The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-01-02

Cant? Why, wonder?"
 DO you realize, Mir McKeel" (Grand's manner was convenient, so she used it) that every one of the rooms in this mansion, 15 in all has a fireplace in 1t, including the front hall and excepting the kitchen. Stop and contemplate what 1t means to get wood lugged up from the cellar and keep these flreplaces going. It's terrible" she said, dismissing Brands manner as insufficiently intense, "just perfect ly terrible for my sisters, Ann and Cecily. They have to carry 1t all up, and they won't let me hlep for fear I'll strain my back or some- thing, and besides, my sisters have to pay for all the wood, and trying to keep this miserable barn of q place warm in winter Is almost im- possible. The fireplaces just gobble wood. Phil, he's my sister Ann's fiance, wanted to give her fur mace for Christmas present this year; but she couldn't let him Cause 1t cost 50 much more than he could really afford, and Grand and Rosalie would have had fits if they'd found out, anyway. Phil did give my sister Ann a vacuum cleaner for an engagement pres- ent, two years ago, but"
 Barry, squirming uneasily in his chair, forced an Interruption.
 It's q great old house, though, isn't 1t? All this spaciousness, these high ceilings" he looked ut the ceiling, looked guiltily down again, and finished weakly-'and all that"
 "Tu bet" said Mary-Frances, you wouldn't think 50 if you had to Mve here. Still she went on, unoonseiouslly mature for 2 mo- ment, Tit would be better if we to live here. Grand and Rosalie wouldn't consider living anywhere else. But suppose my sister Ce- ely told you all about it?"
 Cecily had said, My two sisters and live with our grandparents. They like to have us call them Grand and 'Rosalie,," and noth- ing else.
 Barry evaded, "Yes. she did men, ton old people, and"
 You'd bettor," Mary Frances warned, mot let them hear you call them old people. Grand Is just elderly, and nobody has any idea bod old Rosalie is. Mystery, you know, Is part of her charm. Ro- salie says 1t Is part of every lady's charm. Phil, my sister Ann's fi- ance, says that Rosalie exudes charm. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Ann told me not to re- peat 1t. But I think Phil meant 1t for Q compliment, don't you?"
 Barry moved in his chair and
 Mary-Frances said, "Won't you smoke, MT McKeel?"
 "Thank you," said Barry and took out his cigaret case.
 Just blow the smoke up the flue if you can," said Mary Frances, the perfect hostess, "because Grand doesn't approve of cigarets, though he will condone q good cigar. I don't think he'll smell 1t if you'll sit a little closer and blow up the chimney"
 Barry cosed his clgaret case. After all," he said. II have smoked too much to-day. If you don't mind, I'll wait until later"
 Not at all," said Mary Frances. Do you believe in prenuptial in- fluences, MT MckeelY
 Barry glanced at her fleetingly. She was seraphically pretty, look ing up at him with her big, earn- est eyes, and a somber and as seri- ous as a saint. "I'm afraid" he said, "that I haven't given the matter enough. consideration to be able to express sensible opinion concerning it."
 NMavn v said Maey- Era noac a ot fully, "aren't as much interested in that as ladies, suppose. Mrs Hill doesn't believe in it at all. Mrs Hill is my friends, Ermintrude's, mother. Ermintrude is my best friend because she is really very deep; not like most of the other girls at Mckinley high-frivolous and flirts and all. But ROsalie be- lieves in 1t, because before she was born her mother looked at a pie ture of Raphaels Sistine Madonna all the time. Of course, Rosalie didn't turn out to look much like that Madonna, but she was bauti- full in another way, and she was the toast of the south when she was a girl and everything. How old would you think was, MT McKeel?"
 Well. shall we say" Berry hesi- tated and lied handsomely, as he would have lied "20" to a doubt full 30, ""around about IT or 18?"
 "See there?" Mary-Frances said to her absent family. and began again. Well now, MT Me-
 Cecily took her hand away from her throat just before she went into the kitchen to face Ann.
 Angel" she said, I'm an idiot and selfish pig. I don't know what possessed me. But I've brought the Mc<eel person home ---inyited him to stay for dinner"
 "8ut, ceeiIyw Ann said, and turned from the towel at the sink where she had been drying her hands, and repeated, "Isut cecilyl" and added. "Why in the world didn't you teIeph0neY.
 - don't know, 1! haven't inc falHtsst idea" ceeiiy picked up fhs kettle from the table and locked unseeiBsIy at inc soant Inch Of carrots, "Ife WAS waiting outs side the building 10 meet me, When we got Into bIs ear he said, sWhsre tor Before 1 thought, said. Let's go home for dinner sfilat have ben made, of h0mhthlnh, fsui, sHst for tbe m0nlenf-=abe drlzziy fain and ali-~h0nle seemd A place i0 come ta Everyone seemed fo be burryins hofne. 4.< saT IAA