University of South Carolina Libraries
By Ethel Hueston ^ j| jj Copyright by the Bobbe*llerrHl Co. SYNOPSIS PART ONE CHAPTER I.—At a merry party ta the etudlo apartment of Carter Blake, la New York, Jerry Harmer, Prudence’e daughter, meets Duane Allerton, wealthy idler. He becomes slightly in toxicated, and Jerry, resenting his as sumption of familiarity, leaves the party abruptly. CHAPTER IL—The story turns to Jerry's childhood and youth at her home la Des Moines. Only child of a wealthy father, when she is twenty she feels the call of Art, and her parents, with some misgivings, agree to her go* tag to New York to study, CHAPTER MI.—In New York Jerry makes her home with a Mrs Delaney (“Mlmr), an actress, who, with The resa, a painter, occupies the house. Jerry takes an Immediate liking to Theresa, and the two become fast friends. 1 CHAPTER IV.—The friendship be tween Jerry and Theresa, who Is ec- •entrtc but talented, grows. Jerry poses for Theresa's masterpiece, “The ■' Ocean Rider.” Allerton calls on Jerry. The girl, recalling his conduct at the studio party, refuses to see him. CHAPTER T.—At a hotel dinner Jerry seee Duane and Is conscious of his admiration but refuses to change her attitude toward him. Jerry be comes convinced she has not the ability to become an artist and offers her ex pensive painting equipment to an al- moet pennlleea girl student, Greta Val. Who cannot understand her generosity. A painful scene results. CHAPTER VI.—Jerry, with Theresa's help, convlncee Greta of her good In tentions. sad the two girls "make up." At a party Jerry again sees Duane, and will not recognise him. Theresa hints that Jerry should go home, and promises her a “present." * CHAPTER VII—Returning from an evening of gayety. Jerry Is shocked at hearing from Mlml that Theresa has killed herself, fthe also learns that Mlml Is Theresa's mother, and Is psinert at the seeming frivolousness of (he older woman, In the face of the tragedy. The “present'' Theresa had promised Jerry pgpves to be her plc- t«re. t *The Ocean Rider " Jerry Is deeply moved. After the funersl of her friend ahe decides to go home. (CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK) Mlml nodded again. "She whs tn; dgughter." She began to explain with nervoug Intensity. "She railed me Mudder when she was a little baby, hot she grew up Into such a funny, Jong-legged monster of a child! And I had—my admirers, my career. In the profession they want 7011 always to remain young, unmarried and free. It was absurd to Isy claim to youth with a great girl like Theresa bran dishing my post In my face. So we fell Into the way of using Mlml and Theresa. Lota of them do, on the •tage. She liked It—Theresa liked It." Jerry said nothing, could say noth ing. Poor Theresa ! She thought of the terrible, tragic loneliness of the brilliant young artist. Her mother •hejiad sacrificed to youth and beauty, her love she had given up for Art. Now ahe was dead, glad of her free dom from a life which had only tired her. Jerry shuddered. She sat mo- tionleaa, shocked beyond words. "Oh, you are blaming me!" Mlml cried suddenly* "You do nbt under stand I I tell you It Is often done In thg profession. We think nothing of It You have never understood me, nor Theresa—none of us! You were never one of us I" "No. I was never renlli_ one of you.” - Jerry did not resent It. She was glad. "Theresa didn’t mind. She liked It. From the time she was a baby she wanted to be free, to be left alone She dldi^t like a fuss made over her." Jerry shook her head, not grasping It. "Children—they never know what they want. But you, Mlml, didn't you want people to know? You should have been so proud of Theresa, My mother—why, ahe Is even proud of met She—when ahe meets people I have known she likes to introduce her- aelf that way—Just, ‘I am Jerry’s mother.'" "I was proud of Theresa," Insisted KimL "I know how wonderful she wag. But—a woman can’t stop being a woman Just because she has a baby, can she? I had my life, my work, my lovers. Oh, everyone will blame me! But Theresa liked her freedom! She should have thought of me before she (Ud tilts thing—she never thought of me—Art, always, before everything.” "But, Mlml,” Jerry Interrupted her, Stammering, "If you aye her mother, you must know why!” ✓ Jerry saw her In a cloud of artificial lights, thg center of arUAdal laughter; flirtations affairs and Intrigues- -.ww also the light kindliness, the generons delicacy of speech and manner, the friendly camaraderie. And she saw Theresa dead by her own hand In the undertaking