V, LADY BLANCHE FARM A Romance of the Commonplace by Frances Parkinson Keyes WNU Service Copyright by Frances Parkinson Keyes SYNOPSIS Motoring through Vermont, Philip Starr, young Boston architect, meets, in unconventional fashion, Bianche Manning, girl of seventeen, with whom he is immediately enamored. In con. versation, he learns something of her family history, It being a long distance to Burlington, Starr's destination, Blanche suggests, the village of Ham. stead not boasting a hotel, that he be. come, for the night, a guest of her cousin, Mary Manning. Mary receives Philip with true Vermont hospitality, and he makes the acquaintance of her cousin Paul, recognized as her flance, Starr finds Mary is acquainted with Gale Hamlin, noted Boston architect in whose office Philip Is employed. He informs her of his desire to win Blanche for his wife, She is sympa. thetic, and tells him of an old famil superstition concerning the “Blar I of the Mannhig family. CHAPTER III —— Violet Manning was an extremely pretty woman with an infinite capacity for doing nothing, She had been the only child, much and petted, of a shopkeeper in White Water, the next village to Hamstead, who had stinted himself to give her "advan- tages.” She was sent away to a would- be-but-didn't-quite-make-it- fashionable boarding school, and acquired a veneer of culture, and a contempt for her parents, her neighbors, and her home- town, but not very much else. On her return to White Water, after she was “finished” at school, and had taken a three months’ trip to Europe might have been the belle of the coun- tryside if she had only been as pleas ant as she was pretty, But her would- be swains fell off, one by spoiled she one, before and it the age of Man- Lady careful to him and to was doing him favor to marry him, and he at believed her. A sturdy from “out-back"—Horace, or as te was more frequently called, “Hod” Evans and his wife Myra—were In- stalled In the brick house as “help.” And Violet lay in bed late In the morning, and sat in the north par. lor-—heretofore used only for weddings and funerals—embroldering center pleces, and went to church on Sunday, dressed considerably better than any- one else in Hamstead. A woman with more brains would soon have been bored into activity by such an exist. ence, Jut Violet was not bored. She was supremely satisfled at the easy and pleasant lines Into which her life had fallen. When she was a little over Martin, who still worshiped her ly, died, leaving her with children, and enough money comfortably, If simply. Eve ry Sunday morning she went to church with Blanche and Paul at her side, her heavy black silk dress trailing down the aisle behind her. Every Sunday afternoon she went to the cemetery to place flowers on Martin's grave, tak- ing the children. When the role of bereaved and sorrowing widow began to pall a little, and no one stepped forward to relieve her of it. Violet's laziness took refuge in that of the model housekeeper and devoted moth- er. Fortunately, with a contentment rare in New England, Myra and Hod stayed on; Myra ran the house to suit herself. Hod helped the hard-working and plodding Seth with the farm labor which Paul was supposed to be too del- jcate to perform, since an attack of scarlet fever, which had left him in a weakened condition, had given his mother the fixed Idea that he had heart trouble. To be sure, Paul mowed the lawns and weeded the garden, but always under her careful supervision. He had been away to a near-by semi- nary te school, and drifted half way through a course at an agricultural college; but he was not a natural student, and the farm ran along “well enough” without his help. When for no very clear reason, he stated that he had decided not to finish his course, his mother did not try to foree him to do so. More through lack of vital interest than through viclousness, he became dissipated. Violet excused him. There were some things, she sald, that she couldn't, with modesty, discuss with him. Boys always sowed wild oats for a time, and then settled down and married some nice girl, just as Paul was going to settle down by and by and marry dear Mary, There was no use worrying or making a vul- gar fuss over what was coming out all right in the end, anyway. And mean while Blanche was such a comfort! Blanche had also inherited her moth’ er's good looks, and the discontent which the latter bad felt in her youth, but there was “more Manning” to her, as Hamstead said, At ten o'clock In the morning fol Joewing Philip's unceremonious arrival at Lady Blanche farm, Violet was {ling In bed with a new novel, still ‘anopened. beside her, when there was a brisk, if gentle, knock at the door, nnd Mary walked In. the disdain of her manner; with secret relief that, at twenty-five, Martin ning, and went to live on Blanche farm. She was convey ti everyone else, a great least, was she accepted 1 impre ssion, to that she couple big thirty, blind- small to live on two “Oh, good morning, dear,” sald Vio- let pleasantly, arousing herself, “I've been wondering why you didn't come over, Just take that breakfast tray downstairs, will you? Myra's getting ready to go to church, and seems to have forgotten It.