— LADY BLANCHE FARM A Romance of the Commonplace by Frances Parkinson Keyes WNU Service Copyright by Frances Parkinson Keyes CHAPTER X—Continued oy Deen New York. to P'aul, was not the zlittering wonder that it is to most boys, seeing it at his age for the first time. Nothing thrilled him at all. The vivid memory of the touch of Mary's tips, the thrill of that frosty kiss, still abliterated every other emotion. He finnlly went to the department store where he knew Rosalie King worked. and sought her out. She was not very cordial to him. Girls, Paul reflected. had inconveniently long memories for a fellow's shortcomings, But when he gave volce to his lonesomeness and depression, warmed to him at once. 'aul was by no means the only person whom Sylvia had sized up cor rectly. Jusiness was a litt ing. Paul leaned and told his story, with the conspicu ous omission of some of the most important parts, He told enough, how ever, for Rosalie to guess a good deal more and what she guessed moved her not a little When he finished, she needed to repowder her nose. “Why don't you pick out something swell to take home to her?” she asked. “She likes blue, don't she? 1 got a bracelet here, with sapphires in It that's classy down to the ground.” Paul bought the bracelet, but he reflected. The houses at Lady Blanche farm, like most of those in Hamstead during the last decade, had been equipped with bathrooms and furnaces and when at the time of Blanche's wedding, Violet had put elec trie lights In hers, Seth and Jane had done the same. Dut they had no set- tubs, no electrical laborsaving de vices, no elaborate short-cuts to com fort and leisure. [aul began to won der If he would not have done better to buy an electric machine and a vacunm cleaner than a sapphire bracelet, He asked Rosalie what she thought, “Couldn't you get her both? “I'm afraid not, just now regretfully. The next day Austin sailed, *aul was free to go home again. it was late in the evening when, after a long, cold journey, he reached the Hamstead station. Seth was wait ing for him in the sieigh, and they were soon jJingling along through heavy snow down the road to Lady Blanche farm, How still it was, how cold white! llow clean and open friendiy! Paul wondered that he had ever, for one single instant, imagined that he would prefer to live in a city, in that dreadful strangeness, that hurry and dirt and noise! Not that seeing New York hadn't been a won derful experience, of course. But It was much more wonderful getting home after It, and it was going to be most wonderful of all telling Mary what he had seen, what he had felt, what he had divined—watching light in the steady gray eyes, the ex. pression on the changing mouth. And perhaps now—of course it wouldn't do to force the Issue, even now, but per haps— “Is it too late to see Mary tonight? he asked suddenly, feeling in his pocket to see if the sapphire bracelet wns surely safe, *Geddap, King,” sald Seth, address ing the wholly unregal creature that was taking them on their way. “What alls you, Paul, ain't you ben listenin’ to what | ben sayin’ to you these last five minutes?” “No,” said Paul breathlessly. was thinking. She—ghe she? “Well,” said Seth slowly, “1 guess she’s ben sick—ailin’, anyway-—for some time, longer'n we realized. She's worked real hard ever since her moth er died. Mary ain't one to shirk. of course, and not bein’ experienced. it made it harder for her. Then she was considerable upset over that trouble you and she had in the summer. And « ghe took Sylvia's death a good deal to heart. Mary don’t say much, and 1 never saw her cry or git ‘nervous’ like your ma. But you. remember she fainted dead away one time just after Algy begun to get better—sorter dropped in her tracks? She seemed to perk up again ‘round Christmas. but danged if she didn’t keel right over again the day after you left for Noo York. Now she's gone” “Gone! echoed "aul, an ley terror clutching at his heart, “You mean she's dead?” “No, she ain't dead! Land, Paul, you must be gettin’ nervous yourself, Geddap, King. She's gone to Boston to visit that friend of hers, Hannah Adams, that's heen teasin® her to come for so long. Moses and Algy and | hev moved over to Jane's to stay until she gets back, 1 kMmder think that's what we oughter hey done in the first place, after Lauran died, until Mary had finished her schoolin' and got her growth and strength. Jane says she don't how Mary ever done so much she le dull that morn over the counter washing he sald and and and the 1 isn't sick, Is -~ work. We've had to get In Myra's nlece from out back, to help her, and send the wash up to the steam Iaun- dry in Wallacetown besides, and buy bread once or twice, and still she's ben on the Jump every minute. | guess Mary put a good deal of vitality into her job. Well, 1 give her Laura's money before she went, without any strings tied to it. It ain't much, but it's somethin” “Do you think,” asked Paul, chok- ing a little, “that there was any other reason, that anything happened just before 1 left, that made Mary want to go away-—besides just because she was tired?” and as he asked the ques tion, the boy seemed to feel her face pressed against his, the ecstasy of that swift, passionate kiss that she re. turned, and to see the sudden tears in her eyes afterwards, Seth considered this question care. fully before he answered it. “Well,” he said at length, “women's queer. | don't pretend to understand ‘em. [Dut Mary thought a lot of you, and you Jilted her. That's the plain English of it, ain't It? 1 guess it hurt her a good deal, and it was a long while, as | don’t need to tell you, before she could bring herself to speak to you again But sence that night that Algy took sick, and you helped her out so good, she gradually got to be friends with you again. She was real grateful to you, and 1 guess she still likes you some, in spite of everything. Mary's like that, She don't change easy. And she could see that you was tryin’ to do befter. 