parlor with the flowers Ip the window, Ifletta's, on the corner. And then, ns poor, suffering Mini faded out, Jerry saw Prudence, clear- cut and vivid, saw the flne-Uned, ten der face, the gentle twist of (he hu morous mouth, the laughing, piilntlve sympathy of tbs soft, iweet eyes. Jeny stared and stared. Tier eyes burned painfully, her throat throbbed, there was a great longing In her heart. In that moment. Prudence’s daugh* ter, sbe ran suddenly to Mlml, caught her In her strong, tender arms, kissed her, cried over her, fondled ber, and Mlml, after one slight, apologetic, high-strained laugh, burled ber face In Jerry's arms and broke Into helpless weeping. Jerry helped ber out of the lavish “Such a night I” gasped Prudence at that sudden ringing, thinking thst a telegraph boy, would have to he* tbo gale to carry a message. , Jerrold shoved his chair back quick ly from the table, and both listened, intent, alert, as Katie opened the door. Above> the Incoherent breathleisnesa of her murmurs of amiaxement, a fresh voice sounded brightly. “Where’s mother?" v And Jerry berseJf, wrapped m bet great fur cloak,, a soft fur trm drawn protecttngly low over her ears, ran in upoo tbem. leaving the maid and tbe j , driver to handle boxes, bags and trunk aa best they could. “Look who’s hero!’’ sbe cried, aa she caught Prudence In her arms. , And a moment later she went to ber 1 father, to be lifted bodily from her tiptoes and kissed a dozen times. I "And you’d better belp him with the trunk, father,’* ahe said, when she could think of It. . "It’s terlrlbly heavy.”• gown, V>ut of the confining closeness | ‘^our trunk, Jerry I” Prudence was of the French stays, and Into a loose, amaxed. "Did you ^ing your trunk!” light robe. She bathed her face, | “Tea, I brought everything," Jerry atroked her hair, hung over her with . assured her gayly. ‘T’m coming home, pitiful, sv^eet solicitude. And Mlml I’m moving back I” ^ clung to her all night long, aobldng 1 Then she kissed Katie, who was has- brol^enly, wrlthjng Jn hygtffiral an- J tlly laying anoiber place on the table guisli, and would not let Her go. | and setting a chair for her—which Jerry stayed with Mlml in the house Prudence slyly pulled nearer to hers, on Reilly’s alley until after the funeral and Jerrold whipped back toward hia —Theresa’s funeral—when groups of own. And very soon they were at the her brilliant, wondering friends crowd- table, three of them now, smiling ed Into the little flower-filled room at ‘ almost tearfully at one another acroaa.. Mletta’s to do last honor to her tragic the bowl of Cecil Brunners, with never memory, and went away again, after- 1 a thought for the dangerous Icy streets , ward, slowly, talking It over, agreeing of Greenwich Village and New York. bell In the world could not'sound lets- Ptndence and Jerrold were still sitting than damorons. ) enraptured, spellbound, on the wide day bed against the wall, listening as Jerry talked. And when at last thg trunk was emptied, she turned slotvly to the great crate sbe bad brought with her all the way, bo carefully, so tenderly, and released the safety fas tenings on the end. Then she drew It out alowly, the shadows deepening In her, eyes—Theresa’s gallant "Ucean Rider” with eyes like Jerry’s own. Jerry’s parents stared at It, ex claiming, marveling at its beauty. ' “It—It looks like you," Prudence ; whispered. 1, “The eyes—they tre mine. Ah they were when I went to New York, when she first saw me—Theresa”-Jerry choked over the words. "Let me tell you.’’ Sbe hastily switched out the bright lights, leaving only the one soft Roantrr candle burning on her dressing table, for Jerry did not wish to pain them with the emotion her vivid face could not fall to reveal. And she came across to them, plied cushions on tho top of one of the three steps which led up to the raised day bed, and tpuggled In between them. “Do you want me to go out?” Jer rold offered generously, feeling that this was to be the climax of Jerry’s confidence. • J Jerry shilled at him, drew both his Ih their own room, Jerrold turned to his wile to nir a grievance that had lurked wlthla^ hts memory, throughout all the happy evening. .