New Britain herald., 1926-05-17

q her comehher eyes and the tantaizng red mouth that bloomed like flower on her face. .
 "There goes a hrt. is what you'd probably have sad ot her. the minute you saw her.
 But you'd have been wrong.
 For Sylvia Starr lirt. Far from it.
 She had thought twice of any man on earth except Randall Phelps since ongagO autumn afternoon when he had walked home from high school with her for the first tme
 That had been seven years ago. Seven years and five months to be exact And Sylvia still in love with hln desperately.
 On cold gray soggy day in late March, Sylvia Starr sat Dn wet iron bench in Buchanan park waiting for Fanny Phelps.
 He had telephoned her hour before at the Carnegie library where she in charge of the chdrens books
 q want to you about sOmehng he had said to her Tn his short brisk way How about o'clock in the lilac walk In the park?'
 It was 20 minutes past and Sylvia soaked to the skin and little bright drops of rain chung to the edge of her hat and to the thick fringe of her eyeashes:
 She shvered and nestled her white chin deeply into the fur collar of her coat she looked down at the watch that was strapped on her wrist.
 It was 53O now-then 20 minutes tc And still Fanny!
 Sylvia began to wonder how hours she had spent the last year doing this very thing that she doing now waiting patiently for Ranny to keep date with her.
 He always late She had never known him to be on tine And sometimes he forgot to at a and would call up hours and hours later to beg pardon for forgetting
 Sylvia always forgave him.
 Shirley had told her dozens of times Believe me- wouldn't let anybody treat the Fanny Phelps treats you! Time and wait for man.!
 But Sylvia let this advice of Fays go in one ear and out the other.
 She loved much to lm careeSSy as Fay treated her boy friends She cared too much for him to get up and walk away from trysngpace while there was still chance that he might come.
 And she went quietly waiting today, while the violet twilight down Buchanan park and lights began to twinkle in the distance.
 At 10 minutes to an open roadster turned into the wet gravel of the lilac walk and stopped with shr scream of the brakes.
 With eyes like rainwashed stars Sylvia watched Fanny Phelps get out of it and come toward her with that free swinging stride of his
 Sorry I'm ate he greeted her cheerfuy as he dropped down the dripping bench beside her and lit cigarette. Did you get the heebe eebes waiting so long for me to show up?"
 Sylvia sneezed twice. "No nothing but cold guess' she answered, and smiled at him.
 He just barely licked her shoulder with the tips of his fingers and smiled back at her. It his stock-inrade that smile of Rannys-although he didn't suspect it.
 It smile that stayed in his gray eyes, when his mouth was hard and straight It smile that you just had to remember when you had forgotten everything else about him; and great many women still remember that smile and him, too!
 Fanny almost too handsome for As Fay Shirley put it. he looked Hike a stroke the Yale crew. And with his clean healthy blond good ooks he had devmay manner that was very taking
 But today quite suddenly he very serious He flung away his hafsmoked cigarette and sat staring straight ahead of him at the misty of the park for few min utes as If he were trying to make up his mind about some thing he was going to say.
 Sylvia stole sdewse look at him with those irty eyes of hers the minutes ticked by like little centuries.
 What his mind she wondered. What was it he had wanted to see her about?
 Whatever was he seemed to be very unhappy and certain about it. She that he under some kind of powerful excitement His hands caSped together his knees and his mouth twched from time to time.
 He turned to her at last We've lot of each other the last few months haven't we SyVy?'
 She nodded, silently wondering what he getting at Remember the first time came here together?" he asked, and once she nodded
 Why how could he think she would forget that night last April when they had to the park and had found this very bench under the budding llacs?
 The night had been white with moonlight and the park had looked like enchanted forest Even that night seemed unreal dream to Syvia-that night when Ranny had first drawn her close to him and kissed hekssed her and told her that he loved her.
 She remembered how she had not been able sleep that night when he had left her her own door, but had lain awake shaken and throbbng with the memory of those first kisses
 with her forgot call her up for days at tme Sylvia would comfort herself with the memory of that night-why, she'd never forget long there breath in her body! "Of course remember perfectly, she managed to say finally What makes you ask?'
 He silent again for a long time while he ground the pebbles of the path under his heels
 Oh LOrd he sad suddenly, putting his head down into his hands. I don't know how Fm going to tell you this" Syvas laugh TppIed the rain like the sound of brook. She laid of her cold damp hands Rannys shoulder Why, there isn't anything you can't tell me- old boy is there she asked What have you done-ost your job or 5omethng?"
 Rannys job joke He worked for his father selling real estate for the firm of Jamson Phelps & Son." "Only never sell any, he would cheerfuly admit When comes to working, I'm Joe-BelOw-Zero"
 He laughed now, rather bitterly