New Britain herald., 1927-12-13


 10 him. "Down to your house" She could barely see him in the i darkness, and she felt rather than saw him shake his head. You i can't" he said. T don't want you to-"
 Please, Pat-I want 10 meet your , mother and your father" the girl whispered. She was in his arms now, holding them tight around her, and her mouth was almost on his as she spoke. Please take me Please"
 They argued in undcrtones for a moment or two longer. But ill the end Lily got her way. She always did get her own way, somehow or other.
 The France family was at supper, In the Kitchen of their little houee,
 They always ate in the kitchen, except on Sundays.
 | It was a big room and wonder fully cheerful. with it's white paint, it's shelves of blue-and dishes, 1 it's pots of flowers on the window sills and It's spotIess curtains. The table stood at one end Of the room. drawn up beside the windows. It was covered with white cotton, ironed until 1t looked like glossy linen, and the dishes and glass and silver upon 1t spsrkled.
 Behind the coffee pot of polished aluminium sat Mrs. France, the small, ld-fashioned woman whom Lily had seen that morning in the grocery store. At the other end sat Pats father--a f1ne-looking man, from whom Pat ''got his looks un- doubtedly. He had the same straight, blunt nose, the same we'll cut mouth, the same deep blue eyes and crisp hair-only his was silver where Pats was dark brown, al- most black.
 Between her mother and father, sat Florence, the youngest of the 1 family. Florence was eyed and 1 dark haired, too. She was what she herself called "snappy-looking.' Her hair was cut in a most up- to-date boyish bob, her face was beautifully made up with coral color-pale coral for her cheeks and deep coral-pink for her lips. Her clothes were lustrous black satin, and she had made them her self---a skirt of satin with a. jumper | to match. There were big imitation pearls around her neck. there were 1 big steel buckles on her slippers and the thinnest of gunmetal stock inss upon her slim legs. Florence's ambition was to look like a. photo graph in a flashing journal. and she had just about achieved 1t.
 "Florence,." her mother said to her, T wish you'd change that dress when you come from work. It makes me nervous, 10 see you around the kitchen in anything 50 nice"
 Florence helped herself to q sweet pickle and a piece of hot corn.d beef from the platter In the middle of the table. This dress cost me only ten dollars-just what l paid for the material" she answered. in a low voice that had deep, throaty tones in it--a singularly soothing voice. And besides. I'm going to the pictures tonight with Jerry Mac Michael. He'll be here at eight and it's quarter after seven now
 Mrs. France nodded, looking up at the Seth Thomas clock above the sink, and then at the empty chair across the table from Florence.
 Pat was sure he would be home at six-thirty to have supper with us." she said. Dear me, l don't like this business of his living away from home. I miss him. . |. If he's got to be forever tinkering with automobiles, I wish he'd stayed with Roy Jefferson. He could ge, homo to at least one meal day then. anyway"
 There was q knock on the kitchen door. And then before anyone could reach it, it was pushed open and Pat came in with Lily Lexington.
 The three people at the table were speeches. with surprise as they looked up at her. In the bright light from the electric bulb above the sink, her hair shone like gold and her gray-grecn eyes like jewels. On her left hand big diamond spark led. and there was a big diamo ond
 brooch fastened to the front of her black chiffon dress.
 Mrs. France knew almost nothing about furs, but Florence's quick. clever eyes took in the two silver l fox skins around her neck. They must have cost six or seven hundred dollars apiece" said Florence to