The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-02-18

They've been yielding great for me
the past three years. Maybe I've
earned the name of Cal Cabbages I'd
like to think so. But the next work
will be even worse, from your point of
view. I've told you about Mr.. Hatch,
the coal dealer, who wants q strong
young fellow to go into the business
with him, to shoulder some of the
heavier work and responsibility. He
was talking with me the other day-in
fact, made definite offer, which I've
accepted. I'm to own a fourth of the
business, and my crop Of cabbages that
I'm delivering will make my savings
enough to pay for it, But ] shall look
after the harder outside part while Mr.
the Office. l want to understand the
whole business, so for a while will
drive one of the delivery wagons, and
probably be as black and dirty as any
of the colored men. People may get to
calling me 'Soft-Coal Call or 'Anthra-
cite,' or 'Bitnminous CAL l hope So
And hope the next thing beyond coal
that enter viii stick to me the same
way. I'd thousand times rather have
some such working name than be a
mere mister this, that or the other.
You wouldn't like it, though, I'm
afraid, Louise"
The girl had stepped back, her face
cold and scornful.
"'Cal Cabbages Coal Call
wheelbarrOw - smOoched face - one
never could guess what next, with
your horrid taste. No; 1 wouldn't like
it, and whatever we may have talked
of is off, utterly"
But somehow, even for Louises
friendship Calvin could not wish him
self other than he was. He liked hard
places that must be climbed over or
pushed aside. The very zest of achiev-
ing almost paid for the hardship of 1t.
He would far rather struggle for sue
cess in cabbage field or coal yard.
wrestling for every foot gained, than
to sit at desk In good clothes and
trust to luck or diplomacy. But he
did not whistle any as he trundled the
barrow along.
Out near the edge Of the town was
second-rate boarding house, kept by
woman who couldn't afford a better
one or one nearer the center. She was
an energetic, kind-hearted person, and
though her boarders were all common
day laborers who couldn't pay much,
/ they were her good friends and acted
as sort of house policemen, watching
newcomers and transients frankly and
seeing they paid their board promptly
when due.
From the small margin above cost
she had sent Adelaide Eliza. her only
child. through high school. The girl
had been In many of Calvin's classes.
and had graduated at the same time.
But he knew very little of her. He re-
membered her chiefly as a defiant,
black-eyed thing in neat but out-of-
date and much turned and darned
clothing. Such of the girls as noticed
Adelaide Eliza did it to ridicule and
make her angry. Some of the boys did
the saspe. They liked to watch the
black eyes flash and the angry feet
stamp.
But they couldn't ridicule her from
school. The girl literally fought her
way through, without a friend, and
graduated with almost the highest hon
ors. After school she had always dart
ed away ahead of the others, going
across lots; and in the morning had
slipped in just as the last bell was
ringing. 1t enabled her to escape much
of the ridicule. After graduating, she
disappeared in the same way, taking
no part In the later exercises or social
farewells. Some of the girls remarked
on 1t in low voices, perhaps ashamed
of things they had said or DONE
Calvin had been too much absorbed
in his books to notice much. In all
their schooling he hadn't spoken to
Adelaide Eliza half dozen times-nor
for that matter, much more than with
any of the girls except Louise, who
had a seat near him, and walked as
far as her home on the same sidewalk
As he trundled his wheelbarrow out
through the edge of the village, where
there were more vacant lots and larger
gardens, a sudden mild, protesting
squeal rose directly in front.
Rank weeds and bushes grew out