New Britain herald., 1926-06-14

NlluONs itdIlilS' t74lE was GIL ii4 boJ crepe, with grey slippers and stock ings to matLh. and Sylvia felt very shabby q q insignificant and small, as she came into the room, carry ing Randall, Junior.
 But Mother Phelps scarcely gave her a glance. Her eyes were for tlse small grandson perched on Sylvia's arm. She took him away from his mother and cuddled him against her own wide bosom.
 "The darling He looks just like Fanny did at his age" she cooed in her full contralto voice, brushing his hair up into little yellow ducks tails all over his bobbing head.
 q came to talk to you about Ranny. Mother" Sylvia said to her quickly pulling off her gloves so that Mother Phelps wouldn't see the darns on the tips of them. "ls is true that Father has taken Thomas into the firm" Ranny's mother moved uneasily in her big armchair and put out hand to straighten the curtain be- fore she answered.
 "Yes. he has" she admitted at last. but I want you to know that T had nothing 10 do with it. Lolly has been talking Thomas up to her father ever since she married him and of course. Thomas is a smart young fellow. Anyone can see that And Ranny just will NOT work! His father is dreadfully disgusted with him."
 Her snappy black eyes suddenly lost their snappincss and gazed out fo the window at the grey NoEem- Der sky, dreamily.
 T don't know what Fanny was cut out for" she certainly not for q business man. Sometimes feel that it Fanny would only settle down to writing or painting or something like that, he'd make us all sit up and take notice. If he hadn't burdened himself with a family l shoull advise him 10 go abroad for Q year-just to loaf around and find himself"
 Sylvia stared at her mother-ln. . law with round, amazed eyes.
 Why, how could she think that Ranny was artistic? A child could have written better letters than some he had written Sylvia during their engagement! And one night when he had tried to draw some house plans for his father. he had given it up as a bad job. It was absurd to think that Ranny would make anyone sit up and take notice, as an artisU
 Mother Phelps phrase. If he hadn't burdened himself with q ! family" came to Sylvia again and again on her way home under the | threatening sky.
 She wondered what Mother { Phelps would say if she knew that 1 last month she had bought all the , food that was eaten In The Nest that she has paid the gas bill and ! the light bill. and had done all the washing and baking and scrubbing and cleaning, as well as caring for the baby.
 1 If ever there was man who was not burdened by his family, that l man was Ranny!
 And yet Sylvia was glad that Mother Phelps didn't know it. She wanted everyone in the world to think we'll Of Ranny-her Fanny. ! She knew he would come out all right in the end! Her faith in him was unbounded!
 On Sunday afternoon while Ran ny and the baby were taking their maps, Sylvia washed her head and took a bath, after which she spent a full hour dressing herself.
 She took time to do the little things that she hadn't done fol months and months. She had beer too busy earning money and caring for the house and the baby to look after herself.
 But now she polished her nails land rubbed perfume and brilliant. inc into her dark hair, added touch of rouge to her lips and tht lobes of her ears.
 She didn't want to look ''mad' up" but if this Mrs. Bracket reall! was the beauty that Lolly said sh'
 was, there was no use in trying tt look dowdy, was there? Certainl!
 not!
 What are you all lit up for?'
 Fanny, asked. sleepily, when h'
 woke from his nap at five o'clock
 Sylvia smiled faintly. "Oh, thi
 old dress?" she asked, looking dow
 at the shining white folds of tn
 dress that Aunt Agony had mad
 for Fay's iedding year ago, "Oh
 this old thing?" Her tone was care
 less.
 But she knew she was beautiful
 in the dress. Above it her necl
 rose like a tower of ivory and he
 eyes were like blue lakes at eve ming. The soft lace ruffles of it ros , and fell like clouds over her breast Long ago Fanny would hay looked at her with admiration
 she had come to him in that dres but now he only grinned a littl , to himself. And she knew by tha
 grin that he realized that she wa | jealous of this woman she ha !; never seen--this Mrs. Bracket r Fanny often referred to women Q l Jealous cats"
 | "I think I'll take him down l peg or two-tear him down a coupl ) of stories" she thought mischieN l ously.
 ( And so she said aloud and d. - murcly: "Peter's coming tonight fC
 supper. You don't mind, do you