* “See here, Prudence, yon did, too, expect Jerry to come home to stay. Ton said all the time she would come back." Prudence caught his broad shoulders In Her two slender hands, and shook him, sternly. As a measure of dis cipline it was absurd, for Jerrold was tall and strong, and Prudence both slender and alight In strength. But as expressive of her pent-up emotions and representative of ber scorn for his un derstanding, It was triumphant "Oh. Jerrold, will you never learn?" sbe walled. “Don’t you know that you must always ba surprised at a woman?” “But you said—” _ •^ETways bo surprised at a v'omaEt It pleases her, It flatters her, It makes j her feel how very unusual she Is to do the unexpected thing. Be surprised, Jerrold, always bo surprised! Women love It!” "Then you did expect her home!" "Of course I did." Prudence said this .with a complacent pride In her astuteness. “But you said—" "Oh, bother what I said. You be a little careful after this, and don’t go about telling everything you hear, HOW’S THIS? tor It—rid your Deafness HALL*# CATA do what we clain of catarrh or ^ ^WALL’S CATARRH MEDICINE ©OR-' •Urts of an Ointment--Which ^ Relieves the catarrhal Inftammat* tho Internal Medicine, a Tonic, acts through the Blood on tho Burfi ^ “ laces, thus restoring normal U 8o"d bir druggists for F. J. Cheney A Co n over 40 Y Toledo. f Ohlo. r-TutfS PfflS- Enable Dyspeptics to eat whatever they wish. Cause food to assimilate. Nourish the body, give ENJOY FOOD -\ that after all. In a way, It seemed rather a congruous thing, that, such a one as Theresa, divinely driven, should flash like a meteor across a starry sky to fade At once in a final. "But, Jerry, we never dreamed of such a thing; why didn’t you tell us! Why didn’t you send us word, why—" “I didn’t know It myself.” she said. "Just all of a Sudden I knew I was knees impulsively within the clasp of j ' "Shades of tire Parsonage and John her arm. "Oh, no, father, of course ‘ We$ley defend us," be ejaculated de voutly. ’ "Oh, well, If It comes to that,’’ said Prudence, “I learned a great many things In the Parsonage that John Wesley never heard of!” dominant flash at the height of ber < coming, and here I am. You’re look- brllllance, rather than fade away, as many do, Into a dull and doddering mediocrity. Tbo night after the funeral Jerry, slipping softly down the hall toward Mlml s. room, was arrested by the silken, silvery voice.. "Oh, you bad boy I This is third—at six dollars a pint!" ^ Jerry turned slowly back to room. She was nor deceived hy that brave resumption of the old routlnu. tho her Ing darling, mother. FU bet Katie has spoiled you without me here to hold you down—^ And she jumped up to kiss Katie, thinking she had forgotten her, and out to the kitchen to greet Mary, but ' not needing to go so far. for Mary waa Just outalde the door, peeping Joyously In upon her. She came not.” f And then she told them of the house on Reilly’s alley, of Mlml, with the golden hair and the silken gowns, of terrible, tragic Theresa in her attic room upstalra "I felt Just like a mother toward that girl,” she declared brokenly. She told of Theresa's rare talent, of her strange intensity, her Impatient, Im pulsive kindliness. "Mother, she killed herself." Jerrold let his cigarette go out, lit another feverishly, let it go out again. Prudence held Jerry In a close arm, weeping with her softly. And Jerry talked sadly on and on, told them of pitiful, frivolous life, her wast ed motherhood. Sometimes as she talked, she lay in Prudence’s lap, cry- (TO BE CONTINUED ) For Satisfactory Weights and Grades, Ship Your Cotton to MID DLETON and PETERSON, Inc„ Savannah, Ga. I ^-4 - Jerry Was Going Home. e. She knew that Miml'a heart, artificial, shallow though it might he, had suf fered a grievously cruel shock aud she marveled that the hollow shell could send hack an echo so musical to a world that had given her only Its bitter dregs. Jerry went Into her room, pulled out her hugs, and began at once to pack the things of her possession. Jerry was going home. Part Two CHAPTER I The Coining of Jerry It was a blustering, bllzzardly night In early March. The state of Iowa lay flat and bare under the lash of an angry winter, ^reluctant to loose Us hold. „ a Inside the Harmer home was quiet warmth and cheery light In the wide fireplace a great pine log crackled In gay defiance of wintry wind and sleet. At the’ round table In the dining room Prudence and Jerrold sat opposite each other across a bowl of fragile Cecil Brunner roses. “It’s a nice night to be In," she said cheerfully. She was wondering If Greenwich Village waa whipped with a gale like this. "Rotten weather to be out," agreed Jerrold absently. He was remember ing the dangerous rush of taxis, when city streets are glassed with Ice. And tfe they smiled cheerfully at each other, and rejoiced with pleasant - . words that they were warm and bright . ‘‘How rtowd-rtoow? ^hejhdn’t b y