Indianapolis Times, Volume 36, Number 273, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 March 1925 — Page 12

12

CHICKIE

SYNOPSIS Chickie. beloved and only daughter of an old-fagliioned couple. Jonathan and Jenny Bryce, experiences a wild tense of joy when Arthur Sontag timidly kisses her on returning from her first dance. He calls on her often, but turns his attention to Dolly Bacon when he learns that. Chickle loves him. Heartbroken, she starts on a business career. In her first position she meets sophiticated Janina. whose caraless speech gives Chtekie a very dark outlook on married life. Jimmy Bryce, brother of Mary. Chickle’* intimate friend, is most attentive to the disillusioned girl. 100 ON WITH THK STORY By Elenore Meherin Chickie stretched her neck slowly. “Aren’t I the most gorgeous looking jdrl on earth. Jimmy darling?” "Sure you are! You always were!” “And I so poor and proud and pure I'm like to die of loneliness!” Jimmy’s eyes narrowed. Then he laughed. “Well, where’d you get that?” Chickie shrugged. “Well, Janina knows—” All unsuspecting she breezed forth with Janina's hard wisdom —even told him one of .Tanina’s caustic formulas for winning and holding the truant male In leash. When she began, he teased her but as she went on, Jimmy’s face hardened. “Look here, Chickie, you don’t want to listen to any of that—” “But Jimmy, a girl has as much right, hasn’t she?” “Hell—" Chickie laughed. “Os course, I suppose you’ve never kissed a girl—oh. no!” He caught her by the shoulders. His eyes were all tight and black. “Look here, Chickle, well, let me tell you, the man doesn’t live that’s worth you even thinking things like this—why—say—” I Chickie laughed because his mouth trembled and got white. She ran her fingers through his hair, whispering, “Darling, old Jimmy," 9* though he were her grandfather, “darling old Jimmy, don’t you •worry—” The next afternoon she worked late. Harry Lewis the nice, mildlooking fellow, the head of her department, stopped at her desk. "Still at It, Miss Bryce? Say—been to the Murat this week? Suppose we go Saturday?” “Why—” Chickie hesitated—“Oh, all right—” She was breathing quick with excitement when she went to the dressing room. She didn't see Janina until Janina said: “Oh, so Harry’s fallen! Good luck. Baby, you’re on your way tiow!” CHAPTER V DON’T BE A PRUDE mN Jamlna's eyes was a little spark of malignant triumph. It made Chickie feel at once easy and defiant. In the next three days she found Janina glancing at her with the same quiet exultance. She wondered: “What is janina thinking?” Saturday' at noon, Janina said: “Have a good time, little one.” “Always do!” Chickie called back flippantly.

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But she was on edge. She said to Mary "I wish I wasn’t going!” “Why?” asked Mary. "I don’t know,” replied Chickie. • “Don’t get stage fright. You may fall in love with him.” "Never!” "Anyway—lt can’t hurt to go with him just once.” * "No —” Yet Chickie’s reluctance grew. She kept thinking of the malice in Janina’s eyes. When Jonathan, nervous as an old woman, with his arm about her shoulder, grew preachy, she forgot to tease Mm. "Look here, Chickie, I want you to come home right after thei show.” “What makes you say such a thing, Jonathan. Where else should I go?” “Well —you might want to go somewhere and dance. And that’s all right with Jimmy and with boys you know. Not with these strange young men.” Chickie brightened. “Ho! Funny old Jonathan. Fraid the wolves will pounce on cutie’s little lamb?” Jonathan was always saying things like that! Why. She scarcely spoke to Harry Lewis as they d>-ove down town. But in the theater she stole a sharp glance at his mild, pleasant face; caught a friendly smile in his eyec. What a little idiot she was! As though a man wasn’t just as harmless as everything cou’d be! Oh, Janina would laugh if she knew how utiff and nervous Chickie had been: She turned gay and sparkling. She sighed with admiration over the gowns the actress wore. And soon she felt at ease. But when the play was over and he took her arm, saying carelessly. “Glorious night. Suppose we take a little ride. I’ve an idea you swing a wicked foot!” When he said that she answered • quickly and very flustered. “Why, no!" He seemed insulted. She made it worse by adding: “Oh, I didn’t mean it like that. Why—it's quite late now ” He remained stiffly, silent. In pure nervousness, Chickie laughed. Her poise returned. She laughed again. “Oh, well, Mr. Lewis, don't be so huffy. You see, it's like this. • I'm father’3 only child. He's a queer old fellow. He’ll sit up waiting for me." “And, of course, I didn’t dream you were going to be so awfully nice and ask me to dance. So I promised to come home early and if I don’t show up he’ll ring up the morgue and the police and the Old Ladies' Home.” He forced a smile —with a touch of sarcasm: "You haven’t brought papa up right, have you? Well — How’s the Palace? That’s near home—.. • • “If you don’t mind, I’d rather, not tonight. You see as long as I told him I’d come—” “Oh, well! Then I suppose I’ll have to freeze you to death with ice-cream?” She took it seriously. “Oh, I'd like that.” He burst out laughing! But they went and had a chocolate sundae. At her door Mr. Lewis swept off his hat with the gallantry of p. prince. “We’ll have to put papa to bed before we go next time?” Chickie caught the touch of grinning malice. As she went tiptoeing down the hall Jonathan called: “Is that you, Chickie?” After she was in bed Jennie came padding in, the candle in her hands —face all gentle. Chickie couldn’t open her eyes. They were smarting with defeat. • • • |m ' ONDAY morning Janina greetllVl ed lier ea ® erly - “You didn’t ‘ come out to Tait's Saturday. The whole crowd was waiting. Go to the Palace?” “No." "Where?" "Ah! You’d like to know, I take it.” Chickie closed her eyes with a sigh mysterious and taunting. But a few days later Janina whipped eff her hat, her face alive with wicked iellght. She stood at Chickie's desk, looking down at the golden head, raising an eyebrow and smiling. She seemed about to go into hysterics. "So you did, did you? Ah. you little cutup. You did. did you?” ,

