New Britain herald., 1926-08-06

Of II, wondering II little house like this would over be Heaven to her, as this undoubtedly was to Helen.
 She wondered if ever she would care for a man as Helen cared for Bill Iiepworth-to care for him so much that it was joy to scrub the floors of his house, keep it's windows bright, put a garden around it and peace and contentment within it.
 She found herself shaking her head, as she went slowly back up stairs 10 bed. T never could do it for Bill Erskine, anyway" she told herself.
 When she looked forward to her marriage with Bill, she looked for ward to the things he would give her The beautiful house, the lovely clothes, the kind of automobile she had always longed for A little jewel case of an automobilc-al shiny glass and paint and leather with a cut glass vase of flowers and a cigaret lighter and vanity case in the side, under the door.
 But when she thought of actual marriage with Bill-of living with Bill-she just stopped thinking of it. Merry never let sher mind dwell on unpleasant things. if she could help 1t.
 He's not exactly the man of my dreams" she admitted 10 herself, lying in the darkness of Helen's spare bedroom.
 But what else was there to do but to go ahead and marry him. AS Mons said. he had taken up two years of her time" Everybody was sure she was going to marry him, And besides, who else was there in sight to marry?
 That night Helen's second baby q little girl-was born. It lived only two hours, and the next morning at dawn Helen died, too.
 Her death stunned the whole family. For weeks Mons went around the house, dry-eyed and dazed-looking as if she couldn't realize what had happened.
 Bill Hepworth took himself and his baby back to his fathers house, and early in April the little house on Wandsworth Road was sold just as it stood-furniture and all-to a family with five children. The little house that had beeh an earthly Par adisc to Helen.
 We might have bought it and gone there to live instead of stay ing in this old barn" MT Hetflinger remarked to Mons and Merry one morning at breakfast
 Outside the silvery wash of an April shower was turning the yard to emerald green The leaves were just beginning 10 show themselves on the big willow tree at the gate. Tho old place had never looked so pretty to Mcrrys eyes as it looked that spring.
 She shook her head at MT. lief finger. ....... .....
 "Oh, No, MT. Hefhingcr!'' she said. We just never could move out of this old house until after I'm married-I never could be mar ried any place but here in fathers and mothers house.
 Mons was frowning at her from behind the coffee percolator. She lad asked Merry, time and time again, not to mention Dads name before Mr. Hefflinger,
 "When do you expect to be mar ried?" Moms' second husband asked heavily. Tt seems to me you've heen getting married ever since I've lived in this house."
 Merry flushed and bit her lip I'm going to be married some time this summer" she said faintly.
 She did not speak of her wedding with the same air of triumph that she might have mentioned it year before. It had been put off so many times that she, herself, had her doubts of it's ever coming off.
 When she got home that night there was a letter from Bill for her on the hall tahle.
 She read it, standing there III the hall.
 Then she read it again.
 In it's way, it was a masterpiece.
 My dear Merry" it ran. "I have been thinking about us-about you and me-a great deal lately. And l have finally made up my mind 10 ask you to think things over as seriously as l have been do- ing By things, l mean our mar riage, of course.