Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-05-04

is" And she seemed unable to
complete the question.
"Never mind, mamma, I'll say it. Is
Mr.. James Sheridan, Jr., stupid? I'm
sure he's not at all stupid about bust
ness. Otherwise Oh, what right
have I to be calling people stupid be-
cause they're not exactly my kind?
On the big dinner table they had enor-
nous icing models of the Sheridan
building
"Oh nor Mrs. Vertrees cried. "Sure-
ly not!'
Eyes, and two other things of that
kind don't know what. But, after
all, I wondered if they were so bad.
Well then, mamma, I managed not to
feel superior to Mr.. James Sheridan,
Jr., because he didn't see anything out
of place in the Sheridan building in
sugar"
Mrs Vertrees' expression had lost
none Of it's anxiety and she shook her
| head gravely. MY dear, dear child"
she said, ''it seems to me- 1t looks
I'm afraid"
Say as much Of it as you can,
mamma" said Mary, encouragingly. Il
can get it, if you'll just give me one
keyword."
Everything you say" Mrs. Yer
trees began, timidly, ''seems to have
the air Of 1t is as if you were seek
| ing TOTO make YOURSELF
"Oh, I see! You mean l sound as if
l were trying to force myself to like
him"
Not exactly, Mary. That wasn't
| quite what l meant" said Mrs. Yer
trees, speaking direct untruth with per
| feet unconsciOusness. "But you said
| that-that you found the latter part
Of the evening at young Mrs. Sheri-
| dams unentertaining-"
'And as Nj. James Sheridan was
| there, and | saw more Of him than at
dinner, and had a horribly stupid time
in spite Of that, you think /" And
| then it was Mary who left the deduc-
| ton unfinished.
Mrs. VertreeS nodded; and though
both the mother and the daughter I'M
derstOod, Mary felt it better to make
the understanding definite.
"Well," she asked, gravely, lis there
anything else | can do? You and papa
don't want me to do anything that dis
tresses me, and so, as this is the only
thing to be done, it seems it's up to me
not to let it distress me. That's all
there is about it, isn't it,"
But nothing must distress your
the mother cried.
'That's what I sayw said Mary,
cheerfully. and SO it doesn't. It's
all right" She rose and took her cloak
over her arm, as if to go to her own
room. But on the way to the door she
stopped, and stood leaning against the
foot Of the bed, contemplating a thread
bare rug at her feet Mother, you've
told me a thousand times that it doesn't
really matter whom a girl marries."
"No, nor Mrs. Vertrees protested. II
never said such "a"
mo, not in words; mean what you
meant. It's true, isn't it, that marriage
really is not a bed Of roses, but q field
Of battle? TO get right down to it, a
girl could fight it out with anybody,
couldn't she? One man as we'll as an
other?"
MARY, [ can't bear for you to talk
like that" And Mrs. Vertrees lifted
pleading eyes to her daughter-eyes
that begged to be spared. ut sounds
almost recklessn'
Mary caught the appeal, came to her.
and kissed her gayly. "Never fret,
dear! I'm not likely to do anything l
don't want tO-I've always been too
thorough-going a little pig"
She gave her mother a final kiss and
went gayly all the way to the door this
time, pausing for her postscript with
her hand on the knob. ''Oh, the one
that caught me looking in the window,
mamma, the youngest one"
did he speak of it?" Mrs. Vertrees
asked, apprehensively.
mo He didn't speak at all, that
saw, to anyone. | didn't meet him.
But he isn't insane, I'm sure; or if he
is, he has long intervals when he's not
Mr. James Sheridan mentioned that he
lived at home when he was well
enough; and it may be he's only an in
valid. He looks dreadfully i'll, but
he has pleasant eyes, and it struck me
that Tiff one were in the Sheridan
family''-she laughed a little ruefully
he might be interesting to talk to
sometimes, when there was too much
stocks and bonds. didn't see him aft
er dinner"
There must be something wrong
with him." said Mrs. Vertrees. They'd
have introduced him if there weren't"
Il don't know. His father spoke of
sending him back to a machine shop
of some sort; | glanced at him just
then and he was pathetic-looking
enough before that, but the most tragic
| change came over him. He seemed
just to die, right there at the table"'
Mr.. Sheridan must be very unfeel-
inc -