New Britain herald., 1926-08-25
THIS FIRST:

has no ambition beyond having a good time and plenty of beaux. She fails in her business course be- cause she won't study. Then, to the disappointment of Mons, her am- bilious mother, she takes a job in Lillie DaIes little beauty shop.
 At that time she is having the one real love affair of her life with Tony Gaines, a serious young lawyer who wants to marry her. Their engagement ends when Mer- ry, in a jealous rage, admits that other man make love to her and she lets them! Later a letter comes from him, but it is Host" around the house before she has q chance to read it. She hears that Tony has left town and gone to Montana to live. She tries not to care. A year or so afterward, news comes that he is going to marry girl there.
 Through her sister, Cassie, Mer- " meets Bill Erskine, a friend of Cassie's husband, Morley Kaufman. She becomes engaged to Bill. But when she gets tangled up in the divorce case of Les Purcell and his wife, he drops her and marries an- other girl. Mons marries Mr. Hefflinger. Jimmy, Merry's youngest sister, marries Derrick Jones, and begins to have her little family. But still Merry is single.
 One suitor after another comes along and goes. Finally no one is left but George Leet who cannot marry while he has to take care of his invalid mother.
 Tony gains fame as a criminal lawyer, and Merry, seeing his photograph in the papers, realizes that she still cares for him. Then, when she and Mons are cleaning house, she finds his long-lost letter "a love letter. Cassie cheerfully admits hiding it years before, be- cause she wanted Merry to marry Bill Erskine. That night Merry breaks her engagement to George Leet, and few days afterward she leaves the beauty shop, determined to make something of herself after all Morley Kaufman promises to make her his secretary when she finishes her business course, for Cassie is unbearably jealous of him. After one quarrel she comes home to Mons.
 Tony Gaines mother dies, and he returns 10 town for few days. Merry sees him.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER LXV
 Above the sound of Jinny's voice telling her all about Tony Gaines, another and louder voice was speaking in Merry's heart.
 "Tony's still here - He's free. He's not married, after all," it kept saying to her, over and over and over. "Tonys free-he's free"
 Her mind would take hold of nothing else. Nothing but the thought of Tony Gaines.
 All the time she was trying to cat the salad and iced tea that the three girls had for supper, she kept thinking of him.
 This was Friday. He had been in town since Tuesday or Wednes- day. He had known she was here, too, since Wednesday afternoon.
 Then why hadn't he called her up. Why not?
 silly" she pulled herself up with a jerk. "Why would he call you up after all these years. Be- sides he probably thought you were married long ago."
 But now he knew she wasn't. Now he knew that she was free, like himself. Jimmy had told him so.
 What would he do now? Now that he knew?
 Nothing, most likely. Tony wasn't the kind of man who chased woman.
 Merry remembered how years ago he had refused 10 speak to her on the street when she had tried to flirt with him. Had deliberately tried to pick him up"
 Through the open door of the kitchen the telephone on the wall of the front hall caught her eye with it's bcckoning gleam. Suppose she walked over to it now and called his number? Suppose she did? It would be so easy. Girls she said suddenly, turn ing to the two of them, girls don't you think I ought to tele- phone Tony Gaines? He's lost his mother, and - wouldn't it be a nice friendly thing 10 do?"
 Both of them, curiously enough, shook their heads promptly. 1 Never call up man." advised Cassie in her tart way, besides, if Tony Gaines wanted to see you, f he's had all the chance in the 1 world to do it since he's been here"
 Jimmy. gave her long and i thoughtful look. And l shouldn't t be surprised if he did call you up, himself" she said, ''he asked enough questions about you to fill l a book, goodness knows.
 So Merry decided not to use the telephone that night. But on the 1 way up stairs with a tray for Mons, i she gave it a longing look.
 Mons room was darkened, as it always was when she had one of i her sick headaches. It was filled | with the sharp scent of the smell i ing salts she was holding to her nose.
 I've brought you some milk toast that Jimmy made for you, Will you eat it, dear?" Merry asked her gently. But Mons waved the tray | away and shuddered.
 Don't even talk to me about food" she groaned.
 Tho ri ,1 cfnod tbprp for n min