Indianapolis Times, Volume 48, Number 32, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 April 1936 — Page 35

APRIL 17, 1935.

-“—Today's Short Story — - A NEW MOTHER By Maribelle Morrison

“I saw ‘Orchids for Throe’,” he said bewildered. “But you—you're not the star.” JIM JUNIOR didn't even notice that Mona was looking at him goggled-eyed. He was worried because he couldn’t figure things out, and no one had told him anything. Even at 10, Jim Junior had a scientific turn of mind and liked to have everything cut and dried. To begin with, what was the reason for this unexpected vacation from school? At Graystone Academy, wherp Jim was a boarder, they were awfully mean about letting a guy nut for week-ends. You were only allowed three a term . . . and he'd had his three long ago! He and Dad were sorta greedy about vacations—they liked being together. Maybe they liked it more than ordinary fathers and sons, because Jim Junior had no mother; she had died when he was three. For one horrible minute, he’d thought that something awful had happened to Dad. Maybe he was ill. Maybe he was—dead! But he had soon grinned in relief. Noth.ng could have happened to Dad. Aunt Jane would have broken any bad news last night. People didn’t keep bad news very long. n n n ACROSS the room he caught Mona’s eye. Not a bad kid, Mona, for a girl. Pity she was delicate and had that giggly Miss O'Malley for governess. Mona's lips were closed firmly, ns if she were having a struggle to keep quiet. Now she caught his eye, and leaned forward. Suddenly, her words came out with a rush. "I know something! Uncle’s .. . married . . . again!” Jim Junior stared at her, blinking. Married. His Dad married? It sounded queer . . . awfully queer. Jim Junior gelt a shaky feeling in his knoes. "But that isn’t all .. .” Mona drew a breath. Shs looked at him half pityingly, half trumphantly. She liked Jim, but she liked a sensation better. “Go on!” He set his jaw. “He’s married a film star . . .” Mona's eyes were round as saucers. "A film star. Like .. . like .. . Janet Gaynor!” nun JIM JUNIOR sat down on the nearest chair. His face felt red. A film star. People like Dad didn’t marry film stars, did they? He gulped. Yes, they did. Johnny Farmer, at his school, had a mother who was a big star. He'd always felt sorry for Johnny Farmer. Oh, his mother was pretty . . . she was too pretty for a mother. And she gave him lots of things . . . and he had more pocket money than any guy in the school. But Mrs. Farmer had an awfully sissy name on the films . . . Bettina Madison, they called her. The other guys called Johnny “Bettina Madison's little boy.” It was awful for Johnny. Then, too, his mother was hardly ever home when Johnny had his vacattion. she ■was always in Europe, or somewhere. Johnny got letters with foreign stamps . . . but that didn't make up. “She’s probably awfully cute ...” Mona said helpfully. “Film stars are awful pretty sometimes . . ." nun JIM JUNIOR grunted. Johnny Farmer's mother was pretty . . . but not the sort of way you wanted your mother to be. She had white hair, like an Eskimo, and terribly long red nails . . . and the other guys said she painted her toe-nails. Mona edged up to him. This was a dangerous business, but it was awfully thrilling. “I can tell you something else. She's playing in a film that’s on today in the village. It's called ’Orchids for Three.’ ” Mona's eyes sparkled; she touched Jim Junior on the arm. “We could go down and see it . . No one saw them go; Miss OMalley thought they’d gone into ‘he yard to ride Mona’s new bike, lut Mona took 50 cents out of er savings bank with a knife . . . nd they cut down the village street. There were only a few feet from the Brentwood Palace Cinema when Mona said suddenly: “I bet they’ll put your picture in the paper . . . with her ...” Jim Junior went very red. “I’m no sissy,” he said, in a choky voice. “They'd better not try. ...” He’d seen a picture of Johnny Farmer once ... all the fellows at school saw it . . . and he had his arms around his mother's neck, saying ‘Good-by, mother!’ The fellows never stopped kidding Johnny about it. nun WHEN “Orchids for Three” came on. he felt Mona stiffen beside him and lean forward in her seat. Then the star came on . . . and Jim Junior felt awfully cold and sick. The star. She was . . . terrible! * She had a mputh that was much too full of teeth, and hair like Johnny Farmer’s mother, and she sang in a high squeeky voice. And her eyes rolled and rolled. . . . He sat there and stared at her sick with misery. She had a worse name than Johnny’s mother. Her name was Babe Honeyford. Babs. Imagine a mother called Babs. Jim Junior was suddenly cold and hoarse. He nudged Mona’s arm roughly. “Let’s get outa here!” All the way home he wouldn’t nay a word. Mona, staring at him sideways. tried to guess at his thoughts. But

