The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-10-14
CHAPTER vI-continued.

DR.. Brownell suggested the winter
trip to the South. Mr. Sidney's vital
ity needed careful nursing. 1t was Inn
portant to protect him from winter
rigors, even as they could be modified
in sickroom. The doctor said he
himself felt the need of change. He
prescribed one for both his patient
and himself. He and Mr.. Sidney made
the arrangements. Mrs. Sidney and
Isobel were to 60
Arrangements went ahead rapidly,
within me. Romantic folly came to its
accounting. The fairy story was to be
ended without youths necessary "They
lived happily ever after"
The yacht came up to it's mooring
and lay by the landing for a week
while the provisioning was being cared
for. Hundreds of bottles of Mr.. Sid
ney's fine wines were put on board
for the unspeakable Jed.
Isobel was eagerly anticipatory. Mrs.
Sidney, I thought, seemed merely to
be resigned, with trepidation.
ing me of an interesting voyage. If he
did not go, / should have been needed,
but he thought it important for his
efficiency that he conserve his strength
over the winter, and he asked me to
act as one of his assistants.
That was flattery. 1t was intended
to be so.
Mrs. Sidney was the one who of.
fered me the real balm.
"John," she said, I'VE shall want
you with us. We shall miss you"
Don't you think, Mrs. Sidney"
suggested, that now we can consider
this fiction terminated?"
"You mean your engagement to Iso-
belY"
Surely"
mo, please" she said. "On the
boat there will be no problems. The
community is too compact and must
be considerable. But when we come
back, TIL need you just as before"
Isobel said:
"Good-by, John. Be at the landing
when we return. You'll be the first
person 1 want to see."
/ ought not 10 have been so discon-
ISOLATE. These were fair portents, but
portent does little to console a loss.
/ stood on the little dock and watched
the yacht go down the river. And
when it had disappeared below the
point of land south of the pool, all the
world was sad and life had no pros
poets to give 1t value.
Charles drove me to the city. / was
a bit of human driftwood for a week.
1t did not matter that they were CON-
ing hack. They were gone; that was
the disaster. 1t was in the present !;
the future is too ambiguous for conso-
lation or comfort.
went through a winter of ecstatic
distress, trying to be efficient In my
discharge of professional duties for
Doctor Browneli and to be profession
ally composed in aspect and mind. /
had an anguished delight in my expert
ences. My loneliness was my moct
acute pain and my most cherished
comfort. / did not want to profane
the emotional solemnity of so much
unhappiness by subjecting it frequent
" to the banal touch Of s0ciable life
in the ordinary. 1t was a joy to be
profoundly unhappy.
l had letters from the enchanted
party in the South. Mrs. Sidney wrote
twice week with great affection. Mr..
Sidney once week dictated to Jed a
letter, cordial and jocular, for me. Oc-
casionaIly Jed added a sheet for HIM
self, kindly or rasping as the mood
had him at the time.
isobaI also wrote, bur with the great
est e-~cp4ricity. While they were at
Palm Reach had letter day from
her for four days. Then had none
for tw" weeks. although they remained
at Pelm Beach. She made the post
man tragediaD for me.
In one letter this virginia. mp wrote
as if ! were her lover, and that letter
WAS as the song of the meadow lark
from snow-covered field in March,
as the odor of lilacs on warm night
IN May.
The Sidneys went TO the Bahamas,
but did not remain there. They wrote
me that Mr. Sidney was well. Doctor
Brownell was convinced that all were
the better. himself included, for their
experiment and that Mr.. Sidney's con-