— ——— ie ————— —— —— i —— SYNOPSIS. a] Joe Sheridan's attempt to make a business snan of his son Bibbs by starting him in the machine shop ends in Bibbs going to a sanitarium, a nervous wreck, On his re turn Bibbs finds himself an inconsider- able and unconsidered figure ir “New House’ of the Sheridans. The Vertrees old-town family next wind impoy ished. call on the Sheridans, newly ri and Mary afterward puts int parents’ unspoken wish one of the Bheridar encourages Jim Si tells Mary Bills is jueer.’” proposes to accepts Sheridan must g to BOON AS Ribba' Bibbs" wife, quarre goes Mary Trom marryis the door y words ple sister, to death, / the their grief, magter of the mets Mary Bibbs 1 yatween in love Bibbs well hine shop nt 1 Shertdan bout ERE RRR ER RR RPRIETRTR If your daughter was deeply infatuated with a good-for-noth- ing young man who wanted to marry her, and you wanted to break up the affair, iet the girl see so m of : lover she would become sick of or you forbid him and te her from meeting him you believe that handled a this kind scribed PR CERHO A AOE £ uch her would premises him the i. $e try iE ARR 3k ARTY, ¥ +h supported teamed to regard natural In evidently Mrs indignity. while the upon tim as de having Frit the subject liberate insulis been unable to ine been checked several times waving her oe k pistened warn Roscoe arrival at injury five vind ¢ and Sibyl, apon their to om nny to avoid they reference t y the even lo the sling | pogsil cou i ly CHAPTER XXI, The Sheridans dined on Sundays at five, had taken pains not to ar rive before after hand was on hour, the Siby either precisely or the the and at the table within two mimites after ahe and Roscoe had entered the house It was a glum gathering, overhung with portents, The air seemed charged, awaiting any tiny ignition to explode; and Mrs. Sheridan's expression, she sat with her eyes fixed almost con- tinnally upon her husband, was that of a person engaged In prayer, Edith was pas amd intent Roscoe looked Hi: Sibyl looked il. and Sheridan looked both 111 and explosive. Bibbs had more color than any of these, and there was a strange brightness, lke a light, upon his face It was curious tn see anything so happy in the tense gloom of that honsehold Hdtth ate litle She nover Lnked at Siby!, though Sibyl now. and thea gave Let & quick ghagen, heavily as once —— charged, and then looked away. Roa- coe ate nothing. He did not once look at his father, though his father gazed heavily at him most of the time. And between Edith and Sibyl, and between and his father, some bitter communication seemed con tinually to be taking place throughout Roscoe wireless enlivening ceremony of Sabbath refec- tion “Didn't z. Bibbs to church this morn mother asked, in the to break up one of those ghastly you go his in intervals ‘1 think 80,” he answered, as from a Mose ts You think ! Don't you know?” ves. Yes, 1 went to church What was the ‘In " “What, mother?" “Can't you he f vy what 4 Oh, m about? cried non she A He rv L DOL “1 think ned, seeming to con ollect. *I think about something In the Bible White yused himself, He frow $1 ii it was 8 will to red iy te was eorge was glad of a: } shoulder in the know they oncluded, ing-room dialogue 1d y ipon Mist’ Jackson's “He don Ww having he was with "at right was all by your srl and women-folks a the led “Qomet mes » ird sort o -— a - -e mR “Now Then,” 8aid Sheridan to Lam: horn, Wf records exci Khe consietia and ’ § 08 Mae 34 sively ragtime of Caruso one tter, remarking and it with one of the former and the same remark shit that she thought it “righ pretty,” followed As the second reached ite conclusion, George appeared in the broad door way, but he did not speak. Instead, favored Edith with a ‘benevolent smile, and she immediately left the room, George disappearing after her in the hall w an alr of successful diplomacy. He made it perfectly clear that Edith had given him in: structions’ and that it bad been his pride and pleasure to fulfill them to the letter, Sibyl! stiffened In ber chair; her lips parted, and she watched with curious eyes the vanishing back of the white Jacket “What's that?" she asked, in a low voice, but sharply. - “Here's another right pretty record,” sald Mrs. Sheridan, affecting—with patent nervousness—not to hear. And she unioosed the music. Sibyl! bit her lip and began to tap ber chin with the brooch, After a littie white she tired to Bibbs, who reposed he 34 al secret at half length in a gold chalr, with his eyes closed, “Where did curiously. “Edith? he repeated, opening his eyes blankly, “ls she gone?” Sibyl got up and stood in the door wiy. She leaned against the casing still tappiug her chin with the brooch. Her eves were dilating; she was sud denly at high tension, and her expres. sion had become one of sharp excite ment. She listened intently. When the record was spun out she could hear Sheridan rumbling In the library, during the ensuing silence and Roscoe's volce, querulous and husky: “I won't say anything at all I tell you, you might just as well let me alone!” But there were other sounds: a rus