New Britain herald., 1926-07-19

money 10 pay TOT IL, myself, IT l hadn't given you every cent I've made for the last two months!" she said, giving her coffee cup push that upset 1t on the table, cloth. I'm getting pretty sick of supporting this family, let me tell you! I'll be glad to get out and let you shift for yourselvesi"
 She slammed the front door be- hind her. so that the pictures on the parlor wall rattled.
 "A very nice daughter you've raised, Mrs. Locke!" said Jimmy to her mother. "I like the way she talks to you! If she belonged to me, I'd wallop her!"
 You keep your tongue between your teeth, you young sprout!" Mons answered. with a swift change of mood. "Of course, the poor child wants a wedding. Every girl does, and I'm going to see that she has one if I have to take in boarders."
 Her eyes became thoughtful, and she finished her breakfast in silence.
 I've could take someone in. Helen's room is empty" she mur- mured, as if to herself. T think I'll put an ad in the paper"
 And after Cassie's married we can rent her room, tool" cried the helpful Jimmy.
 She began to pile Up the break fast dishes. and as she carried them to the sink she began to sing song she had picked up some- where.
 Young men lodgers. three" it went.
 "One for you, and one for Sue,
 And a little fat one for mel" The next week Mons rented Helen's old room to lodger. And he was little and fat like the one in Jinny's song.
 His name was Hefflinger, and he was press agent for road show. He paid Mons six dollars a week for his room, and he was hardly ever in 1t.
 T hate having stranger in the house." whined Jimmy, who would have loved it if Mir. Hefflinger had been young and handsome instead of stout and middle-aged.
 "I hate it, too," agreed Mons, but Cassie's going to have her wedding!"
 She had it, and it was beauti- full one.
 For a week beforehand. Cassie and Mons polished every piece of silver in the house. They rubbed up the furniture. They washed the china, the mirrors and the picture frames.
 They showed all the chairs in the living room against the wall to make room for the wedding pres ents that started to come. Silver and crystal from Morley Kaufmans wealthy friends. An old clock from Grandmother Locke. A smoll- ing stand from Derrick Jones. A Maxfield Parrish painting from Helen and Bill Hepworth.
 Merry had her yellow organdy dress, and Jimmy had new white georgette crepe.
 Mons ordered plain black chiffon from the dressmaker who made Cassie's ivory satin. "We may as well do the thing up right, as long as we're doing it at all," she said sensibly. "We can pay for it, afterward. After all Cassie can't go into the Kaufman family like pauper!" 1 Bill Erskine came on to be Morley's best man, bringing Merry s pearls with him.
 He gave them to her the night before the wedding, when he and Morley stopped in on their way to Morley's bachelor dinner at the Swinnerton hotel.
 Here they are, Little Sister. he said to her. They were stand ing alone in the twilight of the sitting room. Each pearl a dollar leach pearl a kiss" He broke off, and kissed her on the back of her neck as he fastened the clasp that held them.
 When he was gone Merry un- fastened them and looked at the clasp.
 It was platinum, just as she had hoped it would be. And not only was 1t platinum, but platinum studded with tiny chip diamonds.
 She was delighted with it. II was the first bit of expensive jewelry she had ever had in her life-except the old-fashioned pearl ring that Tony Gaines had given her.
 She tried not to think of Tony Gaines the next afternoon at five o'clock, as she stood beside Cassie in her white robe and her long white veil that fell in clouds tc her silver slippers.
 But the thought of him camt into her mind and stayed there al through the long, solemn marriag' service. If only it were she wht was standing there in Cassie place, with Tony Gaines besid, her!
 She gave a deep sigh that nt one but Bill Erskine heard. H grinned at her and winked.
 Wedding made you a little blue didn't it?" he asked her when the. were sitting side by side havinj supper, an hour later. Merry nodded Mons alway says wedding is sadder than | ] funeral" she answered, smiling u at him.
 Bill deposited a huge spoonful of ice cream in his mouth. } Mons said it!" he declared. '' hate 'em! bet I've been bes man for dozen of my friends Not one of 'em happily married ; either! Believe me, I'll never b