The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-19

We'll. Lucy's been asking about
you. Wants to see you"
"Me?"
Yep. Took fancy to you right
OFF. Tell you what to do. Go down
and see her. Let her talk to you
for little while. She gets pretty
lonesome, you know. Don't be afraid
son, she won't hurt you. Wouldn't
hurt fly-my Lucy wouldn't. Likes
to talk, though
The mind of Lucy Carr was like
something flying in dizzy circles. II
darted in and out of the darkness
that encompassed her. that pressed
always closer as though waiting tc
engulf her. Paris felt sometimes
that if he could only seize her flick
ering attention and fasten it down
she would suddenly become herself
But that bright spot of lucidity anG
sanity was now here, now there
lowering for moment and Their
gone from sight.
Her helplessness appealed TO his
ways, but most of all he talked. He
discovered the kind of news that in
terested her and learned to tell il
bit by bit. She could not follow 9
long story.
II used to take Lucy to the cir.
cus,' Tom Carr told Madame one
day in late spring. 'If you DOM
mind, III take tomorrow off, ma m
I thought maybe she'd enjoy il
again. It's been years since She.
been to town."
| When Paris and his grandmoth-
er returned that afternoon, they saw
Toms cart before the cottage. HI
asked to have Uncle Henry fetcf
the doctor. They had been mis-.
taken, he explained, for part of the
I parade. He had brought Lucy home
and put her to bed.
Excitement" said DR.. Gordon
giving Lucy a sleeping powder.
Later Paris went down to the
little house and tip.oed into thu
front room. Lucy Car lay on the
bed and Tom was rocking hel
gently, grooming in his deep bass
voice.
Lucy saw him. Look, honey, its
Sonny. Glad, Sonny"
Paris sat down on the edge of 6
chair and waited. She closed hel
eyes and slept for a while. Hel
breathing was louder than he hac
ever heard it, though she always
struggled to get air. From time t6
time a loud strangled breath came
and went roughly. 1t sounded like
the turn of a rusty wheel.
rs she better?" he asked.
"Yes-much better"
Lucy opened her eyes after a
while. They seemed to roll loosely
in her head. Sonny, play" she
gasped.
Paris sat down and began to
play. The weird sounds jingled and
cracked under his fingers.
He played on and on. He heard
her breath come more and more
slowly, but he thought the awful
cranking sound was more frequent.
The afternoon light faded, and
the still spring twilight came on
gradually. Still Paris played on
and on. He thought Lucy must be
falling asleep. He could scarcely
hear her. The insane witches mu-
sic that came from the piano was
beginning to make his head ache
The creak of the rockers on the
floor slowed and stopped.
Tom Carr laid hand on his
sholder. THAT will do now. Thank
you, Sonny
"Is she asleep, Mr.. Carp"
Tom Carr shook his head. She's
dead. Will you tell your grand
mother. please? And-thank you
again, Sonny"
The death OF Lucy Carr made
Paris think about God more def
nitely than he ever had before. 1t
seemed to him if there was God,
who looked after everything and
everybody, that events were strange
ly ordered. Things didn't seem
right-or fair. He thought about
Renee and the memory was stony
hard in his breast. That wasn't
right, or fair, either. He was Bit
terly resentful.
He brushed his hand across his
eyes with gesture he had borrow
ed from his grandmother. 1t was
not childish gesture.
(To Be Continued)