Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1915-03-18
copyrIaht. iels, 81 Dodd. Mend Z, Company

he WOuld "arriVeN some day-c0me1 into
his own. Then all these half reward
ed efforts would be Invaluable in the
building of his character.
Her daughter, Ethel, on the other.
hand, was the exact antithesis to Alar-
ic. She had never shown the slightest
interest in anything since she had first
looked up at the man 4of medicine who
ushered her into the world. She re-
garded everything about her with the
greatest compiacency. She was never.
surprised or angry or pleased or de-
pressed. Sorrow never seemed to af-.
feet her-nor joy make her smile. She
looked on life as a gentle brook down
whose current she was perfectly con-
tent to drift undisturbed. At least
that was the effect created in Mrs.
Chiehester's mind. She never thought
it possible there might be latent pos
sibilities in her impassive daughter.
While her mother admired Ethel's
lofty attitude of indifference toward
the world. a manner that bespoke the
aristocrat, she secretly chafed at her
daughters lack of enthusiasm.
How different from AIaric, always full
OF nearly new ideas, always about to
do something. Alaric kept those around
him on the alert. No one ever really
knew what he would do next. On the
other hand, Ethel depressed by her
stolid content with everything about
her. Every one knew what she would
door thought they did.
Mrs. Chichester had long since aban-
doned any further attempt to interest
her brother Nathaniel in the children.
Angela's wretehed marriage had up
set everything-driyen Nathaniel to be
a recluse and to close his doors on
near and distant relatives.
Angela's death the following year
did not relieve the situation. IL any
thing, 1t intensified ii, since she left a
baby that, naturally, none OF the fam
lily could possibly take the slightest
notice of-nor interest In.
1t was tacitly agreed never to speak
Of the unfortunate incident, especially
before the children. 1t was such a
terrible example for Ethel and SO dis
couraging to the eager. ana ambitions
Alaric.
Consequently Angela's name was
never spoken inside OF Regal Villa.
And so the Chichester family pnr-
sued an even course, only varied by
Alaric's sudden and definite decisions
to enter either public life, OF athletics,
or the army, or the world OF art-dt
was really extremely hard for so well
equipped d young man to decide to
limit himself to any M particular pur-
suit. Consequently he put of the final
choice from day to day.
Suddenly a most untoward incident
happened.
Alaric, returning from a long walk,
alone-during which he had almost de-
| cided to become q doctor-walked In
through the windows from the garden
into the living room and found his
mother in tears. an open letter in her
hand.
This was most unusual. Mrs. Chiches-
ter was not wont so give vent to open
emotion. 1t shows d lack of breeding,
So she always suppressed it 1t seemed
to grow inward. 10 find her weeping
and almost audihly-impressed AlaEic
that something Of more than usual Inn
portance had occurred.
Hello, materi. he cried teheerfully,
though his looks belied the buoyancy'
of his tone. -Helloi What's the mat
ter? What's np2n
At the same moment Ethel came in
Through the door.
at was 11;30, and precisely at that
time every morning Ethel practaced for
half an hour on the ~piano-nat that
she had the slightest interestin music,
hut it helped the morning so much.
She would look forward to 1t for an
hour before and think of III for an hour
afterward, and then it was lunehfime.
Ut THEORETICALLY filed out the entire morn
ing.
Mrs. Chichester looked up as her be-
loxad children came toward her, and
real tears were in her eyes, and q 1eal
note ct alarm was in her voice:
..Oh. Ethel! Oh, Aiaricg'
Aaarfe was at her side iii d 1aornenG
He was genuinely alarmed.
Ethel moved slowly across, thinking
vaguely fhat something must have dis
agreed with her mother.
What Is It. mater e cried AIaric.
sMother.' said Ethel, with as nearly
q tone Of emotion as she could feel.
We're suinedt' sobbed Mrs. ChicAes-
ter.
sNonsenseTs said the bewildered son.
Really ~ asked fbp nIacfd au0hfar