Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-07-28

QAaA4]ER4Ez!l
"she Needn't to Have Done That
About the Piano."
wrapped up in his sons succeeding.
He isn't vulgar in his Boosting, I un-
derstand; he doesn't talk great deal
about his-his actual money. No, his
Dragging usually seemed to be about
his family and the greatness Of this
city"
"'Greatness Of this city'y' Mr.. Yer
trees echoed, with dull bitterness. cts
nothing but a coal hole. OF course
Sheridan says it's great !"
Mrs. vertrees seemed unaware Of
this outburst. II believe" she began,
timidly, 'he doesn't boast of-that is,
] understand he has never seemed so
interested in the-the other one"
Her husbands face was dark, but at
that a heavier shadow fell upon it; he
looked more haggard than before.
g The other one . he repeated, avert
ing his eyes. ''You mean-you mean
the third son-the one that was here
this eyening?''
Eyes, the-the youngest" she re-
turned, her voice so feeble it was al
most a whisper.
And then neither Of them spoke for
several minutes. Nor did either look
at the other during that silence.
At last Mr.. Vertrees contrived to
cough, but not convincingly. what
ah-what was it Mary said about
him this afternoon2 / didn't ah-hap-
pen to catch it."
''She- she didn't say much. All she
said was this: He's the most wistful
creature I've ever known"
"Well?H
ssThat was all. He is wistful-look-
ing; and so fragile. If hadn't known
about him I'd have thought he had
quite an interesting face"
eff you hadn't known about him?
Known what?"
'.Oh, nothing, of course" she said,
hurriedly. Nothing definite, that is.
Mary said decidedly, long ago, that
he's not at all insane, as we thought
at first. It's only-well, OF course it is
odd, their attitude about him. / sup
pose it's some nervous trouble that
makes him-perhaps little queer at
times, so that he can't apply himself
to anything-or perhaps does odd
things. But, after all, of course, we
only have an impression about it. We
! don't know-that is, positively. L."
She paused, then went on: II didn't
know just how to ask-that isl
didn't mention it to Mary. didn't
To The poor lady foundered pitt
fully. concluding with humble. $50
soon after-after the-the shock
81 don't think I've caught more than
a glimpse Of him." said Mr.. Vertrees.
ST wouldn't know him if saw him,
but your impression Of him is" He
broke off suddenly, springing to his
feet in agitation. 81 can't imagine
her-oh noy' he gasped. And he began
to pace the floor. "a half-witted cpl
lepticw
mo, nor she cried. "He may be al
right. We"
"Oh, it's horrible! I can't" He
threw n1mSeIf DacK INTO MS cndlr
again, sweeping his hands across his
face, then letting them fall Imply at
his sides.
Mrs. Vertrees was tremulous. "You
mustn't give way so" she said, inspired
for once almost to direct discourse.
whatever Mary might think of doing,
it wouldn't be on her own account; it
would be on ours. But If we should
should consider it, that wouldn't be on
our own account. It isn't because we
think Of ourselves"
"Oh God, nor he groaned. "Not for
us! We can go to the poorhouse, but
Mary can't be stenographerw
Signing, Mrs. Vertrees resumed her
obliqueness. "Of course" she MUIR
INJURED, 'it all seems very premature,
specializing about such things, but I
had a queer sort Of feeling that she
seemed quite interested in this" She
had almost said ''in this one," but
checked herself. I'm this young man.
It's natural, of course; she is always
SO strong and well, and he is-he seems
to be, that ts-rather appealing to the
the sympathies."