The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-05

had a preachy streak and was row. ing about you and Kenneth. just kept thinking that when Barry came everything would be all right. And then when he came he'd had the letter from that MT 'Amming- ton, and he was all out of sorts, and he said that about my not de- veloping frying-pan querulousnegs after we were married. Warning me what he'd have in wife. And then he went on, and it came out that he thought cooking was inn portant. Think of it, Ann! Cooking really important! l tried to laugh it off by saying we'd get menu for a marriage license. but he wouldn't even smile. Not that though it was smart-but he usual 1y laughs. And--let me see, where was I? Anyway, I am a good cook, if that's all he wants. am good cook, aren't l, Ann?"
 You're wonderful cook. Of course you are."
 Mary-Frances knocked on the door and opened 1t. "Cissy, tele- phone" and Cecily was in the hall before Mary-Frances had time to say, Its Marta. I told her you had a headache, but"
 Cecily ran on down the stairs, hoping, Ann knew, to hear "some- thing" Those aching hopes for in- definite something's, which one never heard, or which, hearing, hurt so unbearably. She crossed the room and rolled the blinds up from the open windows to let in the gentle gray twilight. Where, she wondered, were Phil and Lefty at the precise moment; and what were they doing? Since that night in May, Phil and Lefty in Anns thoughts had been so concurrent as thunder and lightning, and in consequence she was growing more and more delft with slamming shut the doors of her mind and locking them securely against the on- slaughts of a storm. This evening she closed them more readily than usual by merely saying, Poor Cissy," and she locked them with a snug, "Silly!" and went to meet Cecily at the top of the stairs. Come into the bathroom, honey and wash your face. It will make you feel betetr."
 'He didn't go to Gretchen's party after all," Cecily said, as she al- lowed Ann to lead her into the bathroom. T am a sight," she de- clared, and put a still more miser- able expression on the face in the mirror while Ann filled the wash basin with water and stole pinch of pink from Rosalie's bath-salt jar.
 Tt made all the difference" said Cecily, "whether I didn't wish him to go he had to go then; or whether he didn't wish to go." "Men are like that Ann said, and squeezed face cloth out of the water, and tried to wash Ce- cily's face for her.
 Don't. You dab so. I'll do it." She did it. thoroughly. splashing and dipping her head to the water like a boy. day." she said, and took the towel Ann handed to her.
 "Where did he go?" Albany"
 "That isn't far. Only about 50 miles, isn't 1t"
 1T don't know. I wish it were China"
 Ann said, You do?" "Yes, I do. And then I wouldn't be hoping all the time." Don't hope Ann advised. and filled an eye cup with Grand $ boric acid solution. What is he doing in Albany. for pity's sakes?' q don't want that eye stuff. The new hotel building I told you about. He wasn't going. He'd talked his uncle out of sending him. Don't II don't want 1t, Ann." "Of course you want 1t. what will you say if Grand or Rosalie asks you what you've been crying about"
 "For once-just once in my life I'll give myself the dear delight of telling them it is none of their business"
 "Cecily! I must say! You won't make yourself any happier. dear, by being mean and making other people unhappy"
 My word, Ann, you do preach. don't you?"
 "I'm sorry. It is contagious. maybe. Did you have an overdose of 1t at supper this evening"" "I didn't go down. Nary Frances set 1t out for them."
 I'm hungry" Ann said. Lets go down and find something" 'I couldn't eat. couldn't think of eating. really have a bad heachache."
 "Come watch me eat, then" Ann put an arm around Cecily's waist and pulled.
 II wish" Cecily said, as they went down the stairs together, that you'd tell me how you man. age that serenity of yours. I'd give almost anything for some of 1t. I'm not sure that it is genuine; but there Is something so sort of clean about 1t" They were in the lower hall be- fore Ann answered.: "I'm afraid you'll think I'm preachy again, honey, but I'v thought lot late- ly. well, I've had lots of time alone to think. And one thing l thought sort of seems to fit in with what you said about serenity being clean. I don't know. but I think that sorrow is something that should be put away and left alone; that 1t is somethin gthat shouldn't be taken out and fingered and soiled."
 Angel Ann!" Cccily said with affection and an amused tolerance; because, after all, what did Ann what could Ann know about real sorrow? An, who confused sorrow with her best undies--who thought of it as something dainty to be wrapped in tissue paper and put away in a drawer with sachet pow der.
 The moon poked ont from be- tween two small sprawling clouds and plotted black shadows, indus triously, itno the siivery white-