New Britain herald., 1927-08-16

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 Sally had never known her to CT. like this. She had often cried t get her own way, or when she wa frightened about the pains tha came from over-eating, or wher she was upset about Beau or Mabel
 But this was different. She cried | in a despairing. broken-hearted sor' of way, and Sally knew that there was some real cause for her griet this time.
 Helpless for once. she sat back on 1 her heels and waited for the storm to pass. And after 10 minutes or l more, Mrs. Jerome's sobs became 1 less violent. Presently she raised a tear-strained and swollen face.
 Your Papa-he's gone-again.' she gulped. sitting up and reaching for her handkerchief that lay on the bedside table. She wiped her brim- ming eyes with it before she went On in a shaky voice:
 T thought everything was going so nicely. I got his breakfast for | him, and then we sat down and had a nice talk. After that l got lunch the sandwiches you fixed, you know" She broke off. swallowed once or twice, and struggled for self-control.
 After lunch we got dressed and went to the hospital to spend the ! afternoon with Mllie. l was tired | when we got home about 7 and l sat down to read a little bit in The i Princess Dagomar.' never thinking i but what you'd be home soon to fix up the house and get supper
 'I telephoned-but no one an- swercd," Sally cut in. T would have come home at six, but Mir. Nye wanted me to work overtime Q for him, and what could I do but say yes? He's been so good to Mil ! lie and to me, too"
 Mrs. Jerome looked at her coldly, 1 and Sally saw that, in some way of ! her own, she had figured it out that misfortune had just occurred in the little home.
 You knew you should have been home at f" she said, accusingly, and then ran on with her story:
 Well, along about half past seven or so, your father came into the sitting room where I was-and would you believe il ?--he had his bag all packed and in his hand. I'm going he said. 'Everything's s just the way it used to bc-no | meals ready, no beds made, the house the same old pig pen it. al ways was. I'm going back where I came from And with that he walk ed out on me just the way he did | nine years ago.' She covered her face with her handkerchief again and rocked to and fro in her very real agony.
 Sally watched her for a minute or two. She saw that there was noth- ing for her to do. After all. no one of us can do anything in the face of the big misfortunes that come to those we love. Real trou- ble has 10 be conquered alone. al- ways.
 So, after a bit Sally got up and left her.
 The door Of the room her father had spent the night in stood open. Within the bed was unmade. the ash-tray still filled with cigar bands and ashes, the floor filtered with papers.
 In the bathroom the same chaos reigned. Tine bath mat, still damp and wrnkled, lay on the floor. The ! tub had not been scrubbed out. Nor had the wash bowl, and on the mir TOT above it was large smudge of father from shaving soap. On the table in the dining room lay the dried-up remnants of the ham sandwiches. and four soiled napkins.
 The sitting room wasn't so bad, but it was dusty and it did not have the fresh. clean look that it should have had. As Sally stood looking down mournfully at the pale-pink blossoms of her hegonia plant her mother came mp behind her and spoke once more with ex- treme bitterness.
 "Of course there must be a wo- man behind all this" she said. "No man leaves his wife just because a meal isn't on time. There must always have been a woman in this case. Somebody that your papa cares for more than he cares for me and his children"
 Sally wondered. She thought about the men she knew. They all seemed to love order and comfort. And of them-AIr. Peevey, with his midday lunch that had to he served to him on the dot. John Nye, with his appreciation Of her neat work and her gift of sandwiches. Even Ted, who managed to wear clean linen every day. although he wore his suits until they became sliny and out t-of-date.
 Yes, men were neat, orderly ani- mals, and Sally could well believe