—No, I thought It was raining too hard to attempt going myself, You know how easily I take cold.” “I'm sorry 1 couldn't get over earlier,” sald Mary, returning from her trip to the kitchen with the tray. “l hope you'll feel enough better hy noon to come over to dinner and meet Mr. Starr.” “Oh, my dear, I couldn't. I don't even feel equal to the effort of walk- ing over to the bureau to comb my hair—Why, yes, if you feel like doing it—don't pull {t.—So he didn't leave this morning?” “No,” answered Mary, brushing out the long soft curls to their full length, “it was raining so dreadfully hard that it didn’t seem best for him to attempt it. He's been sick, as I told you last night. He's telephoned his friends in jurlington not to expect him just yet. Well, he'll be disappointed not to see you, he's so crazy over everything that’s beautiful, I think he really ought to have been an artist, not ‘on the side’ as he says, but for his real profession, instead of being an archi tect. But of course there isn't usually as much money in it. He's with Davis and Hamlin—" “Gale Hamlin?" “Yes. He told me after I went home last night, It makes me feel as if we knew him quite well already.” At this moment, the conversation, which was becoming extremely inter ’ “Oh, Paul,” She Said Reproachfully, “How Can You? esting to Violet, was interrupted by the appearance of Miss Jane Manning. who entered somewhat brusquely, and without knocking. None of the fa- mous “Manning looks” had falien to her lot. She was probably ope of the plainest women the Lord had ever made, certainly the plainest that He had seen fit to place in Hamstead. “Well, Violet— Well, Mary,” she said abruptly, “aren't either of you goin’ to church this mornin’? Violet murmured her excuses, who never either mur anything, Mary, mured or ex cused stated her reasons plainly. “I've got too much to do.” “with the children to look after, and dinner to get, and everything.” “What's this 1 hear,” asked Cousin Jane, “about your taking in strange young man that Blanche picked up by the roadside? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Violet, for that girl traipse around so! Any tramp that'll come along and ask for a meal you'll welcome, Mary.” “Oh, Mr. Starr isnt & tramp,” re plied Mary pleasantly, “he's quite an important person.” And she repeated her biographical sketch of Philip's career with enthusiasm. But Cousin Jane was not to be gide-tracked, “What do you know about his prin ciples?" she asked without com promise. “Accordin’ to your account, he’s spent considerable time in France, and when that's been said, there ain't much more to add We know what the French are like.” This was en- tirely untrue, but Cousin Jane be lieved it to be so, and sald it with a conviction that carried weight. “Well, he looks delicate, just now, of course, because he's been sick, but there's something awfully clean and wholesome about him. And he looks you straight in the face, and comes right to the point about things. He knows his own mind, and he laughs as if he didn't have a thing on his conscience, and he likes books and flowers and children; and If those aren't all good signs of a Christian, I don't know what are!" “You don't know anything about re ligiow at all,” retorted Miss Manning. “I'm shocked to hear you speak so, Yes, I'll be over to dinner and see him for myself. I don't want to judge, of course, but I'm prepared for the worst-— Where's Paul?" “Paul isn't well, this morning.” his mother said hastily. “He's in bed, too. He's really more delicate than any of you realize—If he gets the least bit overtired, he has a dreadful head ache, just as | do. He was out rather late last night. That reminds me, Mary, he called ont to me just before you enme In, that if you did come over, he wished you'd bring him up’ a pitcher of lcewnter and a bowl of cracked lice. He hated to ask Myra to get it for him, because he knew she'd give him a temperance lecture, Not that he's been really drinking, of course, but naturally, young fellows like a glass of ale or so when they go out in the evening. You better go and get the Ice for him now. An2 I'm she said, some letiing awfully afraid you'll be late to church, Jape, if you don't hurry. 