Show a if I 1 s the i i SI blute I 1 a by 0 I 1 lida larrimore I 1 w 0 macra company I 1 service it I 1 I 1 1 SYNOPSIS on her eighteenth birthday barbaro barbara motherless daughter of christopher thorne lovable but impractical artist awakes with lively anticipation of 0 tho the joys joy of the day CHAPTER I 1 continued 2 sing before breakfast you it cry before night she said in a warning voice that set them all to laughing marthas face was so droll I 1 barbara sat at with father in the sun on the wide front steps the children had gone to school mr tubbs the postman had bad left the mall mail and gone whistling on his way lovely dayl october in province town barbara thought was the nicest month of the year what timi time Is it babble father asked she knew he was teasing ile he asked every five minutes so she could consult the watch uncle stephen had sent she had to admire it often the delicate carving the ribbon strap the sapphire in the stem half past ten she answered and then pleased and excited her voice like a shaken chime of bells it beautiful father now low do you yon suppose uncle stephen knew I 1 wanted a watch the man Is a magician father was smiling at her she thought how handsome he was his hazel eyes his thick dark hair his lean straight body that made him look so young kit looked like father but kit was more grave ne he would never have bave fathers ringing laugh his hap py go lucky charm what does aunt josephine say father indicated the letter that lay in barbaras lap she told me to take care of my complexion as that was my one claim to beauty what else barbara hesitated there were in the letter many references to father and none of them were flattering natt ering father relieved her embarrassment she said she hoped you w erent growing up like heathen his eyes twinkled wicked wickedly ly tho though ugh that per haps was too much to expect since christopher thorne has no more idea how to bring up children than a crow in a corn field knows about running for congress now chow did you know barbara asked surprised 1 I am familiar with all of her sim similes lles 11 father lit a cigarette directly or indirectly ive heard them many times barbara looked down at the letter the writing on the envelope recalled the brick house in providence the elms and the urns on the lawn aunt josephine herself majestic and awe inspiring she seemed to hear bear cousin evies voice agreeing with aunt josephine no matter what she said the solemn important ticking of the grandfathers clock in the hall aunt josephine was mothers aunt barbara had lived with her two years after mother died when the children had been parceled out among the relatives and father had gone away it a happy two years aunt josephine approve of artists she approve of rather father barbara remembering sighed site she had missed the children so much three years of being together again made her forget sometimes even now she thought for a dreadful moment that they were separated what are you thinking fathers voice blessedly near routed the dismal thoughts of those past times but she tell him about them it seem scein quite polite father might think she trust him he had bad promised that they should never be parceled out again 1 I was thinking she answered in stead that the harbor wont look the same when the arlel ariel there they saw her swaying at anchor her sails gleaming white in the sun mr lorings Lorl sloop the arlel ariel beautiful na as a dream jim Is leaving tomorrow father spoke ra regretfully restfully ret fully ile he asked me to go for a farewell sail this afternoon that will rill be nice barbara was glad for father ile he loved sailing and boats the ships he painted were the pictures people bought tripe father called them they as nice as the things he did before mother died they were up in the attic collecting dust people preferred the ships rathers fathers attention strayed from tho arlel ariel babble he asked taken taking a letter from his pocket do 10 iou you remember mr Schart 7 that that dreadful old man with w alth the whiskers be more respectful young lady imly father pretended to be stern ne ile was an angel in disguise why barbara asked thinking that old sir mr schwartz looked less like an angel than anyone she had ever see seen in her ale ufe lies iles building a swanky home a castle on the rhine no not the rhine rather father consulted the letter the hudson to be exact and he wants ship panels in his library and Fa father therl 1 lie he wants you to paint them I 1 the reward for or being polite to gentlemen with whiskers Fa father therl 1 barbara was bouncing with excitement we can buy the rest of the house and put in a heater and mend the root and A gulp stemmed the torrent of 0 words the prospect of sudden riches had taken away her breath father she urged when she had found it again go send him a telegram right away im going father swung down the walk and hurdled the picket fence barbara watching saw him turn down pearl street bareheaded bare headed the wind tossing his hair how young he looked and healthy and brown lovely dayl day oh everything was so nice I 1 they could finish buying the house bouse dear sir mr schwartz I 1 she loved even his whiskers aunt josephides Jose phines letter bother her now but it was a blot on the day she would bury it out of sight she found a stick and scooped out a hole under the willow tree that was the end of aunt josephine she heaped up the earth and stuck in a twig for a headstone she tried to compose her features and think of a dismal hymna hello there happy Birth birthday dayl 1 barbara looked up from aunt jose phines premature grave she felt her heart beat faster bruce was unlatch ing the gate packed the be pl picnic lnla basket vr was packed with lunch tle the presents had been displayed fathers coral necklace kits water color of the willows gays slipper buckles the window box jamie had made filled with vines and blos coming plants bruce had admired them all ile he had bad heard beard about old mr schwartz who had turned out to be an angel in disguise now he was in the kitchen talking secrets with martha barbara had tactfully remained in the living room waiting was difficult why bruce hurry it was after eleven I 1 she looked at herself tn in the mirror above the book shelves set in its frame of tarnished gilt the freckles were growing fainter she thought the kitchen door opened and there was bruce bruce tanned a lovely color she thought sort of golden brown too like beech leaves in the fall his eyes were blue that was always surprising you expected them to be brown they were smiling crinkling at the corners do you like her bruce asked do you she whirled around bold as brass because it was her birthday ashes pretty nice ills his eyes said more than that thal or maybe she just imagined it you tell about bruce are you ready he came into the room with the basket of lunch ive been waiting hours 1 she feel bold any longer she felt sort of happy and shy they went out through the dining room door under the arbor that led from the house to the studio under the swaying willows babble babbie P bruce stopped suddenly and set the basket on the grass barbara stopped too she looked up at him won wonderingly wonderlin derin ly his eyes smiling now they looked at her so strangely did you think I 1 brought you a present he be asked 1 I know would you have minded it if I 1 he said gravely 1 I have borne it she answered shut your eyes and give me your hand band barbara screwed her eyes together and held out her small right hand she knew the present was a ring before he said she might look such a lovely ring I 1 it was nas made of twisted gold and from a tiny clasp in the center hung a small gold heart which made a tinkling sound whenever she moved her hand band bruce she lifted her face and starry eyed framed in blowing tendrils of soft brown hair A smile that was close to tears trembled across her lips bruce I 1 she marveled 11 II if just exactly fiest it should he said it was hadit for you the heart Is to match face they were silent for an interval the wind in the willows was a song that was happy and sad barbara moved her hand band and heard the tinkling of the heart she wanted to thank him she find words she sha looked down at the grass afraid she was going to cry bruce saw the droop of the curly head what was she thinking did the ring mean more to her than a birthday gift babble A low little laugh broke the spell of sunlight and shadow and the willows sad sweet song barbara raised her head her face sparkled with ints chief gracious I 1 she cried were standing on top of great aunt josephides Jose phines phines grave I 1 TO BE CONTINUED |