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Chickle, sharpening her pencils, gave Janina a look of pity? “Why all the glee?” Then she tossed a note. On it was typed, all letters In capitals: “CHICKIE BRYCE, WILD WOMAN! LOOK OUT FOR HER. SHE EATS CHOCOLATE SUNDAES. HIP! HIP! HOORAY!” Chickle crumpled the paper—tore it into bits. The delicious incident furnished Janina with a hundred cruel little arrows that stuck sorely into Chickie’s pride. Her lips curled with mockery. "Poor ole Harry! Thought he'd come a strutting triumphantly with my lovely little golden girl on his arm! Thought he’d have them all green with envy! "She feeds him Ice cream! Ah! Papa's little baby. Tuck her In at night.” That made Chickie’s heart burn. Janina and Harry Lewis sneering at Jonathan. And It happened that very afternoon, when she was forced to take some papers into the glassed in office, Harry Lewis took them leisurely asking her questions, smiling. eyes twinkling: “Papa still sitting up late, Miss Bryce?” Chickie turned sharply, winking, trying to pass it off lightly with a laugh, but It bit too deeply. Struggling to keep her lips from twitching, she said: “I made a great mistake, Mr. Lewis, to speak of my father to you.” She rushed out his office, quivering, lest the to-c should run out of her eyes. She expected to be dismissed. She thought: "Now, he’ll tell that to Janina, too.” • • • JT nothing happened except that Mr.'Lewis became very u—J stiff and business-like whenever she went to his office. He rattled papers and gave out crisp orders. He didn't ask her to a show again. One day, about a month later—a month of loneliness to Chickie — she and Janina passed him on the street. Janina said: "Didn’t get very far with that affair, did you?” "Oh, as far as I wished,” Chickie answered with magnificent condescension. Janina laughed quietly. “Bo? Well, whether you want it or not, you won’t get very far with the reputation you're winning.” Chickie stood still. "What do you mean, Janina?” "If you don’t take a tip, Chickle, all right. If you think fellows like Harry Lewis and Chris Thomas—you went out with him once—didn't vou?—are going to have their Saturday nights spoiled by a darn little prude ’’ It was Chickie’s turn to sneer. "I should wo. ry about Harry Lewis or Chris Thon as!" Janina giew winsome, laughing at Chickle. "Ah, but you do. That’s the irony of being a woman. We're all on our knees to them. We've been put there by centuries of training. We watch their faces, glad when they smile, wretched when they don’t.” Janina walked along In silence. Then she whispered, half taunting, in Chickie’s ear: "Not much of a petter, are you?” “What!” Chickle was suddenly all

Posed by Milton Bvron. Martha Mo-ton and Edythe Elliott of the Berkeil Players. Chickie Is introduced to Jake Munson by Janina.

