The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-10-22
"Mercy, What Was THAR"

Then Sammie Allen, with his six feet
of husky, strapping manhood, stepped
weakly from the train leaning on his
fathers arm.
A dozen willing hands and shoulders
were offered to help him into his faith
er's machine and home. But the
wholesome life Of the farm, together
with his mothers devoted care, worked
wonders and, six weeks later, the
young soldier was able to take short
walks every day, and slowly his
strength returned to him.
One especially fine summer day,
when he was feeling much stronger
than usual, he started out to pay
visit to his fathers old friend, Lem
Crothers but finding the walk still
little too much for him, he picked out
nice sandy beach spot and stretched
himself out at full length to rest. In
less than five minutes he was sound
asleep.
On the beach in front of the Croth-
ers home Aline Lee sat idly gazing out
over the smooth, blue stretch of water.
Her book lay neglected ON the sand
beside her, and every little while she
would pick up pretty shell or stone
and send it splashing or Swimming out
into the water.
'Well," she reflected to herself,
''that's more than l could do when 1
first came here. I'm surely getting
well and strong again, thank goodness.
/ wonder how far l could throw one of
these stones. l think I'll just test my
strength and see and then later I'll
walk around the beach and see If
can find it."
She became quite excited in her
search for shell or stone that should
be so different from all the rest that
'Aha!' she exclaimed with satisfac-
ton after few minutes, this one will
be just right" and she picked up a
small tightly curled shell the inside of
which was packed with fine hard sand.
1.-The sand just makes it heavy enough
to throw" she said, unconsciously
speaking aloud in her interest. 'Pu
try and hit that dark spot over there
on the other side of the beach," So.
standing up and taking careful aim.
she sent the little shell spinning across
the water.
Fascinated, she watched it go-and
then
mercy, what was that?' for
hoarse cry burst out upon the stiffness.
Aline stood still for moment,
stunned 81 must have struck some
one she decided quickly; and. fear
lending wings to her feet, she sped
around the car.
the hard sand Ia tin a.. ~.,.s.
"Oh, why did even ia Aicll silly
thing?" she almost sobbed liz het anN
iety. 81 may have Killed someone
And in her terror she rushed ON with
fresh burst of speed.
Hardly seeing where she went, and
running so fast that she was not able
to stop at once, Aline nearly fell over
the figure of young man sitting
against a rock, ruefully rubbing his
forehead with one hand and with the
other wiping away the little stream of
blood that triclzled down his face from
a cut on his temple.
Why-wh-why-" stammered the
girl. completely out of breath from her
run. "Why-er-are you the one?
"The one" he answered, little puz-
zled. "r7hy-er-yes, guess I must
be; that is, whichever one you mean,
l guess I'm it " getting slightly mixed
in his English, but smiling into the
girls troubled face.
"Why, mean are you the one that
shouted for help just now" explained
Aline.
Shouted" he replied. "Wen,
should say did. You see, was sound
asleep when this thing came along in
such a hurry. Why, l thought a shell
from a Pinch field gun had struck
me, and l certainly must have yelled
loud enough to have scared off whole
regiment of the enemy. You see, ut
first l really didn't know just what
had happened. I'm sorry if | fright
ened you. Won't you sit down mo
ment7" and he spread his coat out Oh
the sand.
well, really, you did give me quite
Il Shock admitted the girl, sinking
down upon the sand, just beginning t.
feel the reaction. ''But them" sht
went on, Il really deserved it. for, you