th# flrepjac*, with (he pine log, and »l»f *aMb«do and the candle lights. But la thetr hearts they were trying to awe themselves that Jerry was a very »lert and self-possessed young person Vbo could certainly take care of herself If anybody could, and what childishness to worry! - V Tho doorbell sounded suddenly. Open Intense toward thoughts like their* even the soft reverberation of the meet cart&lly moiUited, tlecjyic Bho should have told met" would know,” was «(l Jgrr« could sty to that liig>i toy rigid among the cushions, ttvisting bar hands Into painful knots, cutting her flesh y with the gaudy toons* Jerry looked at her—(ha lav- tofa teas of tbs bennaed hair, the eact- fnUy Ivoriod akin with Its layers of the voluptuous flgu^p of fiAe French stays. .. . . lug bitterly, only to sit up again with 1 -*">««»«„.»«««.i.» the tragic tale. "The worst of It—or maybe the beat of It," she amended doubtfully, as she tried to shake away her tears, "is that I know she Is glad of It. I can Just Imagine that gay. defiant laugh of hers, ns If she had fooled us all— slipped neatly out of a mess and left us looking at—cobwebs on our fingers. I can Just Imagine—In heaven—she would be laughing to think of the joke she had played on us. It’s what The resa would I" - •. Jerrold would have gone away then, taking Prudence with him, feeling that • overwrought and highly strained young daughters would do best in bed. Pru dence. with that tender Insight of hers that was never known to fall, knew l*etter. Jerry was unburdening her heart, finding relief, had come to them, as she always rome, when the things she undertook to do had proved too hard for her. And so they stayed on and on. nnd talked more of The resa. and presently Jerry was talking of other things—of the mad frenzy that goaded all artists to desperation, of their Intemperate folly, their un bounded love. '. And then she was telling them of Greta Val. the little chambermaid, and how Graves McDowell was fairly liv ing tn her talent, feasting his own starved heart on the fuel he fed to hers. She told them of her little part In the drama, of how she had piled her wealth together, brushes and easel and boards, and with a profuse hand had tossed them on the unfortunate little tramp of the alleys. "And what do you think she did? She stood up, and glared at me, and slapped me In the face—right there P Jerry could laugh at It now, could laugh, and did, particularly at Jer- rold’s amazement, at Prudence’s ma ternal displeasure. "What are you going to do now?" Jerrold asked at last. Jerry clouded again. She did not know. "Whgt do other girls do?" she asked him. "Girls who are not gen iuses hy birth—and lucky they are. If you ask me—hut girls who would go mad doing nothing! What dtrthey dof’ Jerrold cleverly evaded the issue by reaching tor a cigarette, a prettily perfumed, gold-tipped thing that Jerry had brought in h handsome box, a parting gift from a young admirer, thus shifting the question to Prudence. Prudence was very sober. "I don't know," she said. “What do you think?” , They talked of girls, of some who* became teachers, some who .went Into the public libraries and museums, some Into business. "That’s all right If you have to earn a living,” objected Jerry. “But doesn’t it seem silly to work hart at some thing you don’t care a .thing "about, Just to earn a little money you do not need? Of course, If one has a real fondness for a thing—but I haven't 1 I think it woal<i be perfectly trashy of mo to go downtown and pound a type writer eight hours a day for twenty dollars a week—when 1 don’t adoip pounding typewriter#—and can get the money hy asking father." f ^ _ “And besides,” said Prudence, “It would bo keeping some girl out of a position who dooo need tho money.” ”11*8 a great responsibility, having a daughter,” Jerrold said, standing up, taddenly shocked to know It waa after four o'clock. Tm afraid we went Into this thing too lightly, Prudence." They all laughed over that, and Jerry klaaad both parents a wfitrm good night, and doted the door behind them. ravenously hungry, but she did not eat. She laughed at her mother, at her father, and presently they left the table, and Jerry sat In Prudence’s lap—a ridiculous lap-full for slender Pnidence-^and laughed at her again. And Prudence showed the few silver ing tl*ends In her hair, and declared they would all turn brown again now that Jerry was home. And then Jerry went over and sat sedately In a chair to let her mother rest, and Prudence tagged across at her heels, and sat on the arm of her chair, and