New Britain herald., 1928-09-12
WHIRIfW XIII ID
" COPYRIGHT eas gmAsnr m 81 ELEANOR EARLY

thing he might have eaten.
Then, like an octopus, reaching
horrid arms. the knowledge Of his
condition closed about him. tearing
the peace of hts soul to shreds. The
great doctor. appallingly ignorant
of the terror of a robust man In
the face of facts, had literally
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 turned
away and sat with a shawl over
his knees, staring with mild blue
eyes from the window of his bed
room. While in the dining room
below the family gathered IN
gloomy conference.
I'VE should never have sent him
to DIR. Fosdict," groaned Sybil.
What he didn't know wouldn't
have hurt him the way this dread
full knowledge Is hurting"
Hes never been the same since
acknowledged Mrs. Thorne tear
fully.
The attacks came more fire.
quently. MIR. Thorne gave up work
and became semi-invalid. He drew
UP will and talked of what he
wished them to do after his death.
They choked back tears a. they
listened to him.
YOU'D better give up the house"
he told Sybil and her mother ~
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. phorne. And then,
with a great air of CHEEKY encour-
agement, "You'n be burying us all
yet"
Their family talks were always
mournful.
I'VE must have the library pa
pered this Spring" Mrs. Thorne
might remark.
And MIR. 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.
We'll name our first child for
you. Dad" he proposed, land then
you'll have to start handsome
bank account for him."
Tears came to his fathers eyes.
'I'I never live to see a grand
child of mine" he predicted darkly.
AS spring approached, Sybil gaily
anticipated a summer at Wianno.
THE crocuses will be coming up
soon. Daddy" she cried, land all
the darling tulips, and those lovely
purple hyacinths We put in last
fall. I think we could be moving
down in a few weeks now"
Her father reached for her hand
and stroked it lovingly.
why. sure" he approved. That
would be fine
His loving cheerfulness hurt
Sybil more than all his dire pre-
dictions, for she knew that in his
heart he felt he would never see
their house by the sea again. Nor
live to touch a crocus, nor smell
the purple hyacinth.
He wanted her with him con-
stantly. And Tad. too. and their
mother. Sybil gave up work to
humor him and Tad hurried home
each night.
Don't ieaNe me, dear" he begged
his daughter. Il don't want to he
alone"
He chung to her more than he
did to his wife. She had always
been his favorite.
I'm not afraid to die" he told
l.er. Don't ever think. Sybil
that your father was afraid to die
But ! want fearfully to live. I
want to see you happily married.
And my grandchildren growing up
around ME. I've worked hard all
MY life. Things are just getting so
that could have a good time.
Trips. you know-your mother, .ou
and !. Europe. perhaps. I've al
ways wanted to see Paris. Couldn't
afford II when | was a young man.