I she couldn't. No one could have guessed at his thoughts. He had never thought Dad would marry. Not without telling him. n n n TT WASN’T as if he would have minded terriby. In fact, he had often thought that he would like a mother. But he wanted the usual kind. A mother like Tubby O’Neill’s mother, so rinstance. Mrs. O’Neill was a bit fat, like Tubby, but she had the nicest smile and she could think of more exciting things f(sr him and Tubby to do in the vacation. . . . Besides, she knew just how to treat a boy. She never kissed Tubby in front of the other guys . . . though Tubby admitted he hugged her plenty when he got her alone! He wouldn’t have minded that sort of mother. But a film star .. . They met Miss O’Malley coming t down the road; she looked very excited. She pounded on Mona and shook her . . . just a little, because Mona was delicate. “Mona! Where have you been?” Mona told. She told everything. Better to break it to Miss O’Malley than mother! More and more she felt sure mother would be really mad. Besides, she was a bit scared about Jim Junior; he looked rather sick. n n n TiJTSS O'MALLEY looked curious■t** ly at Jim. “So you’ve seen her . . . your new mother ...” “Yes.” Jim's face went red again. He wouldn't say a word. Miss O’Malley looked rather uncomfortable for a minute. Then she hurried the children forward. “Better brush up first. Jim . . . then come downstairs quickly. Your father is here ...” “Dad!” Something caught in Jim’s throat. He wanted to see Dad . . . he wanted it badly. But Dad with a film star . . . with a film star called Babs. . . . Jim rushed upstairs again. It was quite a long time before he walked downstairs again. “Jim, old man!” This was his father, pumping his hand, slapping him on the back. He had to try to smile back ... his father looked so terribly pleased to see him ... but he felt as if the smile was crooked on one side of his face. “I've got a surprise for you, Jim. A big surprise ...” n n u HE was conscious of Aunt Jane, and another figure with her. But he simply couldn’t look past his father. Somewhere in that room Babs Honeyford was waiting, with her long red nails and her white hair. If she kissed him, he felt he would be sick. Jim Junior gulped. “I know,” he said. “I saw her . . . this afternoon. Mona and I went to see ‘Orchids for Three’ ... so I . . saw her in it.” There was a short, astounded laugh from his father, and a sound of annoyance from Aunt Jane. “You saw me! You must have awfully good sight, Jim!” He went forward slowly, as if he were hypnotized. The lady was holding out her hand . . . just one . . . to shake his. He drew a long breath. She wasn’t a young lady. She must be almost as old as Dad ... as old as Mrs. O'Neill, Tubby’s mother. She had a blue dress with white on it . . . very like the dress Tubby’s mother wore to the Prrze-Giving. She hf.d a nice hat, and beads round her neck. She didn't look a bit like the movies. She looked as if she might be some boy's mother .. . n n u HE went a little farther forward. Then he stopped, staring up into her face. The relief on his own vu enormous. This wasn’t that Babs. This lady wasn’t even a bit like her. “I saw ‘Orchids for Three’ ” he said, bewildered. “But you . . . you're not the star . . . ” He frowned, trying to remember. He didn’t remember her at all. “I only had a very small part,” she said, apologetically. “I used to be on the stage once ... but I was never much good. And I’m not going in the films any more. Your father and I thought it would be nice if we all had a house in the country ... a real house ...” She smiled at him; without realizing it. he was standing quite close to her. She had an awfully nice smile. “We thought you wouldn’t mind a few days away from school . . . to help, us find the right sort of house ...” she said. Her eyes twinkled. You knew she had things like rabbits . . . and maybe a pony ... on her mind. nun JlM's father had come forward. “I think he’s disappointed you’re not a star, Mary!” Jim gulped. He tried to speak. But she was quicker than he was. She smiled at him, then at his father. "No, he isn’t!” she said, calmly. She understood . . . and Jim knew she did. Then, quite casually, almost as a father would, she flung an arm round Jim Junior’s shoulders. “Feel like showing me the village, Jim? We might get Mona and have a soda.” She smiled. “I’m awfully thirsty myself. How are the sodai in this village?” ‘‘Oh . . . swell!” Jim Junior said. His voice was still a bit funny. It takes a guy quite a time to get over a big shock. Especially a nice sort of shock! THE END. (OopyrltlU. me, Ni*i Syndicate Cc., lac.)

