The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-24
Alabaster
Lamps
vvv
By Margaree Turnbun
= OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
osDyrigAt, 1875. ~ Nargafse TosaSuil
WNU Service
THE STORY

THE STORY
CHAPTER with strange
whom he introduces as his nephew,
] Ned Carter, Claude Melnotte Dabbs
returns from New York to his gen.
| eral grocery at Peace Valley, Pa.
To aunt Llddy," his housekeeper,
| he explains that Carter is chance
acquaintance, veteran Of the World
war, whom he had met and taken a
liking to.
CHAPTER IT.-Carter tells Aunt
Lyddy he has broken with his
family and his sweetheart because
Of his resentment Of their ultra
pacific tendencies. With Dabbs Ned
visits Cloper Hollow, abiding place
of collection of good -natured
cranksj" according to the grocer.
They almost run over dog be-
longing to a girl whom Carter APP
parcntly recognizes. Ned delivers
| q grocery order and in his absence
the girl, Dorothy Selden, reveals
that She knows him to be Ned
Rangeley, New York banker.
CHAPTER III. - Next day Ned
commences work as q "grocer's
boy. At residence, the white
House," he delivers an order marked
Johnston" There he meets girl
who tells him she and her mother
are alone in the house, the servants
having left them because of the
Loneliness" He promises to try to
procure household help. Arrange
Johnstons'.
! CHAPTER Iv-The cook being UNI
able to begin work at once, Ned Wis
| its the White House to inform Miss
Johnston of the fact. Explaining
| the situation TO her mother, the
girl. MARY" is astonished by that
I lady's emotion at the mention of
Dabbs' name. The cook arrives, and
for groceries. They are seen by
Dorothy Selden.
CHAPTER Where is something
about Mary vaguely familiar to
Dabbs, and he is highly interested in
and daughter. Mrs. Johnston ac-
companies Mary to an inn for lunch
con. Dabbs sees Mrs. Johnston" is
his wife, polly" and is disturbed.
He informs Ned he has something on
his mind that he would like to tell
him.
She had looked at him, given a
queer little sound, and hidden hef
face against his shoulders:
|
Claude Dabbs stared before him,
his lips moving. After awhile he
lit his cigar, crossed one leg oyer
the other, and began to talk, In an
even voice, quite as though lie was
continuing his narrative to Ned.
from the point he had left OF.
Next morning l went out for q
stroll before breakfast, and to set
tie in my mind a plan meant to
carry through quickly. before Polly
made up her own mind. We'd talked
lots about everything. but nothing
was settled.
"Nobodyll ever know how won
; derful it was to be to have Polly
to talk to. It changed everything.
There wasn't girl In Peace VAL
! ley could talk as she did, none
knew, anyway; and the short while
I'd been at Rutgers l hadn't met
any girls, except Polly. She made
me realize that we'd been fond OF
each other for long time. though
1t had taken this to bring Us to-
gether."
Claude looked up at Ned, who
with q languid movement Of his
, hand removed the cigarette from
between his lips. Claude noted
idly that 1t was not lit. He glanced
at the wall above Ned's desk. A
small photograph In an 0ld-fash-
Toned frame hung above 1t. 1t was
that Of q lovely young country girl,
with character behind the young
loneliness. She was Claude's
mother. @
"You see, Ned, I'd always been
queer about girls. liked 'em, but
expected a good deal of 'em. Not
every girl pleased me. Sounds
conceited, but I don't mean 1t that
way. It wasn't that--it was Nom.
His eyes turned again to the pho
! tograph. ''It's one of those things
; you can't find words for. It's q
feeling. Anyway, Nom gave 1t to
me about girls, and Polly was the
first. / meant she should be the
last. / felt that IL we were care.
full enough about explaining our
marriage to Nom she would under
stand and be pleased. But she never
knew.
'Nobody'll ever know how won.
derful life was for me that morn.
ing. I hadn't forgotten Pop, but
since I'd told Polly just how about
him, and shed tried to comfort me
could bear It easier, because Polly
understood. / forgot all about hel
money. It never entered my head
only thought Of Polly. When
was going out she kissed me and
said:
"'Claude Melnotte, Il your home
lit by alabaster lampsr
II thought she was Just fool
Ing about my silly name. Shed
read the play. you see. hadn't
then. Just told her they wert
Rochester lamps. When ! though,
about 1t, as turned back toward
the hotel, / wondered if there wal
more to her question than JUS
lamps-something behind It.
thought she might have been turn
4 a - = n n