told her over and over again how surprised she was. how ahe had not the slightest suspicion of her coming, how It was the last thing In the world she had dreamed of. “But see here,” remonstrated Jer rold, "you told me all the time shs would come hack. You said—’’ Prudence gave him a furious look. "I did not,” she declared quite pas sionately. "Oh, for a visit of course— hut to bring all her things and stay forever, I never dreamed of such a thing. I can’t tell you how surprised I am!" "But. Prudence, you said—" Prudence glowered him Into silence. "Now, Jerrold, I know what 1 aald! I knew she would come for a visit, hut this Is really coming home, and I couldn’t remotely fancy such a lovely thing!" . They went upstairs, the three of them, to Jerry’s lovely room, and Pru dence and Jerrold stood about, get ting in the way. while Jerry unpacked the hags, the boxes and the trunk. Everything was exhibited, exclaimed over, admired. And while she unpacked she told them of New York, of Graves Mc Dowell, nnd the lessons in Art, of Hhoda, and her passionate devotion to her work. -She told them of lovely Aimee. nnd the trashy column of so ciety scandal she wrote for a daily paper. When Prudence asked about the girls In the house with her, The resa, and Mlml, Jerry’s lip quivered, her eyes shadowed, as she said: "I’ll tell you about them after a little. I’m coming to that.” She told them of her conquests In the city, her gay flirtations, her pro posals. She showed them the little marble faun the Russian sculptor, Korzky, had done for her. She exhib ited the autographed novels and books of poetry, warmly inscribed to her by authors and poets of a dozen nation alities. She displayed a hundred little testimonies of her triumpn In the'clty, a triumph social, if not.artlstic. "It Isn't the.laborers who are slave- driven." she declared warmly, “They don’t need unions to protect them. It Is a genius union we need, something to keep geniuses from working them selves to death. There was a vio linist in our building—mother, I tell you truly, that man began to work before I was up, and was at It every night when I went to bed. There waa a composer at Rhoda’s—once I was staying all ntfhf—at two o'clock In the morning we heard, oh, very softly, a little tripling melody on the keys. Rhoda said It happened often—ran through hla mind during the night, un til be got up and worked it out of hla system—using tho soft pedal not to disturb the others. There was a young writer across the alley from no— whenever 1 went out, or came In, I could bear that dull thud of her typo* writer, twelve o’clock, one o’clock, two o’clock. A union fa genius, that’s the need of the century P ( At half DS«t tWO V tho aummJag The Mott Successful Treatment of the Century for CATARRH Tablets or ‘ Liquid Sold Everywhere NOTICE OF DISCHARGE V , I ll f n II .... Notice is hereby 'given that I • have ® filed my final report as adminidfrat- rix of the estate of R. C. Kirkland de- ceased, with the Honorable John K. Snelling, Judge of Probate for Barn- well County and that I will petition the said' Court for an Order of Dis charge and letters dismissory on Mon day the 28th day of September, A. D. 1925. MRS JANIE KIRKLAND Sept. 1st. 1925. ' — Adfr^nistratrix. 4t. MONEY TO LOAN Loans made same day application received. . No Red Tape HARLEY & B1 Attomeys-at-Law, Barnwell. S. C. KODAKERS! » r • ■ • Send your films (p us for develop ing and printing. One day service. Write for prices. Lollar’s Studio , 1423 Main Street Columbia south Carolina We sell Eastman Films j BOILER FLUES MILL CASTINGS AND SUPPLIES .BELTING, PACKING AND LACING Brine BNUIKB REPAIRS In into for quirk work. LOMBARD IRON WOKKS, AUGUSTA GA. LONG TERM MONEY to LEND II 6 per cent, interest on large amounts Private funds for small loans. BROWN & BUSH LAWYERS BARNWELL. SOUTH CAROLINA. T ♦W6oao<kwooQoaa« > » mi ■ **.*.*.+*.*.**.+* + , ^ f ^^ t 0 j g 0 # 0 0 , “Say It With Flowers” CLOUD’S GREEN HOUSES “Augusta’s Largest Green Houses’* Prompt Service Day and Night 1 Block North of Children’s Hospital 1423 Estes St. - Phone 3314 - Augusta, Ga. BEST PHARMACY, Agents, Barnwell Farm Loans 6 per cent, large amounts. Town prop erty in Barnwell, residential and buflineu,7 per cent Loans procured promptly at lowest cost Allendale, Bamberg and BamweM Counties. THOMAS M. BOULWARE Attorney-at-law - Barnwell, S. C. HALL & COLE, INC. / ESTABLISHED 1848. COMMISSION MERCHANTS -:- FRUITS AND VEGETABL1 Special Attention Given Asparagus Shipments. }4-lfi2 Faneuil Hall Murfcot BOSTON, MASS. v -“V- „X>' ■