New Britain herald., 1927-01-26

l been to Europe myselI-and 50 it' going to be wonderful for me f tool" she went on. and spots O real color came into her check under the mauve-rose rouge tha she wore. I'm sorry about you. Miss Ran l son." she added sweetly. She wa, as sweet as peach about the whole thing, but that didn't helI Robbie a bit. T hope you haven't spent a lot of money getting ready to go. I hate to tell you I wont need you after all. but you can see for yourself that I won't" And there she left 1t.
 Robbie wondered if she realized how carelessly cruel she was. She had left Robbie high and dry. with out job in sight, at moment'a notice. And she hadn't even offered to pay her a weeks salary.
 "Goodby, Miss Ransom.' she said lightly. T know you can get your old position at Locust school back, so I'm not worrying about you"
 Her old job back! That waa not very likely. with the first day of school only week away! Robbie was sure that some other teacher had been given her old position by this time.
 She was very blue and bitter as she started away from Mrs. Bur rage's house.
 She began to figure up what 1t had cost her to get ready to go to Hollywood - Sixty dollars for a new wardrobe trunk. Twelve dol lars for a plain black tin one from the Army and Navy store. About fifty for the new underthings she needed. In short, most of the money she had in the bank had gone in getting ready to go away with Mrs. Burrage.
 And now I'm not going" she said to herself, kicking at the side- walks as she went along under the blazing sun.
 Then, all of a sudden, another thought struck her. All those peo- pie coming to the house tomorrow to Aunt Gertrude's farewell tea! How dreadfully foolish she would feel, telling them all that she wasn't going away. after all! She could imagine them coming. one by one, each with a little going away gift for her. She could see herself telling them, with a. foolish apologetic smile, that they needn't say goodby to her after all!
 She blushed painfully at the thought, and then went on think ing even more unpleasant ones. How she would probably have to do substitute teaching for the next few months, until she could get a regular school once more--and substituting was such a thankless job! Children were always just as bad as they could be when their own teacher was away and a "sub" was over them.
 Robbie knew all about that. She had "subbed" for six months right after her graduation from normal school. She still looked back upon those six months with horror = traipsing all over town from one school to another, wherever a sub stitute was needed.
 As she went along the hot side walks, thinking these dark thoughts, a woman in a passing autom obile honked her horn loudly.
 At first she paid no attention to it. She was so wrapped up in her own gloom that the outer world was like a dream. But when the car turned in the street and drove right up alongside of her, she jerked back into reality in an instant.
 "Hello!" she said, stammering a little in her surprise, and she went over to the bright and shin ing little car and held out her hand to the woman in it.
 She was 8 plump bright-cheeked little woman in the most becoming mourning you ever saw in all your life-thin black voile with delicate white chiffon collar and cuffs, and darling little black hat lined with more of the white chiffon Around her plump white neck was neat little row of pearls, and on her hands were more pearls set in platinum.
 On the seat beside her were half dozen parcels. Square boxes Of the kind that pies and rolls come in. A long package with yell low green celery tops fauttering from one end. Another package with roses spraying from 1t. A smaller one that looked as If 1t might contain cottage cheese or thousand-islandd dressing.
 I've been to market" said the woman in the kind of voice that matched her eye-a bright tender voice that was very friendly.
 She was the woman whom Aunt Gertrude feared was going to be Bobbies step-m other some day - the Widow Parkins, with whom MT. Ransom was having a middle aged, but exciting love affair.
 You could see at ono glance that the Widow Parkins was exactly the kind of woman that any man would be glad to have for a wife-any man over forty, that is. She was the kind of wom- and who knows how to dress. how to amuse, how to cook, and above all, how to make a man comfort able. Not only that, but she had a nice fat little income of her own.
 My goodness, you look as if you'd lost your last friend, Bob- bie," she said with her chirping voice, making room for the girl on the seat of the little car. Jump in and II drive you home."
 I've done worse than lose my best friend" Robbie told her as