1 want to give you credit for that myself, Paul. Mary ain't harborin’ what you done against any more, but she ain't forgot that you done it, and she ain't certain you wouldn't do it again. Wal, of course I don’t want to pry, and | ain't askin® you no questions, " “I—I—had begun to hope that some time" “Then,” said Seth decidedly, “you're a bigger fool'n even 1 took you for, and that's sayin’ a good deal. Mary made a mistake to let you get her you He Told Enough, However, for Rosalie to QGuezs a Good D:zal More. easy before and to let you treat her neglectful after you did get her. She wouldn't make a mistake like that again; even if she wanted you, and | don't she does, Anyway, she don't trust and I'm dummed If | look to see her be gone And that ain't believe you, blame her 1 from here all” Paul waited, than ever. “1 got a letter from Mr. Hamlin, the architect,” said Beth, “that was a8 con siderable surprise to me. He says he asked Mary to marry him three years ago, when her mother died. And she turned him down because she thought Moses ind Algy and me needed her, and because she was comin’ home—to you, It shows she didn't have as much sense as she might hev, or she never would bev refused a man like that to stick to a boy like you. Bat I hope she's acquired a little sense. Anyway, he says he's glad to under. stand that conditions hey changed somewhat now and he wanted 1 should give my consent to try his luck again. Consent! Great Godfrey! 1 writ by return mall! Geddap, King!” Late that night, when everyone else had gone to bed, Paul went outdoors and stood for a long time, looking towards the unlighted windows of the house across the road. Adam, fac ing the angel with the flaming sword which barred the gate into Eden, could have felt no surer that he had lost Paradise through his own wrongdoing than did this humbled and Heartsick boy. some time, his heart sinking lower —— CHAPTER XI The sun, streaming into the pretty living room, fell on Blanche's golden hair and turned the color of her deli. cate negligee from palest pink to rose, She was, her husband reflected, grow: ing lovelier and lovelier with every month that passed. Just now, how. ever, her face wore the expression of slight discontent which at firs? he had noticed only when she spoke of the dullness of Hamstead and which had left it altogether during the first radi ant weeks of their marriage. “What's the matter, honey?” “Nothing, except that I'm wishing | was a nymph again” Philip laughed, “The first time | heard you say that was because you wanted to get away from spring cleaning,” he said lightly, “and the second, when you had to go to an Intelligence office and engage a mald, The third time was when you tried In vain to crank the ear on a cold day and 1 got home and fonud you nearly crying over it, What's the matter this time?” “Bills.” sald Blanche briefly. “Bilis?” echoed P'hilip. “Why, | should think those were one of the last things that need trouble you We've plenty of money to pay bills for all the things we really need. Yon silly child, hand them over—" She gathered the fluttering sheets on the desk and gave them to him. Then, watching his face as he began to glance through them, she suddenly burst out, “I'm sure [I've tried to he careful! We have only one maid, In stead of three or four, nnd an apart. ment Instead of a house, like almost everyone we know, And I really don't spend anything on clothes compared to the other young married women I've met this winter, And we don’t go to the theater or entertain much or—" “1 know, darling. It does seem to cost a lot, just to live, I didn’t realize how much, beforehand, tut after all, we had a lovely trip and we've been pretty comfortable and happy in this little apartment. And I can take care of all these all right tut 1 guess we shall have to go a little slow for a while,” “Well, It's lucky we baby! 1 don’t said about bills then! been perfectly erazy—" Something about *‘hilip's silence halted Blanche, She decided that it wins wiser to change the sublect, “1 had a letter from Paul last night,” she sald, “1 meant to speak of it be fore, 1 guess he's rather fed up with Lady Blanche farm, too. At come to Boston for a week or so and asks if It would be convenient for us to have him here” Philip hesitated. lle felt that the present state of his finances could iil permit him to give his brother-in-law the kind of a good time he would ex pect if he town. On the other hand, he was curious to see if the more favorable Impressions which he had gained of the boy at Christ mas time