The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-03

selves pretty Ser1OuSly!
 And so musing, Julia dozed, and
 wakened, and dozed again. But in 1 her heart had been sowed the seed that was never to be uprooted. the little seed of doubt: doubt of the so- cia1 structure, doubt of it's grave au- thorities, it's awe-inSpired interpreters. What were the mummerS all so busy about and how little their mummery mattered! This shall be permitted, this shall not be permitted; what is in your heart and brain concerns us not at all; where your soul spends it's soHtudes is not our affair; so that you keep certain surface smoothness, so ! that you dress and talk and spend as we bid you, you-for such times as we p1ease-Shail be one of usi'
 CHAPTER III.
 1 Nevertheless, the young Studdi- l lords, upon their return to San Fran cisco, entered heartily upon the social 1 joys of the hour. Barbara had been only waiting their arrival to demure- | ly announce her engagement, and Ju- | lia's delight immediately took the form of dinners and theatre parties | for the handsome Miss Poland and her f1ance. A new and softened sweet ness marked Barbara in these days; she was more gentle and more charm 1 ing than she had ever been before. | Captain Edward Francis Humphry l Gunther Fox was an officer in the English army, a blond, silent man of forty, with kind eyes and a delight fully modulated voice. He had a com fortab1e private income, a place in | Oxfordshire, an uncle, young and | healthy to be sure, but still a lord, l and an older sister who had married | a lord, so that his credentials were unexceptionable, and Mrs. Poland was nearly as happy as her daughter was. Its curious said Barbara to Ju- lia, in one of their first hours alone, but there is a distinction and ex- citement about getting engaged, and you enjoy it just as much at thirty as at twenty-perhaps more. People or persons, as Francis says-who have never paid me any attention be- fore, are Hooking to the front now with presents and good wishes, and some who never have seen Captain Fox congratulate me-it amounts to congratulation-as if any marriage were better than none!"
 'Well, there is something about marriage" Julia admitted: you may not have any reason for feeling so, but you do feel superior, way down in your secret hearti And yet, Bab- bie,'' and a little shadow darkened
 
 are married you see a sort of-wel1, a sort of incorporating brightness about girlhood, too! When go out to The Alexander now, and remember my old busy days there, and walking to chapel with Aunt Sanna, in the fresh, early mornings-I don't know it makes me almost little sad!"
 Don't speak of it, said Barbara. When I think of leaving Dad. and home, and going off to England, and having to make friends of awful wo- men with high cheek bones, and mats of crimps coming down to their eye brows, it scares me to death!"
 And both girls laughed gayly. They were having. tea in Julia's drawing room on a cold bright afternoon in May.
 "Il1 miss Dad most,' pursued Bar bara seriously. Mothers so much with Ted, now, anyway" She frown- ed at the fire. Mothers curious. Ju," she added presently. Every one says she's an ideal mother, and so on, and I suppose she is, but-
 You're more like your father, any way" Julia suggested in the pause.
 "It's not only that" said Barbara l slowly, 'but Mother has never been in sympathy with any one of usi Ned
 
 Theodora went deliberately against her advice, and broke her heart, and Con and Jane, don't really respect her opinion at anl I'm the oldest, her first born-' And she loves you dearfy,'' Julia said soothingly.
 ''Used to Ju, when I was a baby. And she loves me theoretically now. But she has taken my not marrying to heart much more than the curious marriages Ned and the girls have madeI Hints about old maids. and stories about her own popularity as a girl, regardless of the fact that no one wanted me-"
 "Oh, BabbieI''
 sewell. no one didl" Barbara laugh months ago." she went on, "that little sprig of a Paul Smith called on Con. and Mother engineered me out of the room, and said something 1aughing1y | to Richie and Ted about not wanting to stand in Cons way, 'one old maid was enough in a famtly!"
 ''Maddening! Yes. I know" Julia | said, laughing and shaking her head | fsI've heard her a hundred times!'
 "Of course it's all love and kisses, | now" Barbara added. land Francis | IS a bold, big thief. and how can she | give up her dear big girI-'
 ''Oh. Barbara, don't be bttter!'
 Well" Barbara flung her head | back as if she tossed the subject aside, | "I suppose I am bitter! And why | you're not. Ju, can't understand, for | you never had one tenth the chance | I didi"
 'No," Julia assented gravely, "I | never did. If my mother had kept 1 me with her-and she could have | done tiff she hadn't left my father he loved me so-it would. all have been different. Mothers are strange Babby, they have so much power or seem to! It seems to me that one could do so much to straighten things out for the poor little baby brain; this is worth while, and this isn't worth while, and so on! Suppose''-Juna poured herself a fresh cup of tea, and |