Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-06-18
CHAPTER XIII,


Blbbs continued to live in the shelter
Of his dream. These were turbulent
days in the new house. but Bibbs had
no part whatever in the turbulence
he seemed an absent-mndcd stranger,
present by accident and not wholly
aware that he was present. He would
sit, family smiling over pleasant mag
inings and dear "reminiscences Of his
own, while battle ragged between Edith
and her father, or while Sheridan I'M
loosed jeremiads upon the sullcn Ros-
coe, who drank heavily to endure
them. He was sorry for his father
and for Roscoe. and for Edith and for
Sibyl, but their sufferings and outcries
seemed far away.
Sibyl was under Gurncy's care. Ros.
coe had sent for him on Sunday night,
not long after Bibbs returned the aban-
doned wraps; and during the first days
Of Sibyls illness the doctor found it
necessary to be with her frequently,
and to install muscular nurse. And
whether he would or no. Quincy re.
ceived from his hystcrical patient a
variety of pungent information which
would have staggered anybody but a
family physician. Among other things
he was given to comprehend the
change in Bibbs, and why the zinc
eater was not putting a lump in its
operators gizzard as Of yore.
Sibyl was not delirious-she was a
thin little ego writing and shrieking
in pain. Life had hurt her, and had
driven her into hurting herself; her
condition was only the adults terrible
exaggeration Of that Of child after .
bad bruise-there must be screaming
and telling mother all about the hurt
and how it happened Sibyl babbleJ
herself hoarse when Quincy withheld
morphine. She went from the begin
ming to the end in breath. No pro.
test stopped her; nothing stopped her
"You ought to let me die" she
walled. "What harm have l ever done
to anybody that you want to keep me
alive? Just look at my life! l only
married Roscoe to get away from
home, and look what it got me into
1 wanted to have good time
and how could 1? Where's any gooG
time among these Sheridans? They
never even had wine on the table!
thought I was marrying into ricf
family, where Id meet attractive
people I'd read about, and travel. ant
go to dances-and, oh, my Lord! al
got was these Sheridans! I did thu
best could; just tried to live. -.
Things were just beginning to lool
brighter, and then l saw how Edit
was getting him away from me. An(
what could do? What can any WON
an do in my fix? couldn't stand it!
went to that icicle-that Vertrees cir
and she could have helped me ?
little, and it wouldn't have hurt her
Let her waitv' Sibyl's voice, hoarst
from babbling. became no more thai
q husky whisper, though she strOvt
to make it louder. She struggled hal
upright, and the nurse restrained her
I'D get up out of this bed to show he,
she can't do such things to me! I was
absolutely ladylike, and she walked
out and left me there alone! Shell
see! She started after Bibbs before
Jim's casket was fairly underground
and she thinks she's landed that poo,
loon-but she'll see! She'll see! AM
Edith needn't have told what she tolc
Roscoe-it wouldn't have hurt her t.
let me alone. And he told her borec
Misunderstanding him wanted to see
him. He needn't have done it. He
ueedn't-needn't-" Her voice grew
fainter, for that while, with exhaus.
ton, though she would go over 1t all
again as soon as her strength returned.
She lay painting. Then, seeing her hus-
band standing disheveled In the door
way, Don't come in. Roscoe" she
murmured. 81 don't want to see you"
And as he turned away she added,
"Tm kind Of sorry for you, Roscoe"
Her antagonist, Edith. was not more
coherent in her own wailings. and she
had the advantage Of a mother for
listener. She had also the disadvan-
tage Of mother for duenna, and Mrs.
Sheridan, under her husbands sharp
tutelage, proved an effective one.
Edith was reduced to telephoning
Lamhorn from shops whenever she
could juggle her mother into momen-
tary distraction over counter.