New Britain herald., 1928-12-03
1eTit1eY&nOW House
bEarRlE BURTON RELEASED 81 CENTRAL PRESS Assn @nae

y NNDSSN/ VVA&Abvvs
where it stood in all its proud. free
beauty and was an inspiration to her
while she practiced her scales and
exercises. She could imagine herself
standing on the edge of concert
stage as proudly as 1t once had stood
looking out over some ancient bat
tlefield or over some famous
harbor filled with wooden ships.
HARRISON kept sending presents to
her. Flowers every day. boxes Of
glazed nuts and fruits, magazines. a
green enamel cigarette box. silver
tea kettle with a spirit lamp under
1t that burned with a blue flame
and gave a touch of coy luxury to
her table.
II ought to be having Mariana
and her crowd in for lunch or tea
pretty soon." she kept saying to her
self. But somehow or other there
seemed to be very little room for
anyone but Wells HARRISON in her
life these days. AS he. himself. said.
he camped upon her doorstep morn
ing. noon, and night.
Toward the end of her first month
in the flat she telephoned to ask
Mariana. Cassie Sears. and little
Lovey, to come for tea, and a four
some Of bridge on a Saturday after
noon. She invited them on a Tues
day. and all there of them said that
they could come. On Saturday she
spent third of the contents of her
pay envelope on lace-edged clotn
for the table. on chicken sandwiches
and French past'y from the smart
est tea room in the city. and on two
new decks of cards and a bridg.
score.
She rushed home. busted her little
living room. borrow a card table
from the manager OF the building,
and was all dressed for her guests
at half-past three.
But they did not come.
At five minutes after four the
telephone rang, and Mariana s
voice at the other end Of the wire
said. alphabetically. that all thre.
of them were miles away at the
Pleasant Valley Country Club.
Even If we started this minute.
we couldn't get to your house IN
much less than an hour and a half
so there's not much use in our
starting at ALL" she said. We've
been learning that new game OF
Badminton down here. end the
| afternoon slipped away before We
realized it. Cassie and Lovey want
me to tell you how sorry they are
not to be able to see you. darling.
and we do hope you're not disap-
pointed. Ask lis again. won't you?
And better luck next time"
Emmy sighed as she hung up the
receiver upon the sound of the gay,
light voice. 1t came to her
| with the force OF a blow that she
had no part in the lives of those
three people who represented her
own kind She was still an outsio-
er. SO far as they were concerned, in
spie Of her deliverance from Flow
err street and the little yellow house.
They had their own life-the,r
bridge. their Badminton. their par
ties--and she had hers. And that
was the beginning and the end Of
+! it.
III had money l would be one
OF them.' she thought, with some
bitterness, as she sat down alone
to'eat the little cakes and some OF
the sandwiches. IF / had their kind
Of clothes and cars and houses.
things would be smooth sailing for
me. But family doesn't count for
much If you don't have the money
to back 1t up. and l haven't. Now.
II l were married to man like
| Wells Harbison-"
She caught her breath over that
thought so daring was it.
But I'm not" she told herrelf.
I'm nothing but working woman.
even If ! am Marianna's cousin.
and I'd better try to remember it
and be sensible"
| she gave herself a mental shak-
Ing and tried to forget the whole
happening in an hours hard prac-
ticlng. But she could not forget 1t.
She was so hurt that her heart
seemed actually to ache in her
breast. And when she finished the
chicken sandwiches that night be-
fore she went to bed they we're like
sawdust and dead-sea fruit in her
mouth. She had not realized
herself. until then. how much she
mad counted upon that tea and upon
the friendship and recognition D..
her own kind of people,"
One night she came home from
the office to find Mrs. Milburn wait
ing for her in the tiny hall at the
head OF the stairs. She was in her
widows weeds that had been Grand
mother Pentland's widows weeds
years and years before. and she was
sitting on the top step of the stairs
holding her Thomas kelnpis in her
black gloved hands
Well. how's my big grip she
greeted her. jumping up with that
amazing lightness OF hers.
She followed Emmy into the
room that overlooked the park, and
stood. with her little shoulders
against the door, gazing around its
walls. Her eyes were very wide.
In the la<, afternoon sunlight the
place had an unmistakable air of
luxury. with fresh yellow roses on
the table, the tea tray with the sill
yer kettle cleaning on 1t. the radio,
the baby-grand piano with its Span
ish shawl. the costly cigarette Lox
:, and ash trays Of Chinese enamel
that had been gifts of Wells Harbi-
sons from time to time.
MY goodness me, Emmy! How
much do you have to.pax for this