Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-09-28
CHAPTER XIII.

Bibbs 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-minded stranger
present by accident and not wholly
aware that he was present. He would
sit, family smiling over pleasant imag-
iningS and dear "reminiscences Of his
own, while battle ragged between Edith
and her father, or while Sheridan un-
loosed jeremiads upon the sullen 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 Gurney'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 SibyPs illness the doctor found 1t
necessary to be with her frequently,
and to install muscular nurse. And
whether he would or no, Quincy re-
ceived from his hysterical patient
variety Of pungent information which
would have staggered anybody but
family physician. Among other things
he was given to comprehend the
change in Bibbs, and why the zinc
eater was not putting lump in its
operators gizZard as of yore.
Sibyl was not delirious-she was
hi IL - 0Jxf-,
in pain. Life had hurt her, and had
driven her into hurting herself; her
condition was only the adults terrible
exaggeratfon of that of child after
bad bruise-there must be screaming
and telling mother all about the hurt
and how it happened. Sibyl babbled
herself hoarse when Quincy withheld
morphine. She went from the begin
ming to the end in a breath. No pro-
test stopped her; nothing stopped her.
you ought to let me die" she
walled. what harm have I ever done
to anybody that you want to keep me
alive? Just look at my lifei I only
married Roscoe to get away from
home, and look what it got me intoi
/ wanted to have a good time
and how could I? Where's any good
time among these Sheridans? They
never even had wine on the table! |
thought I was marrying into a rich
family, where I'd meet attractive
people I'd read about, and travel, and
go to dances-and, oh, my Lordi all
I got was these Sheridans! l did the
best [ could; just tried to live.
Things were just beginning to look
brighter, and then l saw how Edith
was getting him away from me. And
what could [ do? What can any wom-
an do in my fix? I couldn't stand 1t! 1
went to that icfcle-that Vertrees girl
and she could have helped me O
little, and it wouldn't have hurt her.
Let her waftr' SibyPs voice, hoarse
from babbling, became no more than
q husky whisper, though she strove
to make 1t louder. She struggled half
upright and the nurse restrained her
I'D get up out of this bed to show her
she can't do such things to me! | was
absolutely ladylike, and she walked
out and left me there alone! She'll
see! She started after Bibbs before
Jim's casket was fairly underground,
and she thinks she's landed that poor
loon-but she'll see! She'll see! And
Edith needn't have told what she told
Roscoe-it wouldn't have hurt her to
let me alone. And he told her I bored
him-telephoning him l wanted to see
him. He needn't have done it, He
needn'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. II don't want to see you"
And as he turned away she added,
"Pm 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 disadyan-
tage of a mother for duenna, and Mrs
Sheridan, under her husbands sharp
tutelage. proved an effective one.