tling and murmur, whispering, low, protesting cadences in a male volce, And as Mrs. Sheridan started another record, a sudden, vital resolve leaped like fire in the eyes of Sibyl. She walked down the hall and straight into the smoking room. Lamhorn and Edith both sprang to their feet, separating. Edith became deathly white with a rage that sot her shaking from head to foot, mhorn stuttered as he tried to Edith go?’ she asked, instantly But Edith’'s shaking was not so vio ent Sibyl's, nor was her face white At sight of them and of their all une nothing to Sibyl as 80 be possible consequences She curtsied, and contortin to the semblance of a “Kit just as you were—Dboth of you!” she sald. And then to Edith: “Did you tell my husband I bad been telephon 1} Lamborn?" ug up her skirts lips smile $ to ‘on march out of here!” sald Edith, “March straight out of here!” ed a forefinger at Lam level ou tell her I'd been telephon to come?” wanted you wd God!” said Lamborn i tell my husband cried, “You she'd jidn rou?’ she that!™ ‘Hinsh "hh id Knew ** he begged, pan thing to do! You wouldn't ~atricken was a manly Oh 18 (iKe a gent vou wouldn't even come for five to were tired « 1 $1 You'd heard utes J had to say ud yi rouldn’t even No!" stormed XY o¥t1 thousnr 't even oom could te "i Id my husband! an w ss of battle d her temptation to the furious mustn't speak fare!” der by a ban t the neigh thundered yOu wat Sheridan Fren and he doorway, and she under vel then suddenly the snw her husband she bad done. She mon toward the door gan to run She ran and and Roscoe followed into through it Oe her heavily . ha » 3 eyes on the ground «ald Sheridan to Lam his “Now then!” hort alee was not hand, in direction wer sufficient for the ree Nn nd of the bandaged concluded its orbit the n b 1 of I" i (3i Jackson wal female servants who hov behind Mrs. Sheridan. They fled led Mrs. Sheridan “Look at your hand! You oughin’t to been so rough th Edie; you hurt your hand on her shoulder. Look! here was, in fact, a spreading red stain upon the bandages at the tips the fingers, and Sheridan put his hand back in the sling. “Now then!” repeated. “You goin’ to leave my “Papa. papa!” w w of hie house 7” “He will not.” sobbed Edith. “Don’t you dare order him ont!” “Don’t you bother, dear.” said Lam- quietly “fie doesn't under stand, You mustn't be troubled.” PPallor was becoming to him: he looked very handsome, and as he room he seemed in the girl's distraught eyes a perscented noble, indifferent to the rabble yuwping lusalt at his heels the rabble being enacted by her fa- ther. “Don't come back, either!” said Sheridam realistie in this impersona- tion. “Keep off the premises!” he enlled savagely into the hall. “This family's through with you!" “It fs not!” Bdith cried, breaking from her mother. “You'll find out what'll happen! What's he done? You don't know anything about it. Don't you #'pose he told me? She was crazy about him soon as he began going i i i i before he met me! After that wouldn't. She was bound she give him up. He told ber long cared about me, but she kept cuting him and—" “Yes,” said Sheridan, sternly; his side of it! That'll do! Ke come in this house again!” “You look out!” Edith cried, “Yes, I'll look out! I'd 'a’ told you today he wasn't to be allowed on the premises, but I had other things in my mind. I had Abercrombie look up this young man privately, and he's no ‘count. He's no ‘count on earth! He's no good! He's nothin’! But it wouldn't matter if he was George Washington, after what's happened and what I've heard tonight!” “But, papa,” Mrs. Sheridan began “if Edie says it was all Sibyl's fauit, makin’ up to him, and he never encour aged her much, nor—" “'Q epough!” he roared. “He keeps off these premises! And If any of you so much gs ever gpeak his name to me agalp—"" But Edith hands sound ago he perse “that's doesn't her the rs screamed, clapping to shut of and ran sobbing loudly, followed by her mother However, Mrs. Sheridan few minutes later and joined her hus hand in the brary. ting In chair, roused from over her ears out his voice, upsta descended a +111 ‘ Bibbs, still sit his gold himself strolled in after her. ked the Sheridan, shaking her She wouldn't saw her pass i reverie, ai “She loc door,” sald head woef swer even an me a sound from her room.” sald her husband, to fellow Wish “Well,” her 1ks to that to tel Here! You a off and say it's nn setile mind tri $ teil Bibbs at him * said Bibbs “Mother in 1 . were wiiness!” to a-goin compare $¥i0 4 i door diy d ther he passed rap ot nd upward to his own poom i write in his notebook Cre Beer and witl there! y and in book with his his transcendent lover happineas” Frien hip brings everything that heav en bring There no labor that cannot become a living rapture if you know that a friend is thinking of you as you labor, Bo you sing at your work the work is part of the vaghis of friend i love it! manding and claiming Friondship is all mak the world glorious with What color you see when you a» friend! You sen that gray sky brilliant and shimmering. You ses the smoke has warm browns and