New Britain herald., 1926-08-18
NO THANKS, LES" SHE SAID.

NO THANKS, LES" SHE SAID. most six years and he always came at eight o'clock.
 George was a man of habit. He did everything according to some kind of clock-work plan that he had thought out carefully, beforehand.
 One of his carefully laid plans was that when his invalid mother died he would marry Merry Locke- When that would be he did not know, of course. But when it fin baliy did happen he was sure that Merry would be waiting to fall into his arms.
 He was sure, too, that Merry cared for him. She let him hold her soft slim body in his arms, She let him print timid luke-warm kisses on her round red mouth, and certainly no nice woman lets a man do those things unless she expects to become hisswife!
 And so, George had the shock or hiss life that Sunday night, when Merry came downstairs and seated herself just inside the door of Mons old-fashioned parlor.
 For the chair where she sat was in plain view from the room where Mons and MT. Hefflinger were sit ting and much as George wanted to kiss Merry he did NOT want to do it with Mons and Mir. Hefflinger looking on.
 So he beckoned to Merry to come and sit beside him on the sofa in the dark corner by the fireplace. To his surprise she shook her beau tiful head.
 How would you like to go for a walk?" she asked, and jumped up eagerly.
 He and Merry often went for walk to Fountain Park, and there in the darkness under the trees, George would slip his arm around her and tell her how pleasant life would be for them when they mar ried.
 Think of my coming home to supper, and of you in a little apron, getting it for me-" he would say, and in the darkness Merry would make a funny little face.
 "Yes, think of me, getting it for you" she would answer him, burn ing the steak, burning the potatoes, breaking the dishes! No, thanks, George, I'll keep on at the beauty shop, and we'll eat our little supper in a restaurant"
 But tonight there was to be no Fountain Park for George Leet. No cozy bench under the dark trees. No kisses. No planning for the future and the little suppers for two.
 George" Merry said to him, all most as soon as they were out of doors, walking along under the star swept sky, George, I have some- thing I want to say to you"
 "All right. Lay on, Macduff'" answered George, who quoted bits from Shakespeare whenever he could. He tried to take his sweet hearts hand in his, but Merry drew it gently away from him.
 She was silent for a minute or two. She hated to do the thing she was going to do--the thing she was going to say.
 George" she repeated, "do you like me lots?"
 In the darkness Georges face turnSd toward her, and she knew there was utter surprise written on it.
 "Haven'tI told you so thousand times?" he asked. Why"
 Because" Merry faltered, h"be- cause"
 Then she suddenly made up her mind to have it over with, as soon as possible.
 She stopped and stood against some white fence pickets that edged the sidewalk. She was standing in the glare of an arc light that touched her hair with gold and shone like silver on her soft cheek. She had never looked lovelier to George Leet.
 I'm not going to marry you, after all, George" she said to him, quietly.
 He looked at her face in the dim- ness for long time. Even in the golden half-light from the swinging street lamp, he could see the de- termination on 1t.
 Whats happened? Has some body come between us?" he asked. It was not his way to say much, at any time. And just now he was, as he told himself. ''lsnocked foolish" 'No. no one at all," she told him.