on fire with shame. Janina shrugged “Oh, well; men and babies, you know! Both alike. We have to daudle them if we want them to coo—” Janina broke off abruptly, her vivid face suddenly pale. Coming directly to them was a tall, magnificent fellow, with black eyes and a flashing, kingly air, Jake Munson. Chickle knew of him. She had heard endless gossip about him. Muraon was at the head of a big brokerage business, a man about 35, wealthy, magnetic, a lavish spender. Every girl in Chickie’s office was wild aobut Jake Munson. They kept detailed tab on him. They knew who he was taking out, who happened to be driving a gray roadster he owned. When he gave a diamond wrist watch to Amy Keaton every girl on Market St. learned of it before two months were past. Janina withdrew Into a fury of contemptuous silence when Jake Munson was discussed by these other girls. Now she put out her hand, saying, with a touch of eager humility —shutting Chickie out —“Hello, Jake! Haven’t you forgotten about tomorrow night? Oh, say, did you hear about Bess?" Chickle was a*>out to walk on when Munson said, “Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Janina?” “Oh sure, she’s my particular discovery, Jake. My own, little shrinking violet. Miss Chickie ,Bryce.”

TMi!. USDiAiNAPULIb Tlilth

Is Introduced by Janina to Jake Munson, Who Immediately Takes An Interest in Her Because of Her Modest Ways, the Talk of the Office

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Chickie felt the man’s rich, dark eyes dwelling kindly on her face. She wanted to say something easy, something superior and womanly of the world like, but Janina’s taunt left her red and flighty. Munson laughed. “A violet, Janina. What a treat In this day to come upon the vanishing species—" Not long after his Chickle passed Jake Munson on the street. With a delightful friendliness, he stopped and began to talk. “You and Janina friends. Miss Bryce?” “Yes, we work together.” Chickle liked the warm vitality of his face. He towered over her, smiling. “Well, then, we’ll have to arrange a little party. Y'ou'll come? I’ll tell Janina.” She went hurrying back to the office, a-quiver with Gushed elation. Janina was in the dressing room. She put her arm effectionately in Chickie’s, whisperering with a soft, malicious laugh. “Trying a fling at Jake? Better not, baby—take it from me, you'll not get away with It. A good fire can melt a little snow. Watch out!” CHAPTER VI. MARY SPEAKS UP r ■) HICKIE turned on the faucet, \r began very deliberately to wash her hands. ’’Huffed?” Janina asked. "Not

sore because I gave you a little pointer?” “Oh, I don't think I want any of your pointers. Janina. The man doesn’t live that’s worth all that trouble!” The brilliant eyes narrowed threw out little intense darts of amusement. “Oh, he doesn’t? Well—you just wait, my pretty one. You’ll find that such a man does live. We all find that out! Whether we like to or not we, dance to their tunes, sooner or later.” Chickie dashed the water from her hands. “That for you and your poinetrs, Miss Knowles.” She wanted to push Janina —give her a good shove, get out into the sun, let the clean air sweep about her. Janina often made her feel like that. Chickie had never caught life naked as Janina had. To her it appeared always vague and beautiful—a dream form, garmented with silver, passing with music. She wanted to see it so. Now, when Janina tore at the nebulous robe, springing back with a laugh as the blemishes lay bare, Chickie covered her eyes. She clung passionately—with the grim pathos of youth —to her ardent illusions. Oh, she wanted to believe the world, a glad, happy place where women sang and children laugh; where tall, kingly fellows like Jako Munson go abcut doing only great and noble things. Yet Janina’s voice hooted in her ears. • • • A* 1 " 1 '1 T 6 o'clock she met Mary coming from work. Mary *- had some shopping to do—she was looking for a lace vest — something dainty and ever so fetching—easy to find if Mary didn’t also require that it be cheap. The girl behind the counter took down,the long green boxes —“Here's a pretty thing.” It was a combination of Irish lace and hand embroidery, with a little round collar —just what Mary wanted. She tried eagerly to see the price tag, but with its usual perversity the card was wrong side up. The girl noted this, turned the tag with a breezy “sixteen and a hawlf!” Mary frowned with annoyance. "Sixteen and a hawlf!” she snapped indignantly to Chickie as they walked out. “Did you notice that vest of hers and the five dollar stockings and the twenty dollar shoes? How do they do it?” Chickie's lip went up with a breezy "Good petters, I dare say!" She felt Mary stiffen. A flash of angry silence. Then with a sneering drawl, “I wouldn't be so glib quoting that one if I were you, Chickie!” "You mean Janina!” Mary’s eyes faced clear ahead. She walked on swiftly—silent. Abruptly she said: “She makes me furious! I think we ought to cut her out completely—” Chickie had a sharp sudden tightening in her throat. “She’s an empty, shallow thing! I wouldn’t listen to a word she says. Why, what does she know of love or anything!” Mary’s voice softened; her face became suddenly intent and flushed. Chickie thought with a shock of amazement. "Mary! Well —of all things! Why—look at her—she's getting pretty!” Aloud she said, “You used to be rather glad to hear what Janina had to say.”

