New Britain herald., 1927-02-03

Then the mood would lift like cloudy weather, and she would gc
 about her work again singing al the top of her lovely voice-swing-
 ing the dustcloth like banner oi freedom, polishing the furniture,
 rinsing out the tea towels and
 hanging them out in the cold crisp
 sunny air to dry.
 Dad" she said, looking up at
 him. ,I"I want to so back to Holly
 wood. BVt I hate the thought of
 leaving you. How would it be if I
 stayed at home another month
 while I broke some good woman in
 here as housekeeper? She could
 make you just as comfortable as
 Aunt Gertrude"-her voice broke
 and then went on-''as Aunt Ger
 trude did. Or almost as comfort able. I'd stay here forever with
 you, if it meant just giving up
 school teaching. But giving up my chance to make good in pictures is
 another thing. I've a wonderful
 start"
 Her voice trailed off. She knew her father hated the thought of her
 living in Hollywood. and she didn't
 want to talk about it too much or 1 too often.
 But his face did not grow stern
 at the sound of the word this time. 1 Instead it cleared suddenly.
 He gave little dry laugh. Well,
 it so happened that I was going to
 tall, to you about that very thing
 this morning." he said. And I
 didn't know how to do it. I couldn't But your wanting to go back to 1 Hollywood straightens it all out. Mrs. Parkins and Mrs. Parkins and I thought that since you'd left home and your aunt had passed on"
 He groped for words. 'I-we-I 1 think we may as well get married. She and l." he finished at last. There's no use in my living alone here when she has a comfortable Huiile "Helc "e Souiu iife @o gether."
 Robbie looked at him. When do you expect to be married?" she asked.
 Week or two he answered shortly.
 Of course, that wae the natural thing for her father to do. To marry the buxom, comfortable widower for more than 20 years and that was no way for a man to live.
 And yet when he was gone, Bob i bic went upstairs and stood look ing at the picture of her mother with heavy wondering eyes.
 It hung over the bed in her room, anl 1t showed her when she was a young thing, not much older than Robbie was now.
 There were wide flat honey-col- ored braids of hair pinned around her head like a crown, and beneath it her big eyes looked out eagerly, the way Boobies eyes looked out upon the world today. She had given up her career, given up her starry ambition to be concert singer to become the wife and mother and what had it availed her?
 "She might be alive today-alive and famous-if she'd not married Dad and had me-" thought Robbie If she'd gone on with the career she wanted"
 In that moment she felt very close to the girl-mother who had died- closer than ever she had felt to anyone in all of her rather lonely life.
 Shed have known just how l feel about going back to Holly wood," she said to herself. and a later she was wondering if shed give up her career If she loved a man and he wanted to marry her-If Gus MacCloud want ed to marry her ever
 The ringing of the front doorbell of the house broke shrilly upon her day dream.
 Probably another peddler or a man selling needless" said Robbie with sigh as she started down the stairs. She had been experi- ancing that greatest of all house. hold pests-the early morning ped 1ler-since she had been trying to keep house.
 There was a scowl on her lovely face as she swung open the front loor to-Andy Jerrold.
 "It's only me-" he said ungram- T thought you might have some coffee left over from breakfast to give a poor blind man with both legs shot off" He limped into the house. looking so comical and woe-begone that she burst out laughing.
 Do you really want some cof fee?" she asked him, and started down the hall to the dining room where the pot still stood on the table.
 He nodded. Sure. And I came to see you make it for me-" he told her. T get an awful kick out of seeing you doing housework. It makes me look forward to the happy days ahead of us."
 Robbie wheeled on him, coffee pot in her hand.
 Now, don't you start getting soft and sentimental or I'll throw you out on your head" she said briskly. I've heard about all the l care to hear about this Dads going to get mar ried to the widow woman"
 Andy grinned. That just about throws you into my arms" he said with a gesture worthy of movie actor. That leaves you all alone