The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-01-08
MissMariana' S
Family
q
By Hlda Nom,
1877, by the McClu
per eyndicata.)

&k1S1 MaEluuH WHITE Otu mousse
frcnted on Shannon Square. Shannon
Square was not large. 1t was one Of
those blessed bits Of green that offer
Fairgrounds for children. shade on hot
days, and sunny benches on the crisp.
cool afternoons that come In the late
September.
There were always plenty Of people
in Shannon Square. for below 1t was
Q poorer section of the city, crowded
with children. The children sought
the park as ducks seek water, and old
er people followed-big sisters to look
after the children. old men who liked
to sit and watch life go past. and some
times young people who anxously
scanned the "Help Wanted" columns
in the papers.
Miss Mariana liked to open the long
white shutters at her front window
and watch the people In the Square
She had no veranda, and the little park
was her front yard. She loved 1t at
all times Of the year, but especially in
autumn. when the leaves piled up for
children to play in and the branches,
bali unveiled, traced delicate patterns
against the sky.
ln truth Miss Mariana was some,
times Q little lonely and she found
comfort In the people outside. She
used 30 imagine things about them |;
make up romantic stories about Their
apparently sordid lives Her own fffe
had been 80 quiet. 80 remote from ro-
nance, that 1t thrilled her deiicately
even 30 think Of romantic things, such
as love affairs and travel and adven-
ture. Miss Mariana was only twenty
eight, but she had spent her life IN a
quiet round Of duties that was like q
stifi back-water In the city's busy life.
Her mother had been an invalid. re-
curing constant care. and when she
did Mariana was thin and bit faded,
with spare figure and plain couture
that were far from girlish. Yet there
was look Of innocent youth In her
eyes, shy. and bit wistful. There
was no one TO notice II, however, and
she continued to live alone In the old
house, watching the people in the park
and filling her days with dreams.
There was one young man In par.
hcular who sat 10 the Square very
often. He brought little boy with
him-a fine, sturdy child Of about four
who romped on the patch Of lawn with
the other children. The young man
himself always seemed to be busy. He
would write steadily for several hours
at time, only looking up now and
then to call the child, cv going after
him II play became too rough. Some
times the little boy would come and
climb upon the bench with his father,
smuggling a curly head against his
shoulder. And the young man would
pat the child and go on working, now
and then looking down to smile at his
little son. They seemed to be good
pals.
Mariana tried vainly to imagine
what the young man might be doing.
Also, she wondered where the mother
was and why there was no one else
to care for the boy. She often hoped
that the young father, who must be
q wtdower, would notice some Of the
pretty girls who sat In the park. It
was shame for such pleasant man
to look so lonely. But he never did
notice any Of the girls. After all. he
looked quite like a gentleman, and
they were not his kind of girls. He
was probably an author, she had heard
that they were usually poor.
II wonder that child doesn't get into
mischief" thought Miss Mariana. II
guess It's good thing I'm sitting here
wrapped up In that book. or whatever
It is he's writing"
And then as the young man looked
up, gazing abstractly. apparently to-
ward the window where she sat, Mari
ana leaned forward eagerly to notice
his fine, clean profile. Her eyes were
bright with an innocent interest. 1t
never occurred to her that he might
be looking at her-nobody had ever
cared much about looking at her, even
when she was very young. Uncon-
scious of his gaze, she sat there, rock
ing gently. between her long white
shutters, the very picture Of homely
peace and quiet. After that the au-
thor's eyes strayed often from his
work, as though he must seek inspira-
ton In the walls Of red-brick cottage
or the long white shutters at its win.
dows.
The day after this the young man
did not come into the park at ali.
Mariana, having finished her simple
household tasks, took her place at the
accustomed window, eager for q sight
Of the Life that moved about outside.
II she was eager foS the sight Of one
particular person she did not know
It herself. Her heart was unused to
even the first throb Of that emotion
called love. Love as she had read
about 1t was thrilling thing, that
came upon one suddenly. usually In
some picturesque environment, and she
had never imagined that 1t could steal
over any woman like gentle warning
tide OF happiness. However, she was
happy; there was a shine IN her eyes
and q budding smile upon her lips.
Although she did not know It, Mariana
VIM was looking younger than usual.
But as the afternoon went on the
smile faded a little She wanted to
see the little boy. She searched eager
iy among the throngs Of children. ALL
there he wasI A stout, rosy-facedl
young girl had him firmly by the hand |
She was leading him toward the bench
where the father usually sat. Miss
Mariana craDed her head to look at
the young woman. Somehow she had
never supposed the little boys mother
would look like that He was adorabiy
brown-eurled, but she wore faxen friz-i
yes that looked suspiciously artificial.
She was a bit untidy. too. and her
so.led white shoes were run down at
the heels. A long sigh Of disappoint-
ment escaped Miss Mariana. and some,
frail thing Of the spirit seemed borne
away from heron its faint breath. The
shine had left her eyes. but she sat
watching.
Being comfortable established on the
bench, the blonde-haired young wonn-
an drew out novel and began to read.
The little boy danced away to play,
and the autumn afternoon shadows
heightened visibly. At last 1t grew
very dark and chill at Miss Mariana's
window.
Suddenly the air was rent by
child's shrill scream-shrill enough to
be heard above the sounds Of traffic
and the noise Of children's play. Mari.
ana VIM looked out quickly to see
the little boy-his little boy-with
blood streaming from hurt on his
forehead. He had fallen perhaps, or
Miss Mariana did not wait for con-