New Britain herald., 1927-07-22

for a drive with him." went on Mill lies soft little drawling voice. And ! haven't a thing to wear that he hasn't seen. Couldn't you lend me that new blue dress of yours?'' The blue dress was not a new dress. Sally had bought it six months before, and if Millie had worn a dress for six months she would now be calling it that old rag" Her things wore out with amazing swiftness.
 | Well ] was going to wear it my self tonight" Sally answered with her heavy eyes still on the blue and white cups that she was rinsing now with scalding water. "Ted wants me to go out dancing with him-and I said I would.'
 Milie put out her lower lip. i Haven't you anything else you can wear?" she asked mournfully. John 1 Nye has seen every thread I own, and I'd like to wear something diff { ferent for a change"
 '1 haven't anything else but wash dresses and business clothes-and ] | hate to dance in the things I wear every day." answered Sally, who 1 bought only three new dresses | year. and cheap ones at that.
 Well, why don't you wear a wash dress? You look so sweet in that green and white dimity of yours" ! Millie came close to her and put one arm caressingly around her shoul- i ders. Honey. please let me wear your blue dress. l do want to look nice for Johnny tonight"
 In the end Sally let her have 1t, and put on the old dimity that was sure to look queer at this time of year when everybody else had new fall frocks of silk and serge.
 While she was dressing Mrs. Jer- | ome came into the bedroom with Hugh Walpole's "Harmer John" in one hand and large piece of choco- late cake in the other.
 q cut your cake" she said apolo- getically. 'I hope you don't mind, Sally. It looked so good, cooling out there on the kitchen table, that l just couldn't resist it."
 There was very little in the way of food that Mrs Jerome con.1 re- sist. After all, as she oIt-n said there were only three Of lfe's pleas ures left to her-reading, eating and sleeping.
 Are you going out somewhere? she asked suspiciously, her eyes going from Sally's face 10 the green- and white dress laid out on the top of the bed.
 Sally nodded and went on brush ing the dark glossy waves of her hair.
 With Ted Sloan?"
 Once more Sally hooded.
 There was a long. heavy silence. Then Mrs. Jerome spoke sorrowfully from the doorway, her mouth full of cake.
 My, I wish you wouldn't see so much of that boy First thing you know you'll be so tangled up with him that you'll find yourself married to him, And then what will become of me? Who'll take care of me-Td like to know" Her voice. muffled by the cake she was munching, broke and died away on a dry sob.
 Instantly Sally was beside her, all tenderness and pity. her slender young arms around her mothers plump settled figure, her smooth check against her mothers sagging one.
 Dearest, you know I'll never leave you" she said quietly. soothingly. Haven't told you that a hundred | timesn And l mean it. I'll never get married if it means leaving you" Mrs. Jerome shook her head. That isn't the question:" she de- i clared. T don't want you to marry and ask mo to come and live with you, either. l don't want 10 live with you after you're married. l know what mer thing of mothers-in-l law. I know-' Well. then. I'll never get mar ried. Will that satisfy you?' asked Sally. breaking in upon this wall. "Tll promise 10 be an old maid like Aunt Elm, and take care of you al- ways. l love you best of all the world, anyway. don't 1?"
 Still Mrs. Jerome was not content ed. Her eyes were stern and curi- ously filled with doubt. even now.
 q don't want you 10 go out with that boy tonight" she said. II don't feel well, and l don't want to be left alone.' She popped the last deli- | "ious bi' of the chocolate cake into her mouth as she spoke.
 T shouldn't have eaten that l