The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-06-06

lived on the edge of a deep. black abyss. never knowing at what mos ment she wuold be pitched head long into the bottomless depths. That's what Tommy's marriage to Irene would mean to her. She had not quite known what it would mean before their first attempt to run away and be married. That occasion had opened her eyes and she had not been able to close them completely since.
 Once when she was little girl there was a thing Beryl had said she would never do. Later she did it. It wasn't great sin--some slight pice of mischief that she had since forgotten--but from it she had learned a lesson. The lesson was that she might say she would never do so-and-so again but that did not make it fact. She might be fooling herself again, Beryl argued, when she said she would never love anyone but Tommy. Still she be- lieved this was true and the anguish the thought of his being married to Irene caused her was real enough no matter what changes the future might hold.
 For while after his aunt's terms of Emma Hoffman's will were made public and she didn't know what to think. Tommy was not the heir. His aunt had died intestate. She'd had a supersti- tious fear of preparing for death and so her favorite nephew was left to share her fortune with other kin. There were several children. of several. brothers and sisters and Tommy did not receive much.
 Irene told her nothing. Beryl did not ask questions. It was like the crisis in an illness She was un- certain. Woulud Irene think of Tommy now? Was there a streak of fineness in her character deep under the shallow exterior?
 In her generous moments Beryl hoped this was true--and rebelled against it in flash. Irene could never make Tommy happy. No matter what he thought, that was true.
 Irene told her nothing because she did not want Beryl to know what was gong on.
 Suppose Beryl knew that Tom my was giving up college? She'd heard Beryl express herself on this subject with talent for words that Irene had found too soaring to wish to hear repeated.
 Irene had 9 habit of struggling, both mentally and physically. She shrugged aside what reproaches !. this matetr of Tommy turning his back upon higher education for her sake.
 She had promised to marry him if he would accept his uncle's offer to take over the management of Hoffman's Motion Picture Palace as permanent job.
 Mir Hoffman had induced Irene to place this condition upon her con- sent by bribery. She and Tommy would. he had said, come to live with him and the Hoffman house was an attractive dwelling. Aunt Emmas sister, Ernestine, who had been keeping house for him would be going home soon. She expected to take lot of her sisters things with her but he would see that they were left. They were old-fashioned things and he understood people were making fuss over such things at the present time.
 He need not have urged further. Right there Irene made up her mind. What envy 1t would excite in Beryl to see her among the Hoffman heirlooms. Irene thought. She remembered Beryl had once said she hoped Mrs Hoffman would VIII her just one piece of the Lowestoft. Of course Mrs Hoffman hadn't done anything of the kind.
 Irene decided to give a Luncheon for Beryl, bringing the Lowestoft from the china closet and serving her food on 1t just as though 1t were ordinary ware.
 She was planning the meal even as MT Hoffman continued talking Perhaps her mother would cook the luncheon. No, Mir Hoffman would let her have a maid for that. A smart maid in a black dress and lace apron and cap.
 "I haven't lot of relatives like Emma had" Mir Hoffman was say- ing and Irene's mind snapped back in time to grasp the significance of his words.
 Sho and Tommy would live with him. They could remodel the house as they liked because some day it would bo theirs. It wouldn't Do any fun fixing tho house but they could hayo a decorator from Now York and that would mako people open their eyes, H
 Irene was too much taken up with those thoughts to give Mir Hoffman the nnrwer he wanted and when she realized, as Hhe aid nud- denly, that nc was bling up in- dnecment on lnduoemoni, she de. llberatciy waited until ho had made his final offer
 This lh how it came about that, with the anticipation Of hand. some wedding present in her nlnd. she issued her ultimntum Co Tom. my
 Tommy folt that tho marrIaao should be delayed while in co. Fpeel Co hlA auni'k mem0ry--n def glnloh which he shortly came 'o
 sIe be conilnaedl