New Britain herald., 1927-06-30
IDA McClONE GIBSON

postscript 1t was with rather sac
eyes and trembling hands that hi
tore the letter into bits. For a mo.
ment or two he held these pieces In
his hand. and then dropped them
into the wastebasket.
For quite a while he sat tn re
thinking over the last three years Of
his life. which seemed to him were
very definitely wasted. He decided
that most of life, anyway. was the
bunk. Physical comfort was all there
was TO it. The only thing you really
could clamp yourself to. He realized
also that It was not by length o!
time that youth was counted. but by
experience.
He had crushed all the experiences
of his life into the last three years
physical, mental and spiritual--for
strange as ii may seem, Phillip
Wynne Tracy " knew that his men,
tai and spiritual experiences had
been Just as many and just as over
towering as were his physical ones.
Now he was old and he didn't
want to be old. He didn't want
to be bored. He didn't want to be
blase He wanted to be young. Then.
with a snap, Lyra Hilliard crept into
his consciousness. and with her name
on his lips, he determined. If pos
sible. TO get back some Of the thrill
of life that had been his before he
went overseas.
He would own new roadster in
the morning. He called Nonnie and
made her hunt up a calendar for
him. He found it would be moon
light tomorrow night. Exultantly he
felt again the blood pounding his
temples and his heart beating fast
This was something like it. Again
he called Nonnie to make sure that
his mother was still out.
She told him that she had just re-
ceived a message from Mrs. Tracy
saying she would not be home for
dinner.
Taking the receiver off the hook,
he called long distance" for Lyra
Hilliard. In a half hour, while he
sat there waiting. hardly moving a
muscle. the bell rang
Here's your party" said central.
"Lyra?" Is that YOU"
She recognized his voice before he
gave his name.
Phillip. my dear boy, you cannot
tell how glad l am to hear your
voice! II you only knew how I have
longcd to hear from you all these
years. you would have written-if
Just a little note-to let me know
that you were still alive"
The word Phillip" wiped out all
the rest OF Lyra's long. hurried
speech. Another woman was calling
him Phillip" who had once called
him 'Wynne." Was he to lose all
his sweethearts? He we'll remem-
bered the night that Natlee had
heard her tell him she was going
to do SO, and had herself told him
she would never call him "Wynne"
again. He tried to remember if Nat
lee had called him Phillip" this
morning, and for the life of him he
could not do 1t.
The fact that Lyra was calling
him phillip" was a certainty. how
ever. and he almost stammered as he
said: I'D like to come over. Lyra
dear. and let you see that I'm still
very much alive. Someway. honey.
you seem to be the only person over
her that ] know has not changed"
I Don't think that. Phil, dear, you
make me afraid. I'm very much
changed. I've grown old and ugly
so haggard I know I should not let
you come. but my heart-my silly
old heart--will not let me refuse
YOU"
Then I'll come tomorrow. dear
Lyra. Do you remember the last
moonlight. Lyra. Do you remember
the last moonlight night we were to-
gether?"
I'm never forget IT, Phillip. It is
one OF the memories I take out and
FURNISH up when feel particularly
low in my mind. We will talk about
it when you come. I'll expect you
tomorrow evening at g."
When he was sure that Lyra had
definitely rung off. Phillip called up
the automobile showroom. This is
Phillip Wynne Tracy. Can you get
my car to me sometime tonight?
will gladly pay double time"
Its all ready now. Mr.. Tracy"
said the man at the other end OF the
wire. In fact 1t was all ready when
you were here this morning. but we
wanted to give 1t last once over.
We can send 1t up to you now II you
want US to-"
"All right. Send It along"
Il hope, Mr.. Tracy, you're feeling
all right after your little mix-up with
Mr.. Kenyon"
Perfectly all right. thank you. I
trust we didn't mess up your sales
ROOM"
Not at all. but at that I would
have been willing to have messed 1t
up great deal. provided you
knocked a few more teeth out. You
certainly gave him what was coming