New Britain herald., 1930-12-11
BEAU I Y by MATTEL HOWE FARNHAM

SaleSW omen Tn d Ten Cent Store. David would not like that. His mother would not like it. They would never think the same of Fanny again-she must not do it.
 But 1':e got to think of myself. Isn't my self-respect of some impor- tanCe 9"
 Fanny finally moved to d cheap apartment house. Left to herself she attempted to rally the remnants of her courage. She would fight for there was a breath in her body she would not sign away her rights to her little daughter. A judge would not be such a fiend, a jury so in- Credibly malevolent, as to separate mother altogether from her child.
 After days of cogitation she wrote Nlr. Phllbrick that David could have his freedom, that she wanted no aEm0nv but must have Sheila at least half Of each year. MT. Phil brick replied that Sheila must stay with her fathers people. that David would much prefer to sue for di- yorce on the simple grounds Of assertion He also made it plain exactly what would happen to Fanny if she started 10 contest. He reminded her that Robert Daniels on that night of their first flight had spared no pains to blaze their trail, that she finally had left for New York with him, that witnesses were plenty.
 Fanny wrote back that she had everything 10 gain, nothing to lose Three days later Mr. Philbrick came to New York to see her.
 So far" he told her, we've kept rho matter pretty well under cover IL would be rather a pity, wouldn't II. 10 have the whole affair made public property? And even a great er pity to have a little girl, a sensi- l tive, hlgh-strung little girl, grow up ! under an ugly cloud, in an atmos- phere of scandal, amid whispering nejghbors' It seems to me that anyone who loved the child would consent to make q reasonable sacri- flee"
 But why should I be the one to make tho entire sacritice?" Fanny pleaded, Hpr voice broke already she was shaken. Mir Phihrick ] pressed his advantage. He spoke i feelugly of his cWn children. the cf- feet on thclG Of environment, the childs need rather the child's right - to an untroubled childhood, 10 grow roots in a settled house. hold.
 Fanny bit her lip till she could taste Inc blood, looked away from ! him.
 How -.. how is Shcila?" she ] got out Does she ever ask for me-"
 'Shc seemed very well and happy tho last time I saw her at Margd- ret's Margaret tells me, however. that she made herself sick at first. crying for YOU. Can you, my dear, feel 1t would be fair 10 subject child like Sheila to such an cmo- tional strain every few months?
 Honestly, I think it would be less | cruel for you to take Sheila's head and David her feet and pull until she broke in two parts. It would ] be jntolcrable to bandy her back and forth siX months with one, six | months with the other, with all the frequent roadJustments, the grief | n, -tif b, n 1 If a child belongs anywhere it 1 belongs with it's mother" Fanny contcnded feebly. And Sheila is such q baby. ." She choked, could not 20 on.
 Mir. Philbrick then reminded her gently that in this case David held certain tactical advantages and i could hardly be expected to give ] them up. He touched upon the diff culries of giving Sheila the proper i care and advantages in a city like i New York, where it took a consid- erablc income to provide the right schooling, playmates, playgrounds.
 Fanny still had some good clothes left. Not for anything on
 earth would she have the elegant Mr. Philbrick know that she lived
 in q cheap back room, in practically ! d tenement.
 T can take care Of Sheila," she
 said positively, more to convince ] herself than the lawyer. Mir. Phil brick diyined the lack Of assurance.
 When Fanny still refused 10 sisu 1 the papers he had brought, he mere 1 lr patted her hand again and asked
 her 10 think it over No matter i what happened, he said, Fanny
 was not to make herself too un- happy She must remember that ! Time had a way of unraveling many ] apparently hopeless tangles. i Copyright, 1880, by Mateel Howe
 Farnham)
 Must Fanny give up her baby, oI l will she win her fight? Read to- | morroW's chapter.