1 believe I'll get up after all. I'd hate to disap- point Mr. Starr if he really wants so much to meet me, and I'll make an effort to come over to dinner, Mary. I hope 1 shan't suffer for it after- wards." CHAPTER IV The dinner which Mary stayed home from church to cook, was not an en- tire success, either in her eyes or in | the eyes of anyone else who attended | it, with the possible exception of Blanche and Philip. In the first place, it was prepared | somewhat hurriedly, and with a sore | and grieving spirit—a combination of | misfortunes which has proved dis- | astrous to more pretentious banquets, | Going into her cousin's room with the | bowl of ice and pitcher of lcewater, | Mary found Paul, clad in pale-blue pajamas, lying on his back in bed, his face lined and white, black rings about his closed eyes, In spite of her wholesome freshness, Mary was by no means stupid. She knew perfectly well that “shows” in Wallacetown were apt to include other things “on the side,” and she knew, too, that a drawn, mask-like pallor, | might be as certain an indication of dissipation as a puffy flush, “Oh, Paul™ reproachfully, “how can you? Paul sat up in bed, “How asked crossly. “You know.” “I'm sure | definite. Put ice in a handkerchief, wrap it around my Mary complied in sil down again, some minutes, his gradually relaxing and put his arm “You're an awfully good girl, Mary,” he sald softly. “I don’t know what 1 should do you, Won't you You haven't yet, this she sald reaching for the lcewnter, can 1 what? he don’t. You're not ¢ some of that very cracked will you, and head.” Paul lay for expression smiled, ence, and kept very still {ense Then he around her, without give me a kiss? morning.” “Whom did you Mary in a hard “Why you, right night! Don't you is—" Mary's gras straight into his thing In ther kiss last? asked VYO.0e, 3 i last That after supher remember? eyes were looking i there was some f it im Paul found “100k p ire are g “By crowd,’ 1 friends and relat You mean lows that the new mili? “Well, what If 1 do? harm in working in a mill, “No—in I think a mill t Go on.” don't su mean out there, do you? and fel work Us some girls have just come to There's ne is there? it's rather bet han it is to loaf fact, ter to work in on a farm, “1 won't go on” angrily than he “You're enough to 3" WOrie—gt Paul, more before low to said had drive spoken a fel drink 3ppes] ng I had « anything But what amount to-—-Kissing a pretty you've had a lark done worse does {it girl when y« that i Ba $e what with ‘good way! [Us only mean night'— she expects t doesn’t ans thing “It doesn’t seem Lo Mary, “Oh, Lord! I n doesn't YOory quie amount Come back here But Mary door behind Was her Outside the house, she hesitate lips quivering, her She couldn’t—she feeling the getting dinner striking eleven, terred by gently falling 1. her eyes full of tears. home start clock, Unde- was still 1g ed up the road towards a little mountain which was part of the farm, and called In mem ory of the first Blanche, who had loved to go there, “Countess HilL" It was very quiet Mary, walking up needle-strewn paths that led to the top, the soft rain hardly penetrating the thick trees, began, almost imme. diately, to find peace and what she wanted still more—~time and space to think resolutely about Paul. What should she do-—what ought she to do? Break her engagement? How much. she asked herself, with a quick little quiver of pain, would he care if she did? Why was she always fated to make herself so unattractive to him, to be so tactless, when she was trying only to be fair and honest? And would either of them be ay better off | if she made what would be, to her, a heart-breaking sacrifice? In vain she | admitted that neither her reason nor her instinct should allow her to love a man whom she did not respect or trust, not nearly as much as she al ready respected and trusted Philip Starr, who, twenty-four hours earlier had been n complete stranger to her, The fact remained that she did love Paul, with every fiber of her being, far more deeply, far more passionately, than she had ever let him see. She al- ways had-—she alwnys would, He had not actually even proposed to her. Their kisses had changed a little In character, had become more frequent—some way, through em braces growing less cousinly and more logriike they had reached “an under. standing.” It was not clear in the minds of either of them how or when. But from that faintly determined time, Paul had become all in all to Mary, and Mary had gradually become less than she was hefore to Paul, (TO PE CONTINUED) ' couldn’t-—go way she did, and The village decided her rain, she walk the which on the mountain, one of the wide, BLOUSE blouse with this sult and a with that suit, a blouse for this occasion and a blouse for that, {Hus an extra measure-—-your ‘ blouse or two spring and clothes budget will have to be planned just like that if you aspire to dress up to the minute. When one tremendous importance which fashion atinches to the sult (either iacket or cape type) It is easy to dis whierefor of for sumrmes good realizes the ‘over the vp i tailored sul + who must create wnt in the being played up to with gesture It nothing ric, sty the perfect com len wny of the hiouse bh . IB stich dramatic that in color fab would seem left to wish for le or novelly of the myrinds of models whi collections, There is everyth Ving the blouse to Intrigue the fancy, rang ing from daintiest Hngerie or ultra formal de use types of “sportsiest” knitted sorts, the ch go to make up current in the realm of not to forget to mention flash-dashy scarf makes even the humblest tall take on swank and bold design offers a most excellent antidote for that malady, some of us And the striped or pla blouse which lored sult