Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-06-08
CHAPTER xII-continued.

There came a second explosion, and
sUncle Gideon ran out into the hall.
lBibbs went to the head of the great
staircase, and, looking down, discov-
iered the source of the disturbance.
lhad brought his camera to the funeral
and was taking flashlights" of the
Moor Uncle Gideon, treasured by
lBibbs' explanation, would have re-
turned to finish his quotation from Bill
dad the Shuttle, but Bibbs detained
him, and after a little argument per-
suadec him to descend to the dining
room whittier Blbbs followed, after
CLOSING the door of his fathers room.
He kept his eyes on Gideon after
dinner, automatically preventing sew.
leral attempts on the part of that COM
forter to reascend the stairs; and 1t
WAS relief to Bibbs when George an
bounced that an automobile was wait
Ding to convey the ancient man and
iris grandson to their train. They were
the last to leave, and when they had
gone Bibbs went signing to his own
room.
He stretched himself YEARLY upon
the bed, but presently rose, went to
the window, and looked for long time
int the darkened house where Mary
Vertrees lived. Then he opened his
trunk, took therefrom small notebook
half filled with fragmentary scrib-
billings, and began to write:
"A Laughter after funeral. In this re-
faction people viii laugh at anything and
Iat nothing. The band plays dirge on
the way to the cemetery. but when 1t
TURNS back, and the mourning carriages
iare out OF hearing, 1t strikes up, Dark
town Is Out Tonight" That is natural
but there are women whose laughter is
pike the whirnng Of whips. -.
Beauty is not out of place among grave
lstones. II Is not out Of place anywhere.
tBut woman who has been betrothed to
" man would not look beautiful at his
Funeral. A woman might look beautiful,
Though, at the funeral of a man whom
lsiie had known and liked And in that
3oase too she would probably not want
10 talk IL she drove home from the ceme-
1tery with his brother: nor would she
want the brother to talk. :. Neverthe-
hess, too much silence Is open to suspi-
tcion. 1t may be reticence, or II may be a
vacuum. 1t may be dignity. or 1t may be
kalse teeth. ..
Silence can be golden2 Yes. But per-
haps IL q woman of the world should find
herself by accident sitting beside a man
for the length of time It must necessarily
take two slow old horses to jog three
pniles, she might expect that man to say
eomething OF some sortl II he did not
ieven try, but sat every step Of the way
rs dumb as a frozen fish. she might
think him frozen fish. And she might
he right. She might be right IL she
: Thought him about as pleasant a COM
panion-as Bildad the Shuttle!
4 Bibbs closed his notebook, replacing
ut In his trunk. Then, after a period
nof melancholy contemplation, he un-
dressed, put on a dressing gown and
shippers, and went softly out into the
hall--to his fathers door. Upon the
Moor was tray which Bibbs had sent
george, earlier in the evening, to place
upon table In Sheridan's room-but
the food was untouched. Bibbs stood
listening outside the door for several
minutes. There came no sound from
1within, and he went back to his own
room and to bed.
4 In the morning ne woke to q state
}of being hitherto unknown In his ex-
perlence. Sometimes in the process
iof waking there is a little pause
sleep has gone, but coherent thought
has not begun. 1t is the moment, as
I'VE say, before we remember" and
for the first time In Bibbs' life II came
ito him bringing vague happiness.
However, 1t was a brief visitation and
twas gone before he had finished dress
ling. 1t left a little trail, the pleased
RECOLLECTION of 1t and the puzzle of It.
(which remained unsolved. And. In
fact, waking happily in the morning is
inot usually the result of drive home
krom funeral. No wonder the Sc
lquence evaded Bibbs Sheridan!
1 His father had gone when he came
''downstairs. "Went ON down to Is office,
hes same" Jackson Informed him.
!3"Came sat breakfas' table, all by
Himself; eat nothin'. George bring nice
r3breakfas', but he DIM eat a thing.
jYessuh, went on downtown, jes' same
1he yoosta do. Yessuh, l reckon putty
1much ev'ything goin' on same as 1t
yoosta do"
It struck Bibbs that Jackson was
right The day passed as other days
had passed. Mrs. Sheridan and Edith