New Britain herald., 1926-07-19
READ THIS FIRST:

the nrSt time Sne IS alone With Tony Gaines. she lets him kiss her.
 But Tony is serious. He really Is in love with Merry and wants to marry her. But Merry refuses be- cause she has always been tickle. and isn't sure now that she cares deply for Tony Gaines. They fin- ally decide to marry at the end of six months, and as time goes on Merry finds out that she loves Tony. She begs him to marry her at once, but he insists upon wait ing.
 In the meantime Merry's father dies, and she takes job in LILLE DALE'S beauty shop, having failed in her stenography course to the great disgust of MONS, her wid- owed mother. HELEN, the oldest sister, marries. JINNY. the young est, stays at home to help with the housework. CASSIE, the second oldest, secretary to MORLEY KAUFMAN, broker with whom she's in love, is the mainstay of the family.
 One night Tony breaks an en- gagement with Merry. Hurt and angry she lets DERRICK JONES, who lives next door, make love 10 her. Later she tells Tony about 1t, and then one night she goes out with BILL ERSKINE, a friend of Morley Kaufman. She never sees Tony after that, for he closes his law office and goes out to Montana to live. He sends Merry letter, but 1t is lost before she has a chance to read 1t,
 Merry hardens her heart against Tony, returns his ring to his moth- CT, and when Bill Erskine comes to town again, she makes up her mind to go out with him and have a good | time. He comes to take her to dinner in a hired car. When Merry gets into it, there is a florists box on the seat.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER XXI1I Inside the box was a big bunch of white violets that fluttered like butterflies wings, as Merry lifted them out.
 "Oh, but aren't they scrump- tous." she cried, putting her little upturned nose down into their wet sweetness. "Why, no ones given me flowers since I-don't-know- when"
 Somehow. they made her think of wedding-of a white slender bride, of sunlight streaming through stained-glass windows, of an altar banked with white bridal flowers like these.
 And when all at once they made her think of June day she had spent in the woods with Tony Gaines. He had found some violets growing near the stone slab where they had their lunch, and had pinned them on her drses. She stil had them, pressed and dried, under the paper that lined her top dresser drawer at home.
 Aren't you going to put 'em on?" Bill Erskine asked, touching the flowers that lay on her lap.
 In the twilight he was looking at her closely, his thick mouth smil- ing good naturedly.
 "Where's your ring tonight, Lit Did you forget to wear it?"
 Merry shook her head. and her dimples flashed in and out as she smiled back at him.
 "No. I gave it back to the man who gave it to me- she said light Ily. After I met you just couldn't stay engaged 10 him, could F"
 They laughed and Bill patted her hand.
 You still are engaged, aren't your" he asked after amoment.
 NO, of course, I'm not" Merry answered. q really did give back the ring. ] got to thinking things over, and I decided I didn't want to get married"
 Wise kidi" said Bill approving fly. "There are better things for a girl than getting married. Plenty of 'em, too. Especially when she't pretty sand young like you, Little Sister, You ought 10 have the world at your feet for the next five lyears!"
 Merry looked down at her little feet and said nothing.
 q don't know Il single couple that's happily married" Bill wen on, his cigar glowing rosily agains the dusk. All the ones ] know fight like Kilkenny cats! Say he laughed suddenly-"s say, I'll be that bird of yours went crazy wher you sent back his ring, didn't he?'
 Merry drowned. She didn't lik, to hear the man beside her cal Tony Gaines that bird" Her af fairs were none of his business either.
 "Where are we going tonight?' she asked coldly.
 Let's go to the Blue Admira Inn again." said Bill. i've beel thinking of that fried chicken eve since that Sunday when Morle, took us out there for dinner"
 Merry gave his huge bulk glance that he did not see.
 The Blue Admiral Inn va packed when they got there. Peo ple sat with their faces close to gether over the little tables, chat tering and laughing.
 Here and there match flare' white against the mellow gol light that came from the lamps O the walls. A pale blue cloud o cigaret smoke hung like a chiffo veil over the seated crowd. Tn room smelled Of perfume, of pow dered flesh, of food and tobacco. The music throbbed in 1t lik the beating of great wings, and on by one, the couples drifted out ont the gleaming yellow floor.
 Want to dance, Little Sister! Bill Erskine asked when they ha found their own little corner tabl'