Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1901-07-12
== The House =
of Five Daughters
BH Ethelrn Leslle Huston.
TT BRUCE SHERMAN had taken n

Copyright, 1901, by Authors syndicate)

IF BRUCE SHERMAN had taken a
carriage to his club on Ladies'
Night" as other properly brought up
young men with large incomes did, the
story might have been different. But
Sherman was athletic, and proud of it,
and the result was that his satin
skinned cob ate his head off in the sta
BILE, while other thoroughbreds earned
at least part of their oats doing sentry
go up and down the cobblestones in
front of clubs and theaters.
SO it happened that Ladies' Night
found Mr.. Sherman taking a route to
his club that led him eight blocks out
of the way, just because he liked it.
He was quite certain that he did not
turn up the avenue upon which Dean,
of the board of trade, lived, just be-
cause Dean had five daughters, one
of whom was occupying good deal
of Sherman's thought about that time
This certain Miss Dean was to be at
the club that night, and there was a
very reasonable probability Of his see
ing her there, which was much more
satisfactory than gazing at the out
side of her home. But the fact still
remains that Sherman paused in front
of the Dean residence, which stood
on the corner of narrow street, and
then slowly turned up the aforesaid
street, and glanced thoughtfully in
through the palms of the conservatory
at the soft light that streamed out of
the library.
The certain Miss Dean Of whom he
was thinking was standing under the
chandelier in all the glory of rose satin
and pearls. Near her, sitting in front
of the big fireplace, was the second
Miss Dean. She was gowned in a
loose, clinging gown of some neutral
tint, and the flames sent warm pink
lights over her slender figure.
A carriage drove up to the door fac
ing the avenue, the rose satin and
pearls disappeared, and still Sherman
stood looking thoughtfully at the fig
ure sitting in the freight. The sec
ond Miss Dean was not seen at the
big social functions as was her bril-
liant sister. The bellies of their sci
spoke of her as odd, and whispered
something about blue-stocking, and
It was understood generally that she
was in, but not of, their world. The
other three Miss Deans were still OF
the schoolgirl age. Mrs. Dean was
dead.
The modest, but artistic, little home
looked very attractive, and Sherman
the last living of a wealthy family
felt an odd sort of lonely sensation
laying its weight upon his immaculate
shirt front. There was no Legitimate
reason in the world for this, as tn,
majority of the beautiful women Of
his world were not only willing but
anxious that he should never be lone
ly again forever, and had visions o.
white satin and seed-pearls whenever
he bent over their danee-cards. Blu
Sherman wanted little sympathy il
a vague sort of way just at that par
ticular moment, and the thought O
the brilliantly-lit clubhouse and gor
geously-attired throng did not appea
to him.
He hesitated a moment uncertainty
then deliberately turned back, and il
at the low iron gate, and rang tn,
bell of the Dean residence.
It was the odd Miss Dean VIII,
opened it, and looked at him with
touch of surprise in her calm, darl
eyes. She held a book in her left hand
with one finger still between the leave
to keep her place, which was sufficien
evidence that she was reading, and tn
place for social favorites was, conse
quently, where they belonged. Ant
that was not the quiet library Of tn
Dean home.
This fact did not trouble Mr.. Sher
man. however, who only bowed hi
tall head and followed his hostess int,
the firelit room, holding his crush ha
under his arm as he drew of hi
gloves.
"Am I disturbing you?" he asked
TRANQUILITY, after he was settled in
deep chair facing the fire. "If al
I win go away. But please say an
not"
The dark eyes smiled through thei
shadow of habitual gravity, and h
thought of dusk pools lying still an
unfathomable under the stars. Tn
young women of the monde, who wer
watching the door with some impa
thence at the club and wonderin
where he was, would have assured hiI
of their intense delight at any inter