would prove to be lasting. “Of course, if aul is coming to Ros ton, we must have him here.” he sald pleasantly, . Paul appeared three days Inter, and Philip, with his usual fairmindedness, confessed to himself that the boy was still more changed, and though differ. ently, it was certainly not for worse. He seemed much older, much quieter, and decidedly preoccupied, “Yes, of course I'd enjoy going to the theater,” he sald a trifle absently “Thanks awfully. Or anything else you've planned. First of all, though if you don’t vind, I'd like to go and see Mary, haven't heard from her at all indirectly, since be fore 1 went to New York, Do you think she's had a pleasant winter?” "“ieasant winter ("exclaimed Blanche “Why, she's had a wonderful She's packed these few months pretty full, 1 can tell you! And | must say she's a great success, | don’t belle she'll turn her back on it all time in a hurry! Mary is nice, no denying that, and awfully and you'd never believe th clothes h haven't had a And yet youve any came lo time! 8 second theres clever too, e differ ence good-looking made in her appearance™ “And ave she's had time to read,” cut In Philip, “which 1 think has meant more to her than almost anything else. The first week she was here she was In bed most of the time. Then she began to go for a dally ride and to pick up generally Mr. Hamlin's preity attentive to her” “Pretty attentive!™ Blanche echoed her husband, “Why, he follows her like a shadow! Wasn't she queer not to tell us that he was after her be fore—and not to accept him® 1 dont see how she could have hesitated a minute!” “I'm glad she's had a good time” was Paul's only comment nt the end of these and similar disclosures. , “1 want to see ber myself” “Well, let's go to theater to night, and you ean go there tomorrow afternoon™ There was an amusing Tarce running the curtain went down after the first act and the lights came on, Blanche, wip ing the tears of merriment from her eyes, gave Paul a sudden nudge, “Look I" she whispered, “in the first box on the right!” Paul turned in the cated. The box conta ~g@ middle-aged man and woman, younger men, one of them in khaki, and two girls At the first glance, that was all Paul realized. Then it came over him that the two older direction indi of the young men, Gale Hamlin, one of the girls Hannah Adams and the other --the one in white brocade, with the rose-colored velvet wrap flung over the back of her chair and the big bunch of orchids and lilies of the val ley at her waist—ayas Mary Manning, whom he had last seen wearing a red knitted hood, and shabby little red wool mittens. The theater seemed to he swaying, then everything blurred. [le shut his eyes for a minute. When he opened them, the box was heginning to fill Half a dozen extra men had joined the party, one in navy blue, two more in khaki, adding to its merriment, Hannah was entigely absorbed In the first officer, Lut Mary seemed quite equal to handling the others. Blanche kept whispering fo his ear, as he watched, “That blond man with glasses on Is Hannah's fiance, Captain Merrill They didn’t intend to be married un. til fall, but since he's in the army, they've put the wedding ahead six months, now. that war Is declared. Mary's going to be maid of honor. Don’t you want to go up and speak to her? You sald yon wanted wo see her!” ITO BE CONTINUED.) ens oun ad “what's the and summer, definitely In HE question as to siyle” for spring 1053, Is answered very In most window displays and majority of style parades They are worthy to admire and to are these genteel-looking navy the thin kind you-love-to-wear mate. In making your selection you will be called opon to decide, perhaps, be tween one of those voguish thin or taffeta finished types, which her tiny or wide welts (newest thing out) or one of the nu merous thin - almost - to - transparency which are stich good style Then again your fancy may turn to a tailors to a nicety. At any rate what. If it be navy and If it it will qual. ify a hundred per cent smart. What's it will be the most practical out. fit you could possibly choose and with ft will flatter to heart's desire It makes the navy-sheer story the more thrilling In that those who cre ate of these materials are displaying such cunning and originality In thelr manipulation. They are, for Instance, tucking some of these sheer sults sll over from head to foot. Then again the treatment is varied in that these thia fabrics are shirred In row.and- row puffs from oeckline to hemline, To these costumes of tucked, shirred or tailored navy, or black, if you pre fer, sheers, a final note of chic Is re- peatedly added In the way of white pique or organdie accessories. The intriguing thing about these attraciive collars and cuffs, gilets, lapels and other items too numerous to mention is, they are so fashioned as to buiton on with a view to removing and laun- dering at will For those who prefer gay contrast instead of touches of white, an array of charming dresses are being shown this season which flaunt enlivening dashes and splashes of high color, The combining of vivid print gesture, Hlustrated to the This smart frock left in picture. a Aa mace the new Paton neckline bizarre scarf! print. A silver fastening provides an bright accent For the right