New Britain herald., 1926-07-17


 walked with her as far as the front door.
 As Merry went down the steps a woman yas coming up. An elderly woman with gay dress and hat that matched her eyes and hair.
 Back so soon, Louise?" she heard Tony's mother ask from the doorway behind her. and she start ed with surprise. So that was the Cousin Louise she had pictured to herself as young and pretty! That woman, with her lined face, her tired eyes, and her gray hair.
 What a fool I've been!" she groaned to herself. Ito be jealous of her, an old lady! I wonder what she's say if she knew how she's spoiled everything for, me-"
 She thought it all out, walking along Cabot street under the boil ing afternoon sun.
 If she hadn't been Jealous of Cousin Louise, she wouldn't have let Derrick kiss her that night two weeks ago.
 If Derrick hadn't kissed her she would still be engaged to Tony. She would still be happy.
 But would I still be engaged to him?" she asked herself presently. Wasn't he just using Derrick as an excuse to break with me? Of course he was!"
 She was sure that she hated him now.
 But every night for weeks, the first thing she did when she came home at six o'clock, was to look frantically, hopelessly. through the letters that were piled on the table in the hall.
 The one she wanted never came.
 The third week in August, Bill Erskine "blew into town" as he said. It was hard to think of Bill blowing anywhere-he was too heavy and too fat to do anything light and airy.
 He looked fatter than ever to Merry in a Palm Beach suit when he drove up before the house at seven o'clock on the hottest night of the year. A handkerchief was tucked into his collar, and he con- stantly mopped his face with an- other. His feet seemed to bulge out of his white suede oxfords, and he swelled like a balloon under his tightly-buttoned vest.
 Merry tried not to think of Tony Gaines as she watched Bill step out of his hired car and come up the front walk.
 Q. Mons" she called from her bed room, "you talk to Mir. Erskine while I finish dressing, will you?"
 Mons started down the stairs. "All right, I will" she grumbled, Out hurry up. What will I talk to that fat thing about, I'd like to know?"
 Jimmy, sitting beside the window watching Merry dress, gave a short giggle. Give him a cook book to read Moms!" she called. hell have the dickens of a good time with that."
 She looked up at Merry and her saucy little face was more saucy and twinkling than ever.
 Mel have a boy friend Of my very own at last, tool" she sighed, cIasping her hands on her flat bosom, and sending comicaI glance heayenward.
 "I suppose you mean Derrick Jones'" Merry said sharply. Well, you're perfectly welcome to him, Jin. I'm through wearing himr"
 She was leaning close to the mir TOT, darkening her lashes with a tiny brush. She made up regularly now-lipstick, eyebrow pencil, van ishing cream, rouge and powder.
 What do you mean-you're through with him?" Jimmy asked in her impudent, breathless way. "He.s through with you! He gave you the bounce for me! And you know it, tool"
 Merry laughed. But when Jimmy had flounced downstairs, 1t came to her that Derrick probably did think he had given her the bounce," as Jinny put it.
 "Just because I made him stop kissing mel" she said to herself.
 She flushed and frowned, as she slipped the rose-colored organdy over her head. It was one thing to drop Derrick Jones. And it was quite another to lose him to little Jimmy, who had celebrated her six teenth birthday only few days 1 before!
 Mery gave herself an angry It, tie twist, as she leaned over to tie the big velvet bow on the side oi her rose-colored dress. Men," she thought, summing up "They're all alike - from Derrick Jones to this fat one who's sitting down on the front porch. All they want Is thrill" She went downstairs to Bill Frs kine.
 Hello, you big paint and varnisf man!" she greeted him gaily What have you been doing witt yourself lately?"
 She gave him her hand, and fel as if she had stuck it into a panfu of soft warm bread-dough. | Paint and varnish!" sniffet Mons, peering through the dus! at Merry's face. You have plent! of it on yourself tonight, I'm think ing! You'd go upstairs and wasi yourself if you could only see hoy you look!" She made a wry fact as she kissed her daughter good night.
 But If Mons detested to SCI makeup on Merry's soft fresl skin, 1t did not worry Bill Erskin' at all.