Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-04-16
CHAPTER V.

1t was a brave alnl lusb6lls banquet;
and 4 noisy one. too. because there was
an orchestral among, some plants at one
end Of the long dining room, and after
Il preliminary stiffness the guests were
impelled to converse-necessaril at
the tops Of their voices. The whole
company of fifty sat at Il great oblong
table, Il continent OF damask and lace,
with shores Of crystal and silver rum
ming up to spreading groves Of orchids
and lilies and white rOses--an inhab-
tied continent. evidently, for there
were three marvellous, cleaning build
ings; one in the center and one at each
end, white miracles wrought by some
inspired craftsman in sculptural icing.
They were models in miniature, and
they represented the Sheridan build
ing, the Sheridan apartments, and the
pump works. Nearly AN the guests
recognized them without having TO be
told what they were, and pronounced
the likencSscs superb.
The arrangement Of the table was
visibly baronial. At the head sat the
great Tlane, with the flower of his
family and Of the guests about him /;
then on each side came the ncighbOrs
of tie odd house. grading down TO
vassals and superintendent,
cashiers, heads Of departments, and the
like-at the foot, where the Thames
lady took her place as Il consolation for
the less important. Here, tOo among
the thralls and b0ndmen, sat Ribbs
Sheridan. a meek Banqu0, wondering
how anybody could look ut him and
eat. s ~ .e
Nevertheless, there was vast. con-
tinuous eating ana the talk went on
with the eating, necessarily. It rose
over the throbbing Of the orchestra and
the clatter and clinking Of silver and
china and glass, and there was a
mighty babble. ,-s
And through the interstces of this
clamoring Bibbs could hear the con-
tinual booming of his fathers heavy
voice. and once he caught the sentence,
'Yes, young lady, that's just what did
it for me, and that's just what II do it
for my boys-thty got to make two
blades O. grass grow where one grew
before" 1t was his familiar flourish,
an old story to Bibbs,; and now jEially
declaimed for the editieation of Mary
.Vertrees. Is
1t was great night for Sheridan
the very crest Of his wave. His big:
also because we're next-door neighbors
at table, and it's dull times ahead for
both OF us If we don't get along"
Roscoe was literal young man, all
stocks and bonds, and he had been
brought up to believe that when man
married he married and settled down"
He knew that young married people
might have friendships. like his wife's
for LamhOrn; but Sibyl and Lamhorn
never 'f1irted"--they were always very
matter-of-fact with each other. Roscoe
would have been troubled If Sibyl had
ever told Lamhorn she hoped he was
susceptible.
"Yes-we're neighbors,' he said,
awkwardly. Il live across the street"
why, nor she exclaimed, and
seemed startled. "YOur mother told
me this afternoon that you lived at
home" Slowly 4 deep color came into
her cheek.
NO" he said; my wife and l lived
with the old folks the first year, but
that's all. Edith and Jim live with
them, of course"
IL see,' she said, the deep color
still deepening as she turned from him
and saw, written upon q card before
the gentleman at her left, the name,
.NIr. James Sheridan, Jr.' And from
that moment Roscoe had little enough
cause for wondering what he ought to
reply to her disturbing coquetries.
MIR. James Sheridan had been anx-
iously waiting for the dazzling visitor
to get through with old Roscoe and
give a bachelor chance. ''Old Ros-
coe" was the younger, but he had a.
ways been the steady wheel-horse of
the family. AS their father habitually
boosted, both brothers were capable,
hard-working young business men,"
Physically neither was Of the height,
breadth or depth of the father. Both