxiously-"you have been
drafted?" The glow of her eyes seem
ed to have entered Jack Williams soul
The thrilling voice seemed unaccounta-
bly, to inspire him with her own pas
sion of patriotism. He spoke huskily,
and he was glad, strangely glad,
through all his being that he could an
swer in the affirmative
"Yes," he said; Il am going"
The girl jumped to her feet and held
out her hand. AS Jacks own closed
over it he felt indeflnably her sympa-
thetic understanding. Sometimes"
she went on quietly, 1T is hard to go
hard to leave those depending upon one
behind. You have a motherT'
NO" Jack slowly replied This is
the problem I brought out with me
today And thor, ha fold hov OH oto,,t
it-told Of Lillias and her hysterical
reliance upon him, her weak, crooked
little spine and the tiny city garden
whose small province she feared to
leave. The bees hummed drowsily in
the old garden, and the girl arose once
or twice to place, while still listening
her flowers in the fountains BASIN
Then she came slowly and stood be-
fore him
Il have thought 1t all out" she said
at last, land you must not believe me
to be either hasty or unreasonable
The solution Is so simple that 1t may
amaze you at first by its very simple
fty. told you that I was lonely IN
this quiet garden. Yet / love ii. Lii
has must come here and live with me-
She will not be afraid, for ! shall I'M
derstand her, and In the sweet, clear
air and sunshine she shall grow well
and strong, at last quite well, and we
Will both be happy. In the city have
many friends. Tomorrow you shall
learn Of me, and l shall learn all that
l wish to know Of you, and we will
bring your sister back here together"
The red blood rushed to the mans
face. His voiced trembled. You
you do not realize" he said. "You are
impulsively good What right have 1,
q stranger. to accept this sacrificing
ofrer?"
Don't you see," cried the girl, her
voice vibrant, this is my privilege to
serve my country To make bandages
that is nttle-but to help to send a
soldier-that Is muchI"
And few days later as the setting
sun cast its shadow over the old sun
dial three sat at tea TN the ancient
garden-a soldier In khaki tall and
good to look upon; beautiful girl with
an American flag upon her white
gown and a wrath of a girl seated in
an old easy chair. Beside the little ia
BILE stretched watchful bulldog.
I've been thinking" said the beau
tiful girl, "of how triumphantly you
will come back to u.s. Lillias and
shall welcome you at the garden door,
and Lillias will be plump and merry"
The invalid smiled and turned aside
to fasten parting gift she was MAX
ing, while the soldier bent over the
beautiful girl
"And have been thinking" he said
slowly, chow hard, how desperately
hard, it must be for a soldier to leave
the woman he loves" The girl raised
her eyes to his.
Hard too" she added softly, "for the
woman who waits"
Jack Williams arose abruptly. His
time was up.
"And you will wait-with Lillias? 2"
he asked. There was tense earnest
ness In the question.
Long the two looked at each other.
Until you return" she answered, and
they knew it was a promise
Lillias. glancing over the heads of
the two absorbed ones, smiled at the
crumbling stone Cupid, still aiming his
now and arrow