OUR BOARDING HOUSE

MICHAEL HOOPt-E / BAM! IF YOU CAN WAY HE # AD, "THE BRAZEN f UNSCR AMBLeJf SUCEP OPTTHE f KJETwVE OP THAT KNAV&! THAT J. "BALONEY,SOL'D J [ —SPUT-T-7—IT'S BEYOND M MYSTERY ME OKI THE -M k. MY COMRREHENSIOM "BY POKINcS M HUWCH THAT i WOW THE BRACI6ARX VOLTR OWKI i|L rP HE WASN'T W ( COULD LOOK VOU BSB TO T BGEZER IN If COUSIN, HE | EYE AND SPIW CPA I MUST BE VOUR , SUCH YARNS/ J Yf MttRROR AND JbrTWIW BROTHER/* l e '93* y at* eteyict, me. r. m. keg. u.. pat, on. v//-//} u~By T/~ y? j /fgrH-17,

FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS—

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WASHINGTON TUBBS II

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! THIS IS TREASON! vouve (you meanj you W/ho/kawow, (oh, yeah GOT NO BUSINESS OW MY S WERE KIMG/ OOP -IT TAKES ) MAYBE THAT3 THROWE, WEARIM' TH MOOVIAKJ V BRAISJS T'BE A / 7H' REASON finii ,yi i, 11

BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES

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THE TARZAN TWINS

—By r,dgar Kice uurroug

Despite their fear and horror, Dick and Doc felt a certain exhilaration in flying through the air in the arms of the apes. Many times the boys had thrilled to the spectacular leaps and swings of acrobats in the circus, but no acrobat could perform these flying miracles.

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THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

One breath-taking leap followed another, time and again. Ofter Dick and Doc were certain their ape captors would miss their hair-breadth calculations and plunge swiftly earthward, but their fears were groundless. On and on they sped toward their mysterious destination.

With Major Hoople

OUT OUR WAY

r \/' YES- \ Y NEAREST ,i < / TWIS 15 A \( IT WAS/J ( GATE IS SIX j (' wlPk-il, ' . ... i.. m 1 .psi' ... ' ' V' ■ :

gUT, LOOK f LULU BELLE'S FAITHFUL.] /j ZY POLICE WAGON BLOCKS THE ENT. 7W <r> 1936 by nea service, inc. t. m, beg, q s. PA-r onO"

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iTiai tii VNENA. .1 OOKiUO l \ SN)T \T, fYEAVV'.Ni'vjNUEIA VA LET OWW \Y'O TAUE PLENTY TVAO ? W OOIaJM ENOUGH TO GET AfoOOT A 1 TO E.YOTE. TAE, \T'S A ffWk REAL CHOMVW , I'M TtQSOKi | Q\G\AT VAOVaG 1 SWiELL Wf ST\LL YOA\T\M‘ TO VOV\O VAOKiEGTLY, TV\\G PLACE. // VAL_AQ. V\OW) VA L’O'L’Q. TOOVAO OUT ; \G TV\‘ MOST TO LET /// T’P.L YALPT THAT PLACE.TOL. GANO OOWiM, i /// TV\’ Y V'PGT PLACE 1 \S P\LE YNE Hi LOPAT'G \T ALL A CQOItOO

Half the time Dick’s heart seemed to be in his mouth. He thought of steep roller-coasters, plunging express elevators, terrifying chute-the-chutes, diving airplanes; but none of them had given him the remarkably thrilling sensation he experienced now.

—By Edgar Rice Burroughs

Then suddenly their captors dropped quickly downward through the trees. Before the boys realized what was happening, the apes landod lightly on the back of an elephant! And there beside them, as if conjured up by some extraordinary magic, stood a strange man.

COMIC PAGE

—By Williams

—By Blosser

—By Crane

—By Hamlin

—By Martin