Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-04-20
certain to agree with her, and regret.

Papa! Oh, ohr' And Miss Yer
trees was fain to apply.a handkerchief
upon her eyes. "I'm so glad you made
us go. 1 wouldn't have missed it"
Mrs. Vertrees shook her head. Il
suppose I'm very dull" she said,
gently. Il didn't see anything anus
ing. They're most ordinary, and the
house is altogether in bad taste, but we
| anticipated that, and"
"Papar Mary cried, breaking in.
"They asked us to dinner"'
''Whatr'
''And I'm going!' she shouted, and
was seized with fresh paroxysms.
think of it. Never in their house be-
fore; never met any Of them but the
| daughter-and just barely met her"
what about you?" Interrupted Mr.
Vertrees, turning sharply upon his
wife.
She made a little face as if positive
now that what she had eaten would
not agree with her. II couldn't!' she
said. e."
Eyes, that's just-just the way she
she looked when they asked herr cried
Mary, choking "And then she-she
realized it, and tried to turn it into
cough, and she didn't know how, and it
sounded like-like a squealw
II suppose" said Mrs. Vertrees,
much injured, that Mary will have
an uproarious time at my funeral. She
makes fun Of"
Mary jumped up instantly and kissed
her; then she went to the mantel and,
leaning an elbow upon it, gazed
thoughtfully at the buckle Of her shoe,
tWinkling in the freight.
"They didn't notice anything" she
said. $50 far as they were concerned,
mamma, it was one of the finest coughs
you ever coughed."
"Who were 'they'?" asked her father.
"Whom did you see?"
"Only the mother and daughter"
Mary answered. Mrs. Sheridan is
dumpy and RUSTY; and Miss Sheridan
is pretty and pushing-dresses by the
fashion magazines and talks about
New York people that have their pic
L,
but not very uccessfully-partly be.
cause her own foundation is too f1imsy
and partly because she began too late.
They've got an enormous Moor Of
painted plaster or something in the
hall, and the girl evidently thought it
was to her credit that she selected it,"
''They have oil-paintings, too," added
Mrs. Vertrees, with a glance of gentle
pride at the Landseers. eve always
thought oil-paintings in a private
house the worst of taste"
ooh, if one owned a Raphael or a
Titan said Mr.. Vertrees, finishing
the implication, not in words, but
with wave Of his hand. go on,
Mary. None Of the rest of them came
in? You didn't meet Mr. Sheridan or
-" He paused and adjusted lump
Of coal in the fire delicately with the
poker. cor one Of the sons?'
Mary's glance crossed his, at that,
with a flash of utter comprehension.
He turned instantly away, but she had
begun to laugh again.
women, but mamma inquired about the
sons thoroughly!'
Mary Mrs. Vertrees protested.
ooh, most adroitly toov laughed the
girl. "Only she couldn't help uncon-
sciOusly turning to look at me-when
she did itr'
MARY Vertreesw
"Never mind, mamma! Mrs. Sheri-
dan and Miss Sheridan neither of
them could help unconsciously turning
to look at -specuiatively-at the
same time! They all three kept look
ing at me and talking about the oldest
son, Mr.. James Sheridan, Jr. Mrs.
Sheridan said his father is very anx-
iOus to get Jim to marry and settle
down. and she assured me that Jim is
right cultivated Another of the sons,
youngest one, they didn't seem to con-
slider quite one Of themselves. some
how. The other brother is the middle
one, Roscoe; he's the one that owns the
new house across the street, where that
young black sheep of the Lamhorns,
Robert, goes so often. Papa" She
stepped nearer to him so that he had to
face her, and his eyes were troubled
as he did. There may have been a
trouble deep within her own, but she
kept their surface merry with laughter.
Papa, Bibbs is the youngest ones
name, and Bibbs-to the best of our in
formation-is a lunatic Roscoe is
married. Papa, does it have to be
Jim?"
Nary Mrs. Vertrees cried, sharp
ly. You're outrageous! That's per-
fectly horrible way Of talkingw
well, I'm close to twenty-four"
said Mary, turning to her. II haven't
been able to like anybody yet that's
asked me to marry him, and maybe I
never shall. Until a year or so ago I've
had everything l ever wanted in my
life-you and papa gave it all to me-
and it's about time 1 began to pay
back. Unfortunately, 1 don't know
how TO do anvthinp-hy1t SOmotbinp,S