velously. sculptured--the air bed descont You ses the gold in brown hal Light floods everything When you walk to church with a friend you know that life can give yo nothiluag richer You pray that there will t fo change in anything forever What an adorable thing it ia to cover an little foible in your friend, a of vanity that gives you one thing more about her to adore! On a cold morning she will perhaps walk to church with § without her furs, and she will Mush and return an evasive answer when You ask her why she does not wear t) You will say po more, because you understand he Jooke beautiful in her force you love their nrknese againet her cheek) hut you pmprohend that they, concen! tha lovells could Ws For in your 80 vO 3 Love ia de and sistent in it mn kKindneas Kimine walk w 8 ith is hat Al. the is Mm omens in dis tit yi am i and that in, and, = ing, discards taking Od wl try to look it out This it does as if is satisfa + theory not accoun Ah, w mystery somewhere enchantment Manual labor is ging and your mind hands are working pinging heart and a if you had to vou had to things exeept ir the Fymier v muff dl, there Mystery Hest Your an draa: ou could not hav dreaming mind doll of dn if out Imns take atle frie thinking write letters ginning 17th inst t But thinking nightfall, "You and r ith received to worl contents note” day, w and singing, to hea t hie of your friend's for you! Who dream as this? Dawn and the gardens—nightingales almond groves in bloom things into the hands § then ineffable k greeting your and ness there would wake from ich A Boa IN UNI seren wh turmaoii blons city's and roses a friend CHAPTER XXII. Bibhs was the only soundly through Sheridan to sleep ind rt His cheer ] the the ght to wake at dawn with ea fiiness Wis vague y iminisi } troublous sia Walk Home With Bibbs.” “I've Come to routis f his fe that he This w» he passe frail noticeably begrimed, and it to givement a unied sample of gen- point of elegance aud after nee iter coplously nw Ww w and his transl ition scene rather young v 1 nem warking man 11d ’ ous Os the j cheerfully preo try. fast dio {he The sidewalk dinner pails, ' was crowded rarers of men ind women and giris fr that « ried and some lottered: they went both and west, jostling and Bibbs, turning his face homeward was forced to go slowly. om the work rooms wed at fin east one another Coming toward him, through the crowd, a girl caught sight of his I thin figure and stood still until he had almost passed ber for in the thick crowd and the thicker gloom be did not recognize her, though his shoulder actually touched hers. He would have gone by, but she faughed delightediy, and he stopped short, startied. Two boys, one chasing the other, swept between them, and Bibbs stood still, peering about him in deep perplexity. She leaned toward him. “1 knew you!” she said “Good heavens!” cried Bibbs “I thought it was your voice coming out of a star!” “There's only smoke overhead,” sald Mary, and laughed again “There aren't any stars.” “Oh, yes, there langhed Khe took his arm, and they went on “I've come to walk home with you Bibbs, 1 wanted to” “Put were you here in the “in the dark? Yes! Waiting? Yes!” Bibbs was radiant: he feit suffocat ed with happiness her “fint It's not safe, and I'm not it. You shonida’t have You What did" as slowly, tail 3 were-—when yon ee " ought iiready.” t. I was only $F ow BEV ON ire save had to ed going gaid You'll your to hear Lien the: Oh, It was How can | tell yon wus like? They | beyond the had passed crowd now, and a CTO which revealed without ing lamp shone wpon them the fact that she Wis her furs Was ow her you otight especially want to be dark { You need one in winter, anyhow. Have 1 you es i puzzle However, al stand another 41 it to his icitude for ink said, out after i when you rer asked your father for one?” “No,” said Mary don’t think I'd inkist on you where on and how | spough 10 1m without becau home with me “Women | Mary { be you ke infors langhter I came for you?” “No--not being rar+iy 11d cont 1 felt ag if | were \ up and up and t i I feel like that still i I'm that way most of {the time. 1 wonder what I was lke before 1 knew you. The person | was seems to have been somebody not Bibbs Sheridan at all. It long, long ago I was gloomy and sickiy—somebody else—somebody 1 don't nnderstand now, a coward afraid shadows-—afrald things that didn't exist—afraid of my oid gine eater! And now I'm only afraid of what might change anything.” She was silent a moment, and then, “You're happy, Bibbs?" she asked. “Ah, don't you sea? he cried. “1 want it to last for thousand, thou- sand years, just as it is! You've made me so rich, I'm a miser. | wouldn't have one thing different—nothing, nothing!” “Dear Bibbs!” she said, and langhed happily up Over then else, seems of of - This friendship business be tween Bibbs and Mary--do you married folk think it's a spefl of friendship they're having or is it simply an old-fashioned case of lave, with only one cure: a license and a parson? | A I RN IN ¥TO BE CONTINUGCDG
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers