The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-03-18
"a Change of
Boarding Places
o0
BY s. B. HAcKLEY
Copyright, by Mcclure Newspaper
SYndicata.l

tne corner on which was the rented
cottage of Cecilia Reeves, the woman
he loved.
Cecilia, young milliner who took
four college-girl roomers to help out
on her income, bent her yellow head
lower over her heliotrope bed as she
caught sight of his retreat She. had
meant to give them some flowers when
they passed. She knew he loved the
heliotrope. Had she offended him? she
wondered
While she puzzled, with hurt heart,
Driscoll was saying to himself: 81 must
keep away-I must not see her any
more. The woman marry must love
my child-she must love my little
Babsp'
In the fourth year of Barbara's life
with him, the baby with the roguish
black eyes had come to them Then the
next year Barbara died, and the baby,
an elfish, whimsical Iovable thing, had
tumbled up somehow, under his widow
cred care, and three years of his old
cousins somewhat grumpy housekeep-
ing and nursing.
Then the old cousin had remarked,
and he had shut up the bungalow with
its crown of purple blossom-covered
bougainvillea, and he and the child had
boarded since then, somewhat to
Babs' disadvantage, he thought some
times. Then he had fallen in love with
Cecilia Reeves.
He had thought she was the mother
kind" of girl (Babs loved her) until
lately. Since the evening before, he
decided he couldn't ask her to marry
him. Not that he was certain she
would marry him if he did ask her,
but he couldn't, anyway.
His landlady of the last month had
been Miss Reeves friend until Driscoll
and little Barbara came to her board
ing house, and it occurred to her that
her quiet boarder, who had something
to do with the management of the city
waterworks system, would be an ideal
second husband. Then after the eve
ming Cecilia came to take dinner with
her and her prize boarder" walked
home with her, Mrs. Akers was no
longer Cecil's friend.
Somehow in the last week she had
made the impression on Driscoll that
Cecil didn't like children. He had come
home little earlier than usual the
evening before and started to the
kitchen.
II wonder Ned keeps that child
since his wife died and he has no one
to care for her." he heard Cecips soft
clear voice. 81 am going to try to per-
suade him to let me find a place for
her In a homep
Driscoll felt as though something
had struck him. He turned and went
upstairs. She-she didn't want him to
keep little Babs-she cared so little
for his baby she would persuade him
to send her to homel
The child dropped the doll Mrs
Akers had bought her that day and
sprang into his arms He kissed the
eager little face over and over.
"Oh, Cecil-girl-did you think that
you could persuade me to do a con.
scienceless thing like that?" he thought
as Babs ran downstairs to tell Mrs
Akers ''favver" had come.
Mrs. Akers was already aware of
the fact. She had heard his step In
the back hall; she knew he had heard
Cecips last remark.
"Was Miss Reeves here just now
when / came in?" Driscoll asked at
dinner. 81 thought l heard her voice.
Mrs. Akers' red lips flashed smile
"Oh, you eavesdropper l hope we
weren't saying anything bad Oh, yes,
we-Cecil was saying something about
Babs, wasn't she?"
AS Driscoll lifted the child to her
chair Mrs. Akers, noting his set lips,
felt that she had scored. Who was to
tell him that Cecilia had been speaking
of old Ned Mount, a destitute cripple
who persisted in keeping his tiny or
phaned grandchild in dirt and squalor?
Not shell
That evening when the little girl
slept Driscoll got out that other Bar
bara's picture, thing he did not often
do-much as he had loved her-since
he had come to love Cecilia.
'The house of the heart has many
chambers, Barbara, DEAR" he said to
the picture, "and / wanted to put that
other girl in the one alongside the one
in which you stay, but oh, Barbara
Barbara love heri But she doesn't
love the child daren't ask her to
come, Barbara !"
The evening after she saw Driscoll
turn away from her gate, Cecilia went
to the theater with Lucien Glover, a
faithful admirer whom she particular
~ detested, and sat near Driscoll.
Driscoll, moody and unhappy, pre-
tended interest in the play, but he had
but one thought. Glover had no right
to buy her her favorite Richmond roses
he himself had done that so longi
Two weeks later came the day of the
annual rose carnival. Little Babs, wild
with excitement, went to see the pa
rade in the care of Mrs. Akers. That
lady, engrossed in the conversation of
gossipy friend, gave the restless
child but scant attention.
Seeing Cecil seated above her, the
little girl climbed to her and leaned
confidingly against her Cecil squeezed
the plump little body to her, and kissed
the witching little face.
"Favver won't bring me to see you
any MORE" she whispered; "he fink
you don't like little girlsl'
Cecirs head grew hot Had Elsie
Akers put that and other ideas in his
head?
Little Babs danced away, but in less
than five minutes Cecil heard her
scream of terror. She sprang to her
feet.
my babyl My babyl Where are
your Then she saw the child-her
light dress blazing. Somebody had
dropped piece of burning paper. A
mist swan before CeciPs eyes, but she
shook it away and flung her tan wooden
cape around the child.
ITS all out-the little girl isn't
hurt" she heard somebody saying.
Then everything grew dark before her.
| That evening Cecil, waited on like a
queen by her four college girls,
frowned a little when the doorbell
rang.
'If it's that Lucien Clover" she told
them, "tell him I'm asleep. anything
only send him away"
But 1t was Driscoll that came in. He
started to take her hands, but seeing
| the bandages. turned very white.