The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-11-25
CHAPTER VII

the Madison campus. 1t had been
busy winter for Sylvia, though in all
ways a happy one. When it became
known that she was preparing for
college all the Buckeye Lane folk
were anxious to help. Professor KEEL
ton would not trust his own powers
too far and he awaited himself Of the
offers Of members Of the faculty to
tutor Sylvia in their several branches.
Spring stole into the heart Of the
Wabash country and the sap sang
again in naples and elnls. Lilacs
and snowballs bloomed and Pro-
lessor Kelton went serenely about
among his roses. Sylvia passed her
examinations, and was to be admitted
to Wellesley without conditiOns-an
the Lane knew and rejoicedl The
good news was communicated to Mrs.
owen, who wrote at once to Professor
KeIton from the summer headquarters
che had established on her farm in
northern Indiana that Just then re-
Quired particular attention. 1t ran:
ct want you to make me a visit
Sylvia must be pretty tired after her
long, busy year and have been tin
kertng the house here a little bit so
you can both be perfectly comfort
able. 1 inclose a timetable with the
best trains marked. You leave the
train at Waupegan Station and take
the steamer across the lake. I viii
meet you at any time you say"
So it happened that on June eve
ming they left the train at Waupegan
and crossed the platform to the
wheezy little steamer which was wait
ing just as the timetable had predict
ed, and soon they were embarked and
crossing the lake. which seemed to
Sylvia a vast ocean. Twilight was
EMBEDDING the world, and all manner
OF fairy lights began to twinkle at
the far edges of the water and on the
dark heights above the lake. Over
head the stars were slipping into their
wonted places.
You can get an idea Of how it is at
sea-" said her grandfather. smiling at
her long upward gaze. only you can
hardly feel the wonder Of it all here,
or the great loneliness Of the ocean al
night"
Every cottager maintained his own
light or combination Of lights TO IA
cilitate Identification by approaching
visitors They passed a number of
sailboats lazily idling in the light
wind. and several small power boats
shot past with engines beating fur
iously upon the still waters
1.-THE Bassetts' dock is the green
light; the red. white and blue is Mrs.
Owens" explained the captain. We
amt stoppin' at Bassett's tonight"
These lights marked the farthest
bounds of Lake Waupegan, and were
the last points touched by the boat.
Sylvia watched the green light with
interest as they passed. She had
thought of Marian often since their
meeting at Mrs. Owens. She would
doubtless see more Of her now; the
green light and the red. white and
blue were very close together.
Mrs. Owen called to them cheerily
from the dock, and waved a lantern
In welcome. She began talking to
her guests before they disembarked.
"Glad to see you, Andrew. You
must be mighty hungry, Sylvia. Don't
smash my dock to pieces, Captain;
it's only wood"
Mrs. Owen complained after few
DAYS that she saw nothing Of Sylvia,
so numerous We're that young persons
engagements. Mrs. Bassett and Ma
Ran called promptly-the former a
trifie dazed by Sylvia's sudden advent,
and Marian genuinely cordial Mrs.
Bassett had heard of the approaching
visit with Hveliest interest. A year
before, when Marian had reported the
presence in Mrs. Owens house at In
dianapolis Of a strange girl with Pro-.
lessor Kelton, her curiosity had been
piqued, but she soon dismissed the.
matter. Marian had carried home lit.
tie information, and while Mrs. Bas-
sett saw her aunt often on her fire.
quent excursions to the city, she knew
by long experience that Mrs. Owen did
not yield gracefully to prodding.
Through most Of her life Halle
Bassett had assumed that she and her
children, as Sally Owens next Of kin,
quite filed the heart of that admirable
though often inexplicable woman.
Mrs. Bassett had herself inherited
small fortune from her father, Black
ford F. Singleton, Mrs. Owens broth
er, a Judge Of the Indiana Supreme
Court and a Senator in Congress,
whose merits and services are set
forth in a tablet at the portal Of the
Fraser County courthouse. The Bias
sets and the Singletons had been
early settlers Of that region. and the
marriage OF Halle Singleton TO Nor
ton Bassett was a satisfactory Incl
dent in the history Of both families
Six years Of Mrs. Bassett's girlhood
had been passed in Washington; the
thought Of power and influence was
dear to her; and nothing in her life
had been more natural than the ex-
pectation- that her children would en-
Joy the fortune Mrs. Owen had been
accommodating so long and, from all
accounts, by processes hardly less
than magical. Mrs. Bassett's humor
was not always equal to the strain TO
which her aunt subjected It. Halle
Bassett had. in fact, little humor of
any sort She viewed life with a GER
tain austerity. and in literature she
had fortified herself against the
shocks of time. Conduct, she had
read, is three-fourths Of life: and
Wordsworth had convinced her that
the world is too much with us.
Hers were no mean standards. She
meant to be a sympathetic and help
ful wife, the wisest and most con-
scfentious Of mothers.