the rough-finished novelty you learn sbout the you will be eager to borrow Lhe instanter. They are made of shades of blue organdie set with sliver thread fagoting. ¥he op 1 i additiona’ Swagger navy designer turns fo a sheer worsted, is endless if they 80 fect using gandie, & 1923 chose, a Roman stripe ef muiticolored bands of or Western Newspaper Union EVENING ENSEMBLE By CHERIE NICHOLAS This very lovely evening ensemble which is a Lucien Lelong creation pro. claims the charm of velvet as it poses over dainty flowery gowns, The ador- able capelike wrap has the new draped sleeves which flow from a scarf yoke. It is typical of the ravishing styles in promise for summer. The gown Is a gorgeous cire mousseline print with dark green background. Draped Bateau Effect Is New Neckline Treatment Another mood of width across the top of a frock is the newest neckline treatment, which several of the Paris couturiers agree on, the draped bateau effect. This Is sometimes done so high that it crosses the front of the throat, but In any case it Is another hint that the horizontal emphasis at get enough you can make an entire dress, or spring coat, out of it and be the last word In Parisian smartness Schiaparelll- uses ReguIae wrapping cord to create a very lacy looking costume, interesting designs in a thing so that it has a certain amount of body and doesn't Just wilt when you put It on And the scraps from all your slothes, too—don’t think of any of them, because must, absolutely must, match each and every outfit, from your wool ensemble to your printed georgette or crepe de chine evening gown, Gloves are now made of silk, lace, chiffon, wool, taf feta with ‘organdie gauntlet gloves and in leather touched off with any of the above materials, sour gloves be made to Real Flowers Come Back Into Fashion Picture Nuture once again imitates art, as real flowers come back into vogue for wear with daytime and afternoon clothes. They're real, but he object of the game Is to make (hsm look as artificial as possible. For they arc being “styled” to look like the artificial blossuine which we have been in the habit of using as decorations for our more dressed-up costumes, For Instance, with a trallisz gown of gray chiffon with a manve cast, » smart woman recently appeared with A lei wreath of real violets, caught at the side with a single huge orchid. Another wore a black frock, with wide square neckline, finished at el ther side with white orchids held in place with clips, Gardenius and flat white camelling are used in a tana manner, in pairs, Day Dreams Must Not Become Habit Always Danger They May Re- sult in Shutting Out Reality. Many persons do not clearly see the means by which they can make their dreams come true, Day dreams first appear when a person cannot actually get what he wants, or when he gets what he does not want, Day dreams are then used as compensation for actual lacks in real life. It is noteworthy that the dreamer occupies the central, the ex. nlted position Play of the daydreaming type may go to such an extent that the indi- vidual tends to shut reality and to take the dream tor actnality, One boy wed so much and often that he was a g nvenior that he actually cane to believe out had drean that he was a mechanical genius, He eanme to college her such. The professor of phn very soon that he did not first thing about the elem physics. And what was r wonld not apply himself tn learn them, He had no knowledge of alded as sies found know the ntary con. cepis Worse, atience than day been unwisely en with dreams insten { aving been stim ulated ransiat reams filities Day dreams ily a influence | he efforts of the drea COUrng sanlisfied mere io re Decessar individua of life, great ters when one to adjust to the They may be the achievement. realities basis for The danger en is satisfied with the shadow in the dream and makes no attempt to ze the dream tent. —Dir, Fleming Relentifie actual Edwin G. Monthly COn- in the Dr. Pierce's Pavorite Prescription makes weak women strong. No aleohol. Sold by druggists in tablets or liquid. —Ady, Unprofitable Verbosity One can talk himself into a head ache. It Is a nervous in- toxication, form of End Colds Quick HE was an cary vict im to colds—and they HY ung on 80 long —unti she isco i A of MR tablets. He seldom catches colds now. When be does they are quickly broken up. This safe, dependable, all-wegetable corrective — Nature's Remedy strengthens and regulates bowel action 2s no ot rary pn CAn—-CRITIes Bway powonous wastes which make you SUBCED- ne 10 colds, duazy spells, beadaches, bile drugost’ 8 “TUMS" a rtm oy soc Kiom neh, No More Soda. Treatment for belching, heartburn, so Ee exoems acid, other stomach ailments Detailed Information free. F. A. Hoffman, rh. C.. Millersburg, 0. ur recent stocks on MR INVESTOR Y« 8 need ot : 1 ns of $ York Exchange sel ander 314 for advance This 14 sniy $1. Serviee, Box 302, New } and due Morrison Plainfield, N, J. JUST WEST of Bway NEW YORK 1000 ROOMS EACH WITH BATH AND SHOWER Circulating ice Wolter ., . , Radio... Large Closets... Full Length Mirrors OTHER UNUSUAL FEATURES SUN-RAY HEALTH LAMPS Roof Solarium... Air-Cooled Restouront ROS $250 SLE 4500 IN THE HEART OF TIMES SQUARE
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers