The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12

1t was youth that made all the trouble.
because Pip was young and casual in her
ways, while her sister Sarah was growing
middle-aged and stout: moreover she was
Of the wrong complexion. John being eK-
tremely fair himself. and undoubtedly
ginger-haired people have tempers and
temperaments, and two of trade never
agree. Thus IL came to pass that the
lovers seldom met without quarreling, and
the wedding day (there was no formal en-
gagement) seemed further of than ever.
Now this was rough on Sarah, who was
a fine tall. buxom woman. and had already
lost heavily I'm one matrimonial bid, her
only assets being three children whom she
obligingly farmed out to her relations to
educate and bring up, and herself lived
at home with her parents in the comfort
able. -windowed, big house OF the
main street of the town.
Meanwhile Pip, blue-eyed, black-haired,
round-faced., pinafored, grew out of panta-
lets and the rest, into tall, handsome
young woman, to whom at table Johns
eyes constantly strayed. But IT was Pips
mother, a clever as well as a good woman,
who alone saw the beginning Of the thing
long before John or anyone else did. for
Sarah saw nothing at all, and the father,
who spent one-half his time getting into
RACES, the other in recovering from them.
was also blind, and so matters ran on--ran
on into years
Meanwhile little Pip went on growing.
and witnessing the lovers perpetual quar-
rels and luke-warm makings-up. till she
reached her full stature Of five feet, eight
inches. And one night, as John sat beside
her at her first dance, daylight flooded
his mind: and Sarah. unluckily trying the
last resource of desperate woman, viz,
to make John jealous by flirting with a
local whipper-snapper, brought matters to
q climax, and with a rush Pip came to the
front. Sarah kidnapped John after dark
the next evening, marched him to re-
tired spot--and Ii spoke volumes for her
self-control that he came out Of that awful
two hours interview with what remained
to him of a once remarkably fine head Of
hair intact, but his resolutions in no way
shaken.
John was a little man, he was also COM
Portable of figure. and his quiet blue eyes
gave small hint of that touch of character
that made him turn round at the last
moment and decline to forfeit his chance
of happiness with the one sister, because
he happened to have once fancied the other.
and he never for one moment faitered or
looked back.
Now, IL Pip had been older, If she had
ever suffered, and thus learnt humanity,
If she could not day by day have sat at
table opposite that sighted, middIe-aged
woman without plying or perhaps fearing
her. since
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.'
But Pip loved the man, saw her happiness
straight before her, and took it WITHOUT a
doubt of tremor-as Is the manner OF care
less youth. Moreover. she had never be-
lieved In the genuineness Of Sarah's affec-
tion for John. She thought one could not
quarrel so much with what one really
loved.
She met him of evenings when he came
back from town, and they talked of the
little home they meant TO make together,
and without the slightest reference to par
ents who possibly understood their business
better than they did. Nowadays young
people who find IL so hard to bring up their
second childhood children properly think
more of the parents effect, good or bad,
on the wooer than his on the parents, and
Pip was surprisingly practical and direct in
her methods and took no heed of her IA
TIERS bellowings. for by now he was aware
of Johns fragrant turpitude of conduct and
had forbidden him the house.
But though he cut Pip out OF his will
the present days are not favorable to lock-
ing a child up and feeding her on bread and
water; and what girl ever minded giving
I'D a corner Of big house for a little one
full of her own pots and pans, with the
man she loved installed in 1t as household
god?
Through the home pandemonium, un-
scathed by fathers abuse, mothers sad
eyes of reproach and sisters vitriolic at
tacks. Pip walked. calm and slim and
young. meeting her John on every possible
opportunity and never once finding IL
necessary to disagree with him or he with
her, while in looks they made a delightful
contrast.
The man had left youth so far behind
that now its simplicity. its beauty, its
grace stole on him with the freshness of a
greeting from long absent, welcome
friend. OF all things youth is no waster
OF precious time. 1t spends not long hours
at its mirror. nor needs to, for its hair
goes as IL likes the roses ana lilies are
there and IL apparels itself carelessly but
delightfully."-. for everything becomes it, I,
is blithe and good humored, 1t has nc
arriere pensee and Is not always suspect.
ing evil thus creating II; and in those days
life simplifed itself to the little, quiet fail
man and became astonishingly pleasant, sc
pleasant that he might have known II
would not last.
The best laid schemes of mice and mer
loft gang agley." and one evening, wher
John stepepd out of the fast train thai
covered the twenty miles from town In
thirty minutes, no tall, handsome cir
waited for him on the platform, and he
went to his bachelor diggings-chehy re-
markable for the confusion OF teetota
drinks below stairs and the serried order OF
intoxicating ones above-with a heavy
heart.
He ate his dinner, made more cherries.
by a vision of Pips young. bright face a
table spotless with the silver and napery
to which his youth had accustomed him
Then he went to his club, perturbed anC
quite taken cut of his ordinary quiet self
and for the moment at a loss what to do.
He and Pip had not needed to write eacl
other hitherto. meeting daily as they did
and TO send letter TO the house was I,
run the gauntlet OF both father and the in
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