The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-16
CContinued.)

She was proud indeed or ner TWO children, about whom she had written so glowingly to her brother Nathaniel.
 AIaric was the elder. In him Mrs Chichester took the greater pride He was so nearly being great-eVen from he continually kept his mother in a condition of expectant wonder HeNwas nearly brilliant at school At college he almost got his degree. He just missed his "blue" at cricket, and but for an unfortunate ball dribbling over the net at a critical moment in the sent final of the tennis championships he might have won the cup. He was quite philosophic about it, though, and never appeared to re- proach fate for treating him so shab- billy:
 He was always nearly doing some-t thing. and kept Mrs Chichester in lively condition of trusting hope and occasional disappointment. She knew he would 'tarrive'' some day-eome 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 of medicine who ushered her into the world She re- garded everything about her with the greatest complaeeney. 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. Chichester's mind She never thought it possible there might be latent pos abilities in her impassive daughter.
 While her mother admired EthePs 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 Alaric, 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 stoSid content with everything about her. Every one knew what she would door thought they did.
 Mrs. Chichester had long since aban- dorled any further attempt to Interest her brother Nathaniel in the children.
 Angela's wretched marriage had up set everything driven Nathaniel to be a reeluse and to close his doors on near and distant relatives.
 Angela's death the following year did not relieve the situation. If any thing. it intensified it, since she left a baby that, naturally, none of the fam fly could possibly take the slightest notice of-nor interest in.
 It was tacitly agreed never to speak of the unfortunate incident, especially before the children. It was such a terrible example for Ethel and so dis couraging to the eager and ambitious A1aric.
 Consequent1y Angela's name was never spoken inside of Regal Villa.
 And so the Chichester family pur- sued an even course, only varied by Alaric's sudden and definite decisions to enter either public life, or athletics or the army, or the world of art-it was really extremely hard for so vel equipped a young man to decide to limit himself to a,ay one particular pur suit. Consequently he put off the fna1 choice from day to day.
 Suddenly a most untoward incident happened.
 Alaric, returning from a long walk a1one-during which he. had almost de cfded to become a doctor-walked i1 through theswindows from the garden into the living room and found his mother in tears. an open letter in hel hand.
 This was most unusual. Mrs. Chiches ter was not wont to give vent to oper emotion. It shows a lack of breeding So she always suppressed it. It seemed | to grow inward. To find her weeping and almost audibly-impressed AlariC | that something of more than usual i'm I portance had occurred.
 "He1lo, mater!'' he cried cheerfully though his looks belied the buoyanc. i of his tone Hello! Whats the mat l ter? Whats up?'
 At the same moment Ethel came il 1 through the door.
 It was 11:3o, and precisely at tha
 time every morning Ethel practiced fo
 half an hour on the piano-not tha
 she had the slightest interest in music ] k:1t it helped the morning so much I She would look forward to it for al
 hour before and think of it for an hou afterward, and then it was lunchtime | It practically filled out the entire morn
 ing.
 l Mrs. Chichester looked u2 as her be
 loved children came toward her, an | real tears were in her eyes, and req | note of alarm was in her voice:
 'sOh, Ethel! Oh, Alaric!'' | AIaric was at her side in a moment l He was genuinely alarmed.
 Ethel moved slowly across, thinkin
 vaguely that something must have dis
 agreed with her mother.