its riot of high color “depression,” have been hearing about wecked, bayadere ded taffeta bh corirse every fashion-wise woma will new cof Ee LH rush for one st make a grand very start of th y at the © Benson What an air of smartness they ndd te the tal spring suit! To multiply this de lnred the course nnd biouse with a straw at a perky angle, facing of the iden or piaid, for fash. is to match the hat of chic, top sailor, set of with tical taffeta check ion's latest move up. to the blouse, Lace and those of the very banding # blouses ton, scores of them, they are especially and chic how lovely * tinted colton Ing The t tured are a represen to the left at se dash- the talk uth f HCY can Oni y Is made of of th one scar! silks which are For a sp picture no more this navy caped two-pie wit! dashir Bg Jelow, the bl are procis that the the armhole in gny blouse use on the seated fig ims the flair for shirring, in full sleeves are gathered into this way. The shops are full of blouses on this order made either of crepe. satin or taffets No wardrobe Is complete without at least one of this type The blouse on the standing figure is of a brilliant red print. It carries a very important message, in that it tells us of style which tops a light skirt with a darker blouse. The white Kid T strap pumps with their rows of perforations and broad center strap add glamor to any cruise The little red kid on the vamp and natch the and red of the band on the white sailor hat. A swanky striped taffeta blouse the latest wardrobe, swirls of the side red of the blouse jes the group ©. 1% Western Newspaper Union CHIC SAILORS Bry CHERIE SNH HOLAS EER EEE ER For your “first” hat choose oné of the shallow crowned sailors which must be worn at just the proper angle to be appreciated, The model shown at the top Is certainly a convincing argument In favor of this mode, It demonstrates that the plaid vogue is even Invading the realin of millinery. This nifty little sailor is of dark green, yellow and white plalded straw. with two china buttons holding the ends of the twisted tri-color band. The ar rangement of white pasted feather pads at the side of the crown and on the bandenn makes the other clever gnllor a distinctive model for spring. That 1t In of the siraw.cloth family is algo a point of interest, © 1913, Western Newspaper Union, NEW PRINT DESIGNS ARE MORE SUBDUED The new prints are bizarre as ast year, more conservative and binations more subd are generally smaller Checks, and stripes are lead Polka dots are still in the pic ture, but in the dots are and there instead of being pattern tnindrop might call them Many of the new gigns executed in two shades of a color on a background of shrde of same prints the Jegizn gay but not as The designs are the color com- ged. The patterns plaids ere many prinis, one the Somet there Many mes rise to the name of prints.” In floral designs, good, the patterns are either small or conservatively done. give “pencil a—-—— Sashes With Large Bows Touch Up Daytime Frocks Sashes with big bows and long streamers, tied In front, form a new touch on daytime dresses. Like the Lanvin model from which the idea comes, the sagh is always In contrast, flaunting very gayly a colored sash on a black dress, especially blue Melon shades and the soft orange tones enlled by cundry names are played up In resort clothes, Button-on tops in pique or linen, for silk evening frocks or wool travel dresses, can be removed and laundered easily, making a practical cruise fashion, Lingerie Models Feature Lace Matching the Silk Lingerie models feature lace match ing the silk, Panties and gowns fea. ture this treatment particularly, The tendency during the past few seasons has been toward the dark laces re cently lightening gradually until pow we are seeing quite a little white lace oh white lingerie. Qualities in Wife That Men Admire Writer Cites Sincerity as Probably the First lequisite. “A man doesn’t want a helper, he wants an admirer. He doesn’t want a partner, he wants a satellite. He dousn’t want a comrade, he wants an audience to show off to, one that he can always he sure of as ready to be impressed and applaud.” That Is what one writer has to gay about where the Intelligent, hard. working woman gets off when it comes to getting a husband or keep- ing him. She says men want womens to be interested in their work, but never to know ng much about iL as they do themselves; always to stop when they know enough ute and admire them, Well, granting that a willing to holding her respect, 1 work to appreci woman subordinate everything to her self won't iY, i woman writer of hig! ank lon't upres that men ti quick ly ag of other temporary stimuls In fa I should not dens the funda man, including that re o inte, et some of them never tire of it is one of mental 1eOR i 1 Bex. But there are others w» flict where | r¢ i i Loo The mo about cal human rela compli it Beems aticts calions want 1 veivet L you heeks like Ploree's Cline, for frees medical advices Teite 0 Do N ¥Y. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers