New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-06-06


dinner dance and decided that Oh
must have = new gown and . ne
rouge for the occasion.
She did not know when slee
came to her wakeful. smarting ey.
which we're still wide open to gre,
the rising sun-but she did kno'
that she had slept very late whe
she heard Phil talking to his mothe
in the hall
Not SO loud. Son." said Ann
Tracy. You will wake up Mr.,
Hilliard. You must remember tina
you kept her up very late. She 1
not rs young 40 you are and natur
ally 1t takes longer to recover from
lack Of sleep"
Why. oh why. does Anne Away
harp on my age? Lyra asked her
self as she heard Phil 20 stampinI
down the stairs rs II he were tryin,
to wake her.
She was glad. however. that sh,
heard him leave message for hel
with his mother that he would be a
the Ambassador for tea and woult
she meet him there.
Before she arose she decided 4
do so, but when she looked in thu
mirror she denied herself that pleas.
ure. for she realized that aftei
thirty-five a woman must deny her.
self late hours and thrills II she
would deceive the world into think.
ing she was still young enough t
enjoy both.
She did. however, get away from
Anne and spent the whole day ir
the shops.
The short morning buying a new
evening dress-and the longer after.
noon under the soothing hands Of q
masseuse.
CHAPTER XIII
Malice Surprises Mrs. Tracy
That night when Lyra went down
to the dining room she was sure
she was looking her very best and
therefore was much disappointed
when she found that Phil had
phoned he was not going to be home
until late.
One Of his friends was leaving un-
expectedly for France with q Cana
dian regiment and the boys were
sending him off with a stag party.
Anne looked rather nervous and
excited and. finally Lyra drew from
her that she was much afraid that
America would go into the war and
she knew II we did 1t would be
quite impossible to keep Phillip
from enlisting.
But he's not IS, Anne. Surely he
Is too young even II we do go in.
which ! think is very unlikely"
You evidently do not know. Lyra,
that there is tradition in the Tracy
family that is quite az unbearable
as the one which writes Roman
numeral after the name Of the first
born son in each generation and
that is that Tracy men must follow
the flag into Americas battles to
death II need be-"
Anne's voice was a mixture Of
pride and anxiety.
I'm every war in which our flag
has been unfurled Lyra Tracy has
fought and many Of them have died.
Phillip Wynne Tracy ~ Is the
last Of his line and know that he
will think that he must 60"
It was a rather striking story that
Lyra was hearing from Anne's lips.
She got an entirely new impression
of the Tracy men. Up until now she
had only thought OF them always as
susceptible youths, flirtatious mid
dle-aged FOUNDERS. and II they lived
to be old men they were always suf-
sering from the liquor and love they
had imbibed In their youth and lusty
middle age.
She could hardly bear to think of
Phil being one Of those who would
go to France, for whatever she said
to Anne to comfort her, she was
quite certain that 1t was only a ques-
ton Of weeks, perhaps days. before
the president would declare war and
call for troops.
Neither woman ate much dinner.
Anne was wondering If worst
came to worst and war was declared,
how long she could keep Phil out Of
1t.
And the wild idea had come into
Lyra's brain that il Phil did go 1t
would be very easy for her to go
over with the Red Cross. She toyed
with the idea OF herself and Phillip
together in war-ridden world
where human life and human con-
duct, except In connection with hu-.
man carnage. were not respected or
even of much account.
Pleading that she was tired from
her long days shopping. and that
she had letters to write. she went to
her room early. She was awakened
near daylight by a hest
tating step passing her door. She
thought nothing of 1t until she went
down to breakfast where she found
Phillips mother with unmistakable
signs Of weeping upon her face.
When she asked her what she had
been crying about she was answered
with another question.
ibid you hear Phillip when he
came home last night, or rather this
Eyes, now that you ask It. ! do
believe I heard someone stumbling
down the hall"
THAT was Phillip. I am sure he
was under the influence OF liquor.
But when I opened my door and
accused him of 1t he denied 1t but
added. What II I am? I have
been spending the evening as a man
with other men. Surely Mother.
you do not intend to keep me tied
to your apron strings all my life.
Go to bed. Mumsy. and don't worry
about my goings-out or my comings-
In in the future.
There will be something more
serious to worry about very soon, ]