The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-03-26

blue blood In those thoroughly Ameri-
can veins of his to have made it worth
while for any of those blue-blooded
ones to make his acquaintance.
In towns such as the one In the
West where he had been raised, he
knew how differently he and his pals
on the bridge would have been re-
ceived. He had to swallow hard some
times as he thought Of his own sisters
and the cordial girls at home, who
would have been glad enough to dance
with him and his homesick compan-
ions. But perhaps such towns boosted
of less-distinguished history. Surely
they did not have so many old in
scriptions on their tombstones, nor SO
many books in their library.
SO it was that in that library Tom
found his only diversion. He was not
felt awkward as he sat there hour
after hour pouring over the pages of
"The Three Guardsmen" or 1.-THE Count
of Monte Cristo."
Others came and went in the IL
brary, but he sat there hour after
hour, almost glad that no one spoke
to him, for had they done so he might
have felt that he was unwelcome even
there. But there was one reader be-
side himself who fingered long and
came often. And that other person
was a girl-young, and, 1t seemed to
Tom, very pretty. Sometimes he
watched her face as she poured over
the dusty volume before her, and Won
dered If she were as blue-blooded as
her townspeople. He watched her face
as it registered the pleasure or disap-
pointment she derived from what she
was reading.
Then one day the girl let drop a
pencil, and Tom, with his pulse beat
ing at rate that startled him, sprSng
from his chair and half way across the
room to pick it up for her. The girl
smiled kindly at him, and then, appar-
emily looking to see whether anyone
were looking on, thanked him for the
courtesy. All that she said was, 81
thank you very much" with a pretty
accent on the very but Tom felt that
he had found q friend. 1t was the
first time a girl in the town had
spoken to him. He looked about to
see that no one was looking, and said
'rYou seem to be a great reader, too"
for in his own estimation he had re-
Gently put himself In the class of book
worm.
After that the girl always bowed to
him when she saw him, and sometimes
when the librarian wasn't at hand she
exchanged little comments about the
weather. Gradually they found 1t con-
veniant to take seats nearer, till FINELY
they habitually sat at opposite sides
/ Of the same table.
One rainy evening. when II was
darker than usual at closing hour Of
| the library, Tom had the temerity tc
hold the door open for the girl and tc
open her umbrella for her. He hac
no umbrella of his own, naturally, anc
instead of taking hers from him, the
girl asked whether he would not hole
the umbrella over himself, too. They
walked along, the fog and rain shielded
them from the gaze of townsfolk, who
would surely have been surprised e
see soldier walking with one OF th'
mice girls" of the town.
Again on a rainy day, when Ton
and the girl had been reading till CLOS
ing time, they walked down the stree
together under the girls umbrella.
Don't you ever grow tired of sit
ting there, pouring over those booksf
Tom asked He himself was frank.
weary Of 1t. He came there now onl.
for the sake of the smile that h
knew the girl would give him.
"Yes, do" she said; land very dis
couraged. You see, I'm looking for
soldier"
Tom caught his breath and laughed
The girl laughed back and looked teas
ingly into his eyes.
Not the kind Of soldier you thin
/ mean," she said. "rm looking for
Revolutionary soldier. You see, GU
family are newcomers here. View
been here only since my great-granc
father was young man. Most of tn
best people In town have always live
here; that is, since colonial times. III
so anxious to belong to the Patriots
society,"" she went on to explain; "bI
to do that / must prove descent froI
an ancestor who fought In the Revolt
ton. I've been searching through tn
old records and family histories, an
/ thought I'd find one sure; but
wouldn't let any of the people her
know It'll don't believe any OF 10