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"Yes—well—it’s all right for Janina to have those views. She can get away with that kind of stuff. But you and I couldn’t." “How do you figure that?” “Don’t act stupid, Chickie! You know rs well as I that Janina Knowles is as hard and selfish as she were made of steel. She can do things and laugh that would make you cry forever.” “Just the same, Mary, she lives in the same world as we do and the men she meets are no different, whether we believe it or not ” “Don’t you ever think that, Chickle. There are men that Janina knows nothing about.” The color went sweeping into Mary’s face. She stopped suddenly before a shop window, pointing to a string of beads. “Stunning, aren’t they? Look — here comes Ethel Bird—don’t talk long, I want to hurry home ” That evening when Chickie sauntered down to the Blakes, Mary was plucking roses in the old dilapidated garden. “Let’s take a walk,” Chickie said. “I want to buy some ribbon.” “I can’t.” “Gong out?” “No!” Chickie came close and whispered: “For heaven’s sakes, what’s up, Mary?” Snip, snip, snip—Mary's scissors were all over the bush, her face pink to the line of her soft brown hair. "Nothing!” What are you talking about? Wait till tomorrow. I’ll go with you then.” • • • |7yl| ALKING pensively down the I Yv I block Chickie came face to i face with Edward McPike. The young man grabbed his hat off, saying stiffly. “Nice evening, Miss Bryce.” Chickie watched him with a little chill of dismay. So that was it. Edward McPike—the young chemist who worked for the same wholesale drug company as Mary. Chickie had met him once and Mary had said. “He’s brilliant. He has a big future.” Chickie had seen only a quiet, clumsy fellow with one shoulder a little higher than the other, his legs too short Tor the powerful frame they supported. And now he was standing at Mary’s door, pulling his coat down, thrusting a glove nervously in his pocket. Now the door was opening ” Oh —surely Mary wasn’t Mushing and looking all sweet and eager because of Edward McPike! Chickie stood perfectly still—staring at the parlor window of the Blakes. A light commenced to shine. Loneliness went in a pang through her— There were often nights after that when Mary couldn't take a walk; when Mary didn't want to go to the movies. And finally when Jimmy took them to the Circle, Edward McPike came along. He and Mary sat together. He

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had a way of looking at Mary with his eyes intent and childlike as though he thought her a most beautiful person. When Mary looked up to find his eyes like that a loveliness seemed to awaken like a light in her face as though she spoke: as though she murmured to him. “Oh, Edward—there’s only you in the whole world.” They went afterwards as they al ways did and had waffles. When Edward talked, he balanced a fork on his fingers, keeping his eyes down as though he were extremely shy and uncertain of himself. But he said sharp, amusing things, now and then glancing at Mary. Chickle cpuld almost feel, like warm elated presences, the smiles stepping forth from Mary’s lips. They gave her a kind of sparkling and manifold vitality. Jimmy noticed it, too. When he held Chickie’s coat he whispered, teasing: “Say, throw me a look or two like that. Ready now, I’ll give the agonizing stare —pull a blush.” When the four parted at Chickie’s steps, Edward and Mary going slowly down th 4 block, Chickie sighed: ‘They like each other, Jimmy?” He stood at the gate musing. "They sure do.” "Mary seems all thrilled. Humph —were you ever in love, Jimmy?" He looked down at her and laughed, his black, thick hair blown straight across his forehead. He kept looking at her with half a gTin, until Bhe said. “Well, were you?” “Oh, for the little matter of four or five years." "I mean truly!" /“So do I.” "You honestly were, Jimmy?” “I honestly am, Chickie.” She tossed her head. "It doesn't mean much to a man, does it?” He answered extravagantly and using one of her own worjjLj'. “Oceans!” “Oh, my, yes! Oceans —if you can have nil the waves want in them! I think it’s Jimmy, that man should be (Cintinued Tomorrow) (Copvrlght. Kin* Feature Syndieate^^B FOR BURNING ECZEmI Apply Zemo, the AntiseptiJ Liquid—Easy to Use When applied as directed Zemo effectively removes Eczema, quickly stops Itching, and heals skin troubles, also Sores, Burns, Wounds and Chafing. It penetrates, cleanses and soothes. Zemo is a clean, dependable nnd inexpensive antiseptic liquid, that is especially adapted ror daytime us because it does not show. Trial bottlf 35c. large size, SI.OO. Zemo Soap. anti, septic nnd healing, 25c. All druggists. —Advertisement..