New Britain herald., 1930-12-04
l!o it'I FANNY STEPS Dl I

Like me -NSi o. iH' tl\lliL'I world Cloughharre was changed by the World War. or perhaps it would he more exact 10 say that the war turned strong light on certain slow changes and persons, hitherto in the shadow
 Families with loNlv beginnings had gradually forced their way up ward. These. wth tho aid of various ranegades from the squirearchy and number of newcomers tout spokenly bored with the monotonous pace Of the old order, combined about 1915 10 form what WAS known as the fast set. Almost from the first this group made oyertures to Fanry. and Fanny who liked every hody who liked her. responded en- thusiastically,
 By the end oe 1921 the fast srt had expanded into the country club set. apoloSIzed for but invited 10 the larger affairs E~ 1925 they were included in even the most SO lect dinners without thought Of apology.
 When Bob Daniels came back from France this group welcomed him as a. brother. And it was in their company that Fanny saw so . much of Bob.
 Two things made if reasonably easy for Fanny belatedly to sum- mon up courage and defy her moth ~r-ir-Iaw. David was desperately busy ana spent most of his eveni>s 7t the bank. Sheila. the hahy, re- .ently had started 10 new and most modern kindergarten. N hich lnclud- Il supervised playrimc. nature study and afternoon rambles in the fields.
 Fanny avoided arguments about where she vas 10 spend her days by -aking Sheila 10 school mornings and not coming home until tune to 1ress for dinner and 10 put Shoila 0 bed. When David went out in the evenings she went out also.
 CIoughbarre was 100 small for Tanny-s struggles with her mother 1n-Iaw to 20 unnoticed, They all Knew Emma Frost. Fanny tad always been popular with the younger people, more popular with her elders than her sensIuyencss ai- lowed her to realize. There was d great deal Of spoken and uHspokcn sympathy for Fanny; she might cas- ilv have found more JudiciOus con- fdant than Bob m the very bosom os the BroUnbeck family She could trust Bob never 10 repeat anything she said to him; that was his strong est appeal
 But it was absurd 10 believe that Fanny was in love with Bob Daniels. She probably could not have told herself whether she vas more than just fond Of David: but certainly shv vas never in love with Bob,
 The whole younger crowd flung themselves ght-heartodly into the game Of batting the snooty Mrs. Emma Brownbeck Frost by giving Fanny d riotous good time. They dined her and wlned her, lunched and tead her danced her to h.r heart'a content
 David. m the face of a strong Temptation to do otherwise. behaved very well. 50 Uell in fact that Fanny concluded that ho vas completely indifferent. This was d little stupid . O. Fsnny-stupid and reckless She knew that Mrs. Frost vas angry should have gucs sed that she vas eaten up with resentment and bitter chagrin. Mrs. Frost felt herself be- trayet. publicly humiIated.
 David did not care for the coun- try club set, did not nEo to have Fanny see much of them. But he was oppressed with 8 sense Of guIlt for keeping Fanny in his mothers house He was glad Of anything that amused her or made bor happy. f he could he would have gone about with her-but 1921, that year of panic and burst war bubbles, was q, hard year for bankers. David was discovering unexpected capabilities n himself Thrown on his own re- sponsibility he found he could rise to whatever WAS demanded Of him. And he enjoyed if. He worked hard and conscientiously worked often on his nerve and long after it vas wise.
 He trusted Fanny absolutely.