The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-01-07
Acting Up"
BY LINCOLN RoTHBLuM

ed her arms on the fence railing.
1t was summer time in the outlying
farm districts of the town of Carroll
ton and the air was redolent with the
green odor Of alfalfa. Mirandy dis
tended her nostrils to get the diffusing
fragrance. On the crest of the hill,
topping the road which led past the
house, appeared none too strong
horse. 1t dragged with tagging feet a
rig of doubtful origin. 1t would have
been difficult to tell the occupation of
the driver who sat beneath the ragged
and sagging top if not for the sack
which lay at his feet labeled in letters
of warning size, ~. S. Mail" AS the
outfit started down grade the man
raised his crushed hat and made an
effort to brush the outstanding hairs
into place. A ribbon" tie was next
adjusted and to its already numerous
stains were added few more from
the dusty hands. When these offices
had been performed, he shifted the
reins from his right to left hand and
fiuttering handkerchief.
''Mornin', Mandy" was his greeting.
as he drew up before the gate.
'Mornin', Seth. Any mail for me?"
"Nothin', cept the county newspa-
per. How's y'r grandpawf"
Poorly, poorly, Seth. The doc says
he won't last much longer"
'Then Wen get married, Mandy, and
no putin it off again. Eli"
Mirandy blushed as If this were the
first time the subject had been
preached to her. la, Seth, hew you
do talk" was the f1irtatious response |;
"but 1t just seems like we'll never get
there. First it was grandmaw who
kept us from getting married, what
with being SC. sick and cantankerous,
and then you lost y'r job-and Of
course we couldn't get married til you
was appointed this route, and now it
be my grandpaw sick and ailin and
eatin' up the revenue"
Seth spat out a generous quid of to-
bacco and after replacing it with a
fresh supply, shook his head resigned
ly. well. I'll be round tomorrow,
Mandy-so long,"
$50 long Seth. I'll be expectin'
you"
And Mirandy's workworn figure
dropped as her eyes followed the de-
parting buggy. Sentenced to the hard,
manual drudgery Of a badly managed
farm before securing even such ele-
mental education as the village Of
fered; saddled with aged grandpar-
ents who fought off every innovation
which might have lightened her la
bors, and forced by eternally present
financial straits to forego any pleasure
which involved the expenditure of
money, Mirandy's youth had slipped
away almost without her knowledge,
until she found herself well on the
road to forty with vapid complexion
and toil-hardened hands as her only
assets.
But in this sacrificing and unher-
aided martyrdom, to which she had
given herself with neither complaint
nor hope for reward. there were two
pinnacles of joy. One was Seth, to
whose everlasting credit must be said
that none of the obstacles which had
delayed his wedding to Mirandy had
lessened his fidelity
Mlrandy crept into bed, where des-
pite the straw tick she soon fell asleep.
Che oroco unrocto6 Tho r,orntn0 c,1p
scarcely awake, suggested another
round of toilsome tasks. Perhaps
every morning it was the thought of
Seth which hastened the always rapid
dressing and the chores were well
completed as she retreated to her bed
room to fuss up" before waiting at
the fence.
But this morning Seth was destined
to wait himself into Impotence, for
no aproned figure leaned against the
gate as he drew up. So he walked to
meet her.
"Mornin', Mandy"
'Mornin', Seth. Any mail for me?"
'Nothin' 'cept the county newspa-
per. But / got letter, an seem as
you might as well get used to openin'
my mail now, brought it to you"
Mirandy smiled at the subtle COM
pliment in a style Seth dubbed ''prit-
ty."
''Why,, it's from the government"
Mirandy exclaimed as she took the
envelope with its franking privilege
stamp. Anything official frightened
her, but perhaps it was woman's in
tuitive premonition which foretold the
bad news her face so patiently reflect.
ed. "rt says, Seth,p she muttered, lit
says you gotsto get-you got to get an
auto If you want to keep y'r job"
And so to meet the governments
changes for efficiency went Seth's en-
tire savings. And though the new sys-
tenn augmented his salary, he soon
found that the price of gasoline ran
higher than that of oats.
1t was again summer In Carrolton.
Mirandy was very happy this morning,
for had not the wedding date been set
Just six months off? Six months is a
very short time when one has been
waiting nigh on twenty years.
"Mornin', Mandy
"Mornin'. Seth. Any mail for meT
"Nothip' 'cept the county newspa-
per-" and then with mock air of sur
prise, Il declare. why here's letter
for YOU" just as If he had not nearly
yielded to the temptation to open it
ever since it had been placed In his
mali sack at six O'Clock that morning.
"a letter for mei' echoed Mirandy.
But Mirandy's establishment at get
ting letter did not equal her amaze
ment as she read its contents. On
the letterhead of an attorney, 1t ran:
"Your uncle, Ezekiel Barrett, has
died intestate. AS sole surviving
heir you are entitled to the $500 he
has left. Our solicitor will visit you
shortly to secure the necessary sigma
ture"
Then Mirandy did thing unheard
Of She kissed Seth. 1--WE can get
married right off now" she gurgled,
get married. Seth. don't you hearf''
For Seth was already chugchugging
down the road. Mirandy stared at
the letter.
The next morning the customary ex-
change of greetings was omitted as
Mirandy abruptly asked, Now we got
the money, won't you want to be get
tin married."
Seth looked up as he rolled stone
with the toe of his boot. His answer
came hesitatingly. Cant you see,
Mandy, if was to marry you now,
without cent of my own, folks'll be
sayin' was marryin' you for y'r
money"
Have you got mind?" Mirandy
asked sarcastically. Seth stood