New Britain herald., 1930-12-01
BEAU I Y by MATTEL HOWE FARNHAW

"Sheila is almost four quite old enough to be taught the difference between right and wrong. This morning. David, she found Mrs. Stamm's milk on her porch and poured it down a rat hole. Yester- day she unscrtwed and carried off the catches on Mrs, Brooks case ment windows
 Had you heard of this. Fan 2"
 Certainly" Mrs. Frost answered for Fanny, but Fanny seems 10 think she has done her whole duty by replacing the missing articles and apologizing. I think Sheila should be punished"
 I'm not certain she took the screws. and the little Reynolds boy put her up to pouring the milk down the hole He told her the rat was hungry Her motives were entirely atruisuc Shela may have in her the mahlngs Of a great pkilanthro- pst."
 David laughed, but his mother said dryly:
 'I failE 10 see roots either Of gen. erosity or philanthropy in giving away what does not belong to you. For her own sake I suggest that Sheila be spanked rather than req soned with in the morning"
 "Tu punish Sheila but I could not bear 10 spank her" said Fanny little tremulOusIy.
 Then suppose l spank her" sug- gested Mrs Frost, Tt was I whom she disobeyed."
 No" said Fanny, Even in her own cars her voice was harsh ani unnecessarily emphatic. There were two red spots on her cheeks and she half rose from her chair.
 There IS no reason" said her mother-in-law acidly, flor assuming the manner Of q ,igress defending her young. II is because I think so much Of my granddaughter that I grleve to see her grow up into a spoiled forward child whom every one will dislike"
 "Really. Mother I think you ex- a-gerate," said David. "Sheila has her naughty spells, but as a rule she is well behaved and easily man aged, Perhaps she is q little spoiled - but I'm afraid it will work out better if the discipIininS is left 10 Fanny and me"
 "Very well. but I suggest that you take a hand and not leave 1t all to Fanny"
 GIancing at Fanny, David saw that she was trembling and very close to tears Why did his mother have 10 spoil the evening ny huttins in about SheiIa2 Hut ot course she would; It was surprising she hold off % long. 1t was absurd of Fan 10 take it so seriously. He'd for iidden his mother 10 interfere with Sheila and his mother had taken Uar defeat in good part: vas al ready taking Qf something els. Why couldn't Fanny tho victor. do Inc same? He'd had his fill Of dis sensions and animositics at the ! bank; he could bear no more at home
 He patted Fanny's knee reassur- ingly but as they left the table he whispered au,horitatively. Its all settled - lets forget if" Fanny nodded, managed to smile at him when he tipped her face back and kissed her,
 But she did not forget, Years before when she lay In bed. exhaust rd but triumphant, with the three hoGr-old Sheila in her arms, and heard Mrs Frost's heavy deter mined tread coming down the hall, Fanny had foreseen q contest over her baby From the first there had 1 been various minor skirmishes; nov 1 the real battle had begun. | f Mrs Frost lived to dance at ! DavId's golden wedding Fanny knew that she would still regard ! his wife os aN unwelcome outsider ] and ignore consistently her share { in Dayids children. Sheila was to 1 he shaped ard molded. patted and l spanked into the RroWnbeck pat tern. She would be clothed and ] schooIad, m Nnered and maNimed i into her gr. 1mother's idea of "a ] perfect fittie lady"
 At IS she would he asking Of q . new schoolmate. But who is she 9 exactly in the manner Of that absurI young snob. Lily Bro~nbeck- h. evjtably the day would come when she would question Fanny "But vho was your father? And who vas the grandmother for whom ! am named ."
 1 Copyright, 1880. by Mateel Howe
 Faruham)
 Tomorrow an old friend return, 70 Fanny's life, and makes her 2 rash proposal