New Britain herald., 1926-06-24
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HuSF Sd dtlStdt- -4Ol pL llSI Al ~ l AGONY. the shrewd old spinster who reared her. Aunt Agony says
 Fanny is a good-for- nothing. and Twill never be true 10 any woman. lShs encourages Sylvia to marry PETER WILK, a devoted bachelor.
 Her low opinion Of Ranny seems
 10 be correct, too. For suddenly he
 drops Fay and marries Sylvia, after
 all to Aunt Agony's disgust. Soon
 after they are settled down in the
 tiny flat that they call the Nest,
 Fanny begins to be restless and
 makes no secret Of the fact that he's
 bored with married life. He gambles
 and drinks, and has a love affair
 or two. But he behaves himself for
 q time when Sylvia tells him she's going 10 have a baby
 Shortly after the birth Of JUNIOR, he returns 10 his old .haunts and his old habits. He gives Sylvia almost no money at all, and she has 10 give music lessons 10 keep the Nest going. He is very jealous Of any man who looks at Sylvia. and won't even let her use her lovely voice to sing in public, despite the fact that Sylvia points out that public singing pays well. But she earns S2.610. writing a song that becomes popular. and puts il away toward the price Of house with a yard, for the baby is frail and the family doctor says he needs to live out O. doors.
 Ranny's father is taken i'll, and Fanny goes in at the head of the business-the real estate company of JAMESON PHELPS 6, SON, al- though his sisters husband, THOM- LAS BOYLE. knows more about 1t than he does. He spends most of his time at the office, talking to ! ELSIE LEOPOLD, his newest , crush.
 The baby becomes very ill with flu" and dies one afternoon while Ranny is playing billiards with his cronies and cannot be reached. Syl- via leaves the Nest, and refuses 10 go back 10 if or 10 see Ranny l Crushed by the baby's death, she has a nervous collapse at Aunt . Agony's house. One night Ranny goes there, determined to see her. i NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER NLNII Tn her plain little room in Aunt Agony's house. Sylvia sat up against the pillows of her bed, having her supper.
 "Irs tIt first time she's eaten enough to keep q bird alive" Aunt Agony said 10 herself, as she watch ed her, while pretending 10 be deep 1 in the columns of the evening paper.
 Every now and then the flames in the grate would leap up and show Aunt Agony how very thin and white the girls face vas between the dark wings of hair, and how very frail the hand that held the bowl Of milk toast.
 ! IL was more than a month now since Dr. Buzzard had put Sylvia to bed in that quiet room, away from everyone. And since then, she had lain, only half alive, in the big four poster. hardly touching food, hardly ever speaking.
 Sometimes Aunt Agony would bring her a book or q magazine and would tip-toe back 10 minutes later 10 find her lying on her pillows with her eyes closed and slow, difficult tears rolling down her face from under the thick lashcs-gricying for the little baby that had been hers for so short a time.
 l But today she had shown her first gleam of interest in the things that were going on outside the old-fash- toned house where she lay. She had drawn long sigh of relief when Aunt Agony had come in, and an- nounccd that at last the Nest was Icmpty and all the furniture in storage.
 Thank goodnoss!" Sylvia had said. Then 1 won't need to ever see the place again."
 1 She had disliked the Nest from the night when Ranny had come i late for the first dinner and she had hated it from the time she put . J \ breakfast nook, because there was no other place 10 put it. And she had fled from it in horror, after the baby's death.
 She had been so unhappy in the ! tawdry little flat that she looked back at the time sine had spent in 1t. much as released prisoner might look back at the gray walls and barred windows of q peniten- tiary.
 Aunt Agony rattled the pages of her paper and cleared her throat.
 A question had been trembling on the tip of her tongue for week now and suddenly she asked lt: 1 Do you expect 10 make a home for Banny again? Are you g".ng 10 live Fth him any more? Or are you frough with him?' 1 Tn n.r heart of hearts, she hoped that Sylvia was through with hlm. and through with him for good
 She knew better than anyone knew, how unhappy Sylvia had been with Fanny during the three years Of their life together. Sylvia had told her very little, but Aunt Agony was uo6ody's fool And she could put ] two and two together and make five. at least
 ! Sylvia laid her spoon and bowl on the table beside her bed and stared into the glowing grate for long 1 time before she answered. 1 "Wcu. I'll tell you, Aunt Agony" she said slowly measuring each word. "tho plain truth of the mat fer is that Fanny is through with me. He's been through with me for 8 long time, almost from the time ! I married him."
 Her voice tremhled, but she man Lnrnl tn control l. and vent OIL: