Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-09-21
1t might be provefbIal. Won't you

mo. Oh no, thank your Shy
| painted, pressing her hand to her side
you don't know what a fright you've
| given me! And it was nothing but
| your piano. She laughed shrilly. Il
| just glanced out Of the window, a min
ute or so ago and saw your door wide
! open and black figures of men against
! the light, carrying something heavy
! And I thought I'd seen your daughter
| start for a drive with Bibbs Sheridan
in car about three o'clock-and-
They aren't back yet, are they?'
mo. Good heavensr'
"And the only thing I could think OF
was that something must have hap
pened to them, and just dashed over
and it was only your pianor' She
broke into laughter again. Il suppose
you're just sending it somewhere to be
repaired, aren't your
"It's-it's being taken downtown -
said Mrs. Vertrees. Wont you come
| in? Id really"
! THANK you, but I must be running
back. My husband usually gets home
| about this time, and I make a little
point OF it always to be there
That's very sweet Mrs. Vertrees
descended the steps and walked to-
| ward the street with Sibyl.
"I'm afraid Miss Vertrees will miss
her piano. said Sibyl, watching the in
strument disappear into the big van at
the curb. ''She plays wonderfully,
Mrs. Kittersby tells me-"
eyes, she plays very we'll. Mr.. Sheri-
dan came last evening to hear her play
because she had arranged with the
that is, it was to be removed this aft
ernoon. He seems almost we'll again."
Yes" Sibyl nodded. His fathers
going to try to start him to work"
''He seems very delicate" said Mrs.
Vertrees. 81 shouldn't think he would
| be able to stand a great deal, either
physically or" She paused and then
added, glowing with the sense of her
| own adroitness-"or mentally"
"Oh mentally Btbbs is all right"
said Sibyl, in an odd voice.
'But has he always been?' The
question came with anxious eagerness.
Certainly. He had long siege Of
nervous dyspepsia, but he's over it."
"And you think"
Gibbs is all right. You needn't
wor-" Sibyl choked, and pressed her
| handkerchief to her mouth. Good
night, Mrs. Vertrees," she said, hur-
| riedly.
won't you come in?" urged Mrs.
| Vertrees, cordially, hearing the sound
of cheerful voice out OF the darkness
| beyond the approaching glare of auto
mobile headlights. "Do! There's Mary
now, and She"
But Sibyl was halfway across the
| street. mo, thanks" she called. 81
hope she won't miss her pianor And
she ran into her own house and
plunged headlong upon leather divan
in the hall, holding her handkerchief
| over her mouth.
The noise of her tumultuous entrance
was evidently startling, for there fol-
lowed the crash of decanter upon the
| floor Of the dining room, and, after a
rumble of indistinct profanity, Roscoe
came forth, holding dripping napkin
| in his hand.
whats your excitement?" he de-
handed. "What do you find to go into
| Mysteries over? Another death in the
family?"
"Oh, it's funnyw she gasped.
''Those old frost-bitten people! I guess
they're getting their comeupancer
Lying prone, she elevated her feet in
the air, clapping her heels together re-
| peatedly, in an ecstasy.
"Come through, come throughv'
said her husband, GROSSLY. "What you
been up to?"
"Me?' she cried, dropping her feet
| and swinging around to face him
| Nothing. It's them! Those Vertreesesr'
She wiped her eyes. They've had to
sell their piano!'
'"Well, what of it?''
''That Mrs. Kittersby told me all
about 'em a week ago." said Sibyl
'DThey've been hard up for long time,
and she says as long ago as last winter
she knew that girl got pair Of walk
ing shoes re-soled and patched, because
she got It done the same place Mrs
Kittersby's cook had hersr'
"Well, well?' he urged, impatiently
"Well, I'm telling you! Mrs. Kitters-
by says they haven't got thing! Just
absolutely nothing-and they don't
know anywhere to turn! She says the
whole towns been wondering what
would become Of 'em. The girl had
plenty chances to marry up to a year
or so ago, but she was so Indifferent
she scared the men off. Gracious! they
were lucky! Marry her? The man
that found himself tied up to that
girl
Terrible funny, terrible funnyr'
said Roscoe, with sarcasm. Its sc
funny 1 broke a cut glass decanter
and spilled quart Of"
| ''Waitr' she begged. You'll see !
saw a big wagon drive up and some
men go into the house. Well, !
thought I'd see, so slipped overland
it was their piano! They'd sold it and
were trying to sneak it out after dark,
so nobody'd catch onr' Again she
gave way to her enjoyment, but re-
sumed, as her husband seemed about