The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-27
= Y?1lIX>ZII4IP LlXMIIND-,
w. copxpGHr 1928 GNEA sERnL INC hy ElEANOR EA&LY
: COPYRIGHT 1928 81 NEA SERVICE INC.
CHAPTER III Continued

~ GUPYRl0Hl I9ZO bT NE
CHAPTER III Continued
"I've my pumps all bought. High
heels, studded with brilliants. .
The new gowns are dreadfully like
bathing suits, but they're perfectly
adorable. There was wedding
at the Embassy here the other day
and the bride carried a swagger
stick right up to the altar. Really,
it was awfully swanky. E. I'm get
ting so thrilled, just planning
things"
Mrs. Thorne began to be a little
Scandalized. She liked old-fashioned
weddings with the bride a vision
in filmy white" and her veil
caught with orange blossoms"
"Valerie1l have you in silk stock
ings and satin panties, Tad" Sybil
propht.ied cheerfully. THAT girls
going to have a knockout wedding.
No squirming old bridegroom's
cumming up her precious plans"
He grinned sheepishly. Anything
she says goes"
"Ycu said It'll" Sybil's slangy
vehemence was portentous.
That winter the Thornes became
closer to one another than they had
been since before the war.
For some years Mr.. Thorne had
been bothered with attacks to which
he referred lightly as my dizzy
spells" and laid to indigestion.
Finally they persuaded him to see
a famous specialist, who told him
dreadful truths. And, hen he was
through, called taxi and sent the
wretched man home with a little
bottle of digitalis and horrible
conviction of approaching death.
CHAPTER w
DEFORE his visit to the great
d diagnostician, Mr.. Thorne, after
his dizzy spells, invariably observed
that he was not as young as he
used to be.
Nothing to worry about" he in
sisted and conSoled Mrs. Thorne,
lowering about with pills and hot
water bags. Gust a bit of indis-
creion, Mother. Cabbage or pigs
knuckles-or something"
Baked beans, roast pork, red
meats, pastries-the poor man grew
wretchedly abstemious. And still
the dizzy spells persisted, more
frightening as they became con-
stantly recurrent.
From the beginning he refused to
give his heart even passing consid-
Grafton, blaming pains and vertigo
alike on something he might have
eaten.
Then, like an octopus, reaching
horrid arms, the knowledge of his
condition closed about him, tearing
the peace of his soul to shredS.
The great doctor, appallingly ig-
norant of the terror of a robust
man in the face of facts, had liter
ally frightened him out of his wits.
Golf, poker, a good cigar, a square
meal and the Follies-when a man
stares Death in its empty sockets
he has no joy in them.
From all life's pleasant things he
JUIlEu
over his knees, staring with mild
blue eyes from the window of his
bedroom. While in the dining room
below the family gathered in gloomy
conference.
1--WE should never have sent him
to DR.. Fosdick," groaned Sybil.
what he didn't know wouldn't have
hurt him the way this dreadful
knowledge is hurting"
'He's never been the same since"
acknowledged Mrs. Thorne tear
fully.
The attacks came more frequent
ly. Mr.. Thorne gave up work and
became a senli-invalid. He drew
up a will and talked of what he
wished them to do after his death.
They choked back tears as they
listened to him.
"You'd better give up the house" "
he told Sybil and her mother. "It
will be a lonesome place, when Tad
gets married, and both of us are
gone"
"Oh, Father" implored Sybil.
Edward, stop talking like that!"
commanded Mrs. Tnorne. And then,
with great air Of CHEEKY encour-
agement, you'll be burying us all
yet"
THEIR family talks we're always
Il mournful.
eve must have the library pa
pered this spring." Mrs. Thorne
might remark.
And Mr.. Thorne, signing deeply,
would opine that he'd be dead and
in his grave before that was done.
Or Tad would be making plans
for his marriage.
well name our first child for
you, Dad" he proposed, "and then
you'll have to start a handsome
to,.J- ooo0,,,oE foy, hin,