The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-06-29


I'm afraid"
Say as much OF It as you can.
mamma" said Mary, encoura gingly. II
can get It, II you'll Just give me one
keyword."
Everything you say" Mrs. ver-
trees began, timldly, "seems to have
the air Of II Is as IL you were seek
ing toto make yourself"
"0h. | seel You mean I sound as II
I were trying to force myself to like
him"
Not exactly. Mary. That wasn't
quite what I meant" said Mrs. Yer
trees. speaking direct untruth with per-
feet unconsciousness. But you said
that--that you found the latter part
OF the evening at young Mrs. Sheri-
dams unentertalnlng-"
"And as Mr.. James Sheridan was
there, and I saw more OF him than at
dinner. and had horribly stupid time
In spite OF that you think T." And
then It was Mary who left the deduc-
ton unfinished.
Mrs. vertrees nodded; and though
both the mother and the daughter un-
derstood. Mary felt It better to make
the understanding definite.
"Well." she asked, gravely, SIS there
anything else can do? You and papa
don't want me to do anything that dis
tresses me, and so, as this is the only
thing to be done. II seems It's up to me
not to let II distress me. That's all
there IA about H. Isn't III"
"But nothing must distress your
the mother cried.
That's what sayr said Mary.
cheerfully. "And so 1t doesn't. It's
all right" She rose and took her cloak
over her arm, as II to go to her own
room. But on the way to the door she
stopped, and stood leaning against the
foot OF the bed, contemplating thread
bare rug at her feet. Mother. you've
told me a thousand times that It doesn't
really matter whom a girl marrles."
"No, nor Mrs. vertrees protested. II
never said such a." ii
''No, not In words: mean what you
meant. It's true. isn't II, that marriage
really Is not bed of roses. but field
OF battle? TO get right down to 1t.
girl could fight 1t out with anybody.
couldn't she2 One man as well as an
other"
"Mary, can't bear for you to talk
like that" And Mrs. vertrees lifted
pleading eyes to her daughter-eyes
that begged to be spared. ut sounds
almost recklessr'
Mary caught the appeal, came to her.
and kissed her gayly. "Never fret,
dearl I'm not likely to do anything
don't want to-Ive always been too
thorough-going a little pig"
Size gave her mother final kiss and
went gayly ali the way to the door this
time. pausing for her postscript with
her hand on the knob. "Oh, the one
that caught me looking In the window.
mamma, the youngest one"
"Dld he speak OF TT" Mrs. vertrees
asked, apprehensively.
"No. He didn't speak at all, that I
! saw, to anyone. didn't meet him.
, But he isn't insane. I'm sure; or II he
is, he has long intervals when he's not.
Mr.. James Sheridan mentioned that he
enough; and 1t may be he's only an In
valid. He looks dreadfully Ill. but
he has pleasant eyes, and II struck me
that lf-if one were In the Sheridan
, family"-she laughed a little ruefully
, -"he might be interesting to talk to
sometimes, when there was too much
, stocks and bonds. didn't see him aft
, er dinner"
, 'There must be something wrong
, with him." said Mrs. vertrees. They'd
have introduced him IL there weren't"
, II don't know. His father spoke of
, sending him back TO a machine shop
of some sort; glanced at him Just
then and he was pathetic-looking
enough before that, but the most tragic
/ change came over him. He seemed
just to die, right there at the tabler
"Mr. Sheridan must be very unfeel-
, ing"
mo" said Mary, thoughtfully, "I
don't think he Is: but he might be un-
, comprehending. and certainly he's the
, kind OF man to do anything he once
/ sets out to do. But wish hadn't been
looking at that poor boy Just thenl
I'm afraid I'll keep remembering"
, II wouldn't" Mrs. vertrees smiled
family, and In her smile there was the
= remotest ghost OF q genteel roguish-
ness. "Fd keep my mind on pleasanter
things, Mary"
; Mary laughed and nodded. Eyes, In
; deed Plenty pleasant enough. and
probably, If all were known. too good
even for mev'
, And when she had gone Mrs. ver-
, trees drew long breath, as II bur-
den were of her mind, and, smiling,
began to undress in a gentle reverie.