The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-01-27
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY

they have been engaged years.
 Cecily, 22, is in love with BARRY McKEEL an engineer but when he proposes she refuses to name the wedding date be- cause she cannot leave Ann with the financial responsibility of the home.
 Mary-Frances, IS, and sti1 in school, strikes up an acquaintance with EARL DE ARMOUNT, stock company actor. She meets him secretly on several occasions.
 Cecily tells Ann that Barry has proposed. Next morning he comes early to drive Cecily to her office. Again he urges CeciIy to marry him at once.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER xxIv
 '.No." Cecily said. "I don't like 'em revised"
 "Yes, but you don't like my flights of fancy anyway. do you?" Barry asked.
 Love 'em. Lap 'em up and lick my lips. But get so em- barrassed I have to go flippant. Would you rather didn't use a lipstick?"
 "Golly, no. Not if you like it. You know better than I do about feminine fixings, and it isn't my business, anyhow"
 Would you like it if I'd let my hair grow a little longer? These boyish bobs are clear out, you know"
 T would not" he said.
 "T'd been thinking about let ting 1t grow. It curls up when it's longer"
 Great! Sort of a shame to hide those flat little ears - but you'd know best about that"
 "I'v always wanted to wear like them"
 will you let me get you a pair for present? What sort would you like?"
 "Do you like earrings?"
 "Abominate them-at least do on other girls. I suppose they'd be swell in your ears. if you liked them.'
 She put back her head and cisely difficult. are you?"
 Mot a bit difficult" he said. But dumb. Very dumb. came to meet you this morning-well, :. for every reason, of course; but chiefly to ask you a question. I haven't asked 1t yet" He paused, to sing softly. CT must be very wet, for I haven't asked 1t yet, dressed in my best suit of clothes These are my best, you know. These aren't my others. These .Are my Sunday. What was l talk tns aboutT'
 Nothing" said cecily wicked
 "Thers you go. That's the trouble. You throw me off. The moment I look at you I get swacked with joy-I'd no idea that being in love would be like this. But the minute I get away from you l go cold sober. And I can't even remember what hap pened. Now I know that last night I asked you to marry me. I have that down for certain. And I know that you wouldn't say when. But you did say you woulud, didn't you, sweet? It kept me awake all night. could not re- member what I'd said when l asked you. and I could not re- member any time when you'd said, Yes Still, reasoned that it must have happened in some sore of or der, and that you couldn't have refused me, or l wouldn't nave been too happy to use the bean at all"
 She thought for a minute. "Barry, dear. you think that I'm right about my appearance and all that-you think that l know best. Won't you think that know best about my-well, my inner self, too? Won't you wait for . while before we begin to talk about marrying-a month or so, at least? Won't you do that, wish ?"
 He thought longer than a min- ute. much longer, before he an- swered: T don't like 1t, Cecily, and I don't understand. Am being put on probation - some thing of that sort. It would be prudent, of course. But I've taste for impulse and-well, call 1t courage where love con- cerned.'
 Dear" she protested. "so have I. So have l."
 He shook his head. "I don't understand. It seems to me that either you love me enough to say that you'll marry me or that you don't love me at all but might like a playmate for few months to fill in. Only-darling you aren't like that. No, you aren't like that"
 "No," she said, with definite aloofness, "I am not like that"
 He was instantly penitent. T know you aren't. 1 said you weron't. But-what is it, Cecily? Do you keep a little complex, too?
 "Perhap.. Though l think it is only feeling-a prejudice, maybe. I don't want to be 'en- gagged III dlTdlu ol ioHS eh- gagements. I think they are un- civilized-corrosive. l want to love and be loved--freely. And then some day, when it is raining a little, I want to go and be mar ried, with none of the zest worn off by waiting and waiting and planning and talking about it. When we are married" (she did ,ot notice what she had said and he pretended to be seriously in volyed with traffic worries, and stared straight in front of him) "I want us both to be amazed that such a preposterously splen- did thing could have happened to us. don't want us to be just smugly satisfied because we've got what we have been plodding to- ward for so long. I'm afraid to be engaged I've seen Anne and I3hil-0 She stopped She began