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〃It's no good；〃 said Bibbs。 〃Mother； when you were in love with father 〃
〃My goodness！〃 she cried。 〃You ain't a…goin' to compare your father to
that〃
〃Edith feels about him just what you did about father；〃 said Bibbs。 〃And if
YOUR father had told you〃
〃I won't LISTEN to such silly talk！〃 she declared； angrily。
〃So you're handin' out your advice； are you； Bibbs？〃 said Sheridan。 〃What is
it？〃
〃Let her see him all she wants。〃
〃You're a〃 Sheridan gave it up。 〃I don't know what to call you！〃
〃Let her see him all she wants；〃 Bibbs repeated； thoughtfully。 〃You're up
against something too strong for you。 If Edith were a weakling you'd have a
chance this way； but she isn't。 She's got a lot of your determination；
father； and with what's going on inside of her she'll beat you。 You can't
keep her from seeing him； as long as she feels about him the way she does now。
You can't make her think less of him； either。 Nobody can。 Your only chance
is that she'll do it for herself； and if you give her time and go easy she
probably will。 Marriage would do it for her quickest； but that's just what
you don't want； and as you DON'T want it； you'd better 〃
〃I can't stand any more！〃 Sheridan burst out。 〃If it's come to BIBBS advisin'
me how to run this house I better resign。 Mamma； where's that nigger George？
Maybe HE'S got some plan how I better manage my family。 Bibbs； for God's sake
go and lay down！ 'Let her see him all she wants'！ Oh； Lord！ here's wisdom；
here's〃
〃Bibbs；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； 〃if you haven't got anything to do； you might
step over and take Sibyl's wraps homeshe left 'em in the hall。 I don't
think you seem to quiet your poor father very much just now。〃
〃All right。〃 And Bibbs bore Sibyl's wraps across the street and delivered
them to Roscoe； who met him at the door。 Bibbs said only； 〃Forgot these；〃
and； 〃Good night； Roscoe；〃 cordially and cheerfully； and returned to the New
House。 His mother and father were still talking in the library； but with
discretion he passed rapidly on and upward to his own room； and there he
proceeded to write in his note…book。
There seems to be another curious thing about Love ＇Bibbs wrote＇。
Love is blind while it lives and only opens its eyes and becomes
very wide awake when it dies。 Let it alone until then。
You cannot reason with love or with any other passion。 The wise
will not wish for lovenor for ambition。 These are passions
and bring others in their trainhatreds and jealousiesall
blind。 Friendship and a quiet heart for the wise。
What a turbulence is love！ It is dangerous for a blind thing to be
turbulent； there are precipices in life。 One would not cross a
mountain…pass with a thick cloth over his eyes。 Lovers do。 Friendship
walks gently and with open eyes。
To walk to church with a friend！ To sit beside her there！ To rise when
she rises； and to touch with one's thumb and fingers the other half of
the hymn…book that she holds！ What lover； with his fierce ways；
could know this transcendent happiness？
Friendship brings everything that heaven could bring。 There is no
labor that cannot become a living rapture if you know that a
friend is thinking of you as you labor。 So you sing at your work。
For the work is part of the thoughts of your friend； so you love
it！
Love is demanding and claiming and insistent。 Friendship is all
kindnessit makes the world glorious with kindness。 What color
you see when you walk with a friend！ You see that the gray sky
is brilliant and shimmering； you see that the smoke has warm
browns and is marvelously sculpturedthe air becomes
iridescent。 You see the gold in brown hair。 Light floods
everything。
When you walk to church with a friend you know that life can give you
nothing richer。 You pray that there will be no change in anything
for ever。
What an adorable thing it is to discover a little foible in your
friend； a bit of vanity that gives you one thing more about her to
adore！ On a cold morning she will perhaps walk to church with you
without her furs； and she will blush and return an evasive answer
when you ask her why she does not wear them。 You will say no
more； because you understand。 She looks beautiful in her furs；
you love their darkness against her cheek； but you comprehend that
they conceal the loveliness of her throat and the fine line of her
chin； and that she also has comprehended this； and； wishing to
look still more bewitching； discards her furs at the risk of
taking cold。 So you hold your peace； and try to look as if you
had not thought it out。
This theory is satisfactory except that it does not account for
the absence of the muff。 Ah； well； there must always be a mystery
somewhere！ Mystery is a part of enchantment。
Manual labor is best。 Your heart can sing and your mind can dream
while your hands are working。 You could not have a singing heart
and a dreaming mind all day if you had to scheme out dollars； or
if you had to add columns of figures。 Those things take your
attention。 You cannot be thinking of your friend while you write
letters beginning 〃Yours of the 17th inst。 rec'd and contents duly
noted。〃 But to work with your hands all day； thinking and
singing； and then； after nightfall； to hear the ineffable kindness
of your friend's greetingalways therefor you！ Who would
wake from such a dream as this？
Dawn and the seamusic in moonlit gardensnightingales
serenading through almond…groves in bloomwhat could bring such
things into the city's turmoil？ Yet they are here； and roses
blossom in the soot。 That is what it means not to be alone！ That
is what a friend gives you！
Having thus demonstrated that he was about twenty…five and had formed a
somewhat indefinite definition of friendship； but one entirely his own （and
perhaps Mary's） Bibbs went to bed； and was the only Sheridan to sleep soundly
through the night and to wake at dawn with a light heart。
His cheerfulness was vaguely diminished by the troublous state of affairs of
his family。 He had recognized his condition when he wrote； 〃Who would wake
from such a dream as this？〃 Bibbs was a sympathetic person； easily touched；
but he was indeed living in a dream； and all things outside of it were veiled
and remotefor that is the way of youth in a dream。 And Bibbs； who had never
before been of any age； either old or young； had come to his youth at last。
He went whistling from the house before even his father had come down…stairs。
There was a fog outdoor