New Britain herald., 1928-01-17

READ THIS FIRST: Lily Lexington. spoiled daughter of tho Cyrus Lexingtons, Jfffs Sta ley Drummond, a rich bachelor old CT than herself. shortly before the day set for their wedding. to marry her mothers chauffeur. Pat France. Her family and friends drop her in- stantly. and she goes to live with Pats family next door to their little grocery store.
 Pat has invented a new kind of l piston ring. and he and his friend. Roy Jefferson. rent tiny machine shop. where they plan to make 1t. Pat works night and day. and Lily is very dull. She and Pat rent a fla, when she quarrels with Pats moth- CT. and she learns to do her owa housework and hates it. However. she still loves Pat and is frantically jealous of his former sweetheart, i Elizabeth Ertz.
 One day Lily meets her chum, Sue Cain. whom she has not seen in months. Sue invites her to a card party, and finding that she needs fine new clothes for it, Lily tries to charge them to her father. Failing to do this, she manages to get hold of Staley on the telephone, and he pays for them with a check. Their old affair starts up again, and they meet in secret.
 Things reach a climax on Christi mas eve. when Pat finds a watch quarrel, and she leaves the house and goes home. Her mother and father have gone away because of her fathers illness. but there is one slatternly servant, Hester Belle. in i the house. Pat calls her up and she hangs up. Then while she is talking to Staley Drummond, Pats voice suddenly comes over the wire, and she knows that he has heard her. for he tells her what sap he has been to believe in her all thes. months. Staley and she go to a Christmas reception at Sue Gains house, where Staley kisses her un- der the mistletoe and she hates his kiss. She remembers how Pats mother had disapprovcd of Roy kissing her on her welding day. and she finds herself agreeing with Mrs France about promscuous kisses. For Staley's kiss seems as distasteful to her as the kiss of a perfect stran- ger.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER XLVII By ten that Christmas night all the older people had left the Gains big beautiful house. and the young f0lks-the "young soaks." as Sue called them-had it to themselves.
 They gather together in the dining room, where the cut-g!ass punch bowl was still half filled with pale gold fruit punch
 Shall We make flock of sand wiches?" Sue asked. finding three dried-np ones on a silver plate.
 And then. instead of making even one sandwich. she began to pass around little ''jiggers" of the punch just as fast as Jack Eastman could pour them.
 Have glass of punch ?" she asked. poking the tray under Lily's nose for an instant. "Oh. no, I for got. You never drink, do your"
 Lily stopped her and took a glass.
 "Oh. yes I dol" she cried, and downed it. Then she took another.
 She never carad for drink. really. But Pat thought it was dreadful and shocking for woman to drink, and go it gave her a thrill of free dom and satisfaction 10 drink the "jisgers" of punch. She felt as if she were getting even with him, somehow, as she emptied the sec- ond glass and set it down. "No, thank you. I never drink, you know" she heard Ann Barney say coldly, when the tray was passed to her for the third time.
 Lily laughed aloud. That's right you don't" she gurgled. 'Id for gotten that you're so pure, Ann You should have married into my hus- bands family"
 Then she turned 10 Staley and laughed at him weakly. Perhaps I ought not 10 mention that'I have q husband when I'm out with you, '' she said to him, sWaying little as the liquid began to make her feel dizzy and languid and weak.
 She leaned against Staley and drank her third glass of the gin punch. Staley was saying somet hing to her that she did not hear.
 She was watching Ann Barney. Ann was not having a good time to- night. As q matter of fact, she was having a very rotten time aisl she did not care who knew it.
 She walked over 10 Sue and said good night. Thanks for Q lovely evening. Susy," she said, with her quick smile that made her almost beautiful for a moment You know I'd love to stay. but l don't drink-' And with another smile, she turned away from Sue. who had barely mo- ticed her. Sue had had about q pint more of the punch than she could carry.