Indianapolis Times, Volume 48, Number 34, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 April 1936 — Page 15

APRIL 20,1936.

Today's Short Story CONNIE CLEANS UP By Elizabeth Armstrong

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CONNIE EVANS was a secretary In the Arm of J. D. Jones & Cos., where Jim Wheeler was an office manager. Connie ■was so in love with Jim Wheeler that the fact she was now actually having dinner alone with him in a restaurant seemed too wonderful to be anything but a dream. Connie never thought that this was of particular importance till the night of her first dance five years before, when sitting alone against the wall she watched the pretty girls turn down partners. It hurt cruelly because it was so unfair but right then and there she realized there were two paths open to her. She could either throw up her hands and be bitter about the whole business, or else start the verv next day and see what might be accomplished if she honestly tried to make the most of the meager gifts with which Nature had endowed her what’s more, be pleasant about it, too. Being a very sensible young woman, Connie chose the latter course. nun FIVE years of adhering closely to her resolutions turned Connie from a fat, round shouldered, dowdy little person with neglected hair and always the wrong clothes, into an alert, smart looking young woman ''nown as the best dressed girl .n town. Connie’s budget was more than limited but early in the game she discovered it didn’t take money to look well; it took intelligent thought. It took pains, that's what it took, a -i that’s what Connie gave it. Tonight, for instance, as she sat opposite Jim her black crepe de chine was exactly right—one p ce, streamlined, plain, no bows or s irfs or fussy trimming to make her look shorter than she really was. She was glad she had worn it for she read approval of her appearance in Jim's gray eyes. Suddenly, he leaned across the table and looked at her steadily. There was a little pause; Jim invariably gave the impression that he thought before he spoke. u n a “■ you’re the nicest girl I JL ever knew,” he said. The remark in itself wasn't so hot, but the way he said it made Connie's heart thump. “I'm not much to look at,” she murmured in reply. ■'You’ll never make Miss America,” observed Jim truthfully, “but what you are shows so plainly in your face that ...” then he began to flounder, perhaps realizing that girls don't want men to say things like that; they want them to say, your eyes are like twin stars, your hair defies the raven’s wing and so forth. So he added rather lamely. “Connie. I think a man who falls for looks alone is a sap. The woods are full of girls with nothing to their credit but a treat ankle or a swell pair of lamps.” Almost any one of these very girls would have extracted a proposal from Jim in his next breath, but not Connie. When a man asked her to marry him she wanted him to do it all. Anyway, at that precise instant a tactless waiter brought in two plates of soup which seemed to break the spell, for Jim's next remark was an impersonal one. But, even so, Connie’s instinct told her he was beginning to care. Jim was a slow mover, when he told a girl he loved her it would be for keeps. Secure in her belief, she was content to wait. nun THE next afternoon at the office Connie sat at her desk supposedly making lists for old J. D„ the boss. Only, she wasn’t. The lists were lying unseen before her because she was thinking of Jim. whom she could see now across the room. She was thinking, too, of the dance she went to so long ago at which she had decided not to sulk through life because her nose was too big and the color of her eyes displeasing. <?n who fall for looks alone are . ,s sounded as distinctly in Conr. je's ears as though Jim were actually saying it to her again. Am I happy! said Connie to herself and ns she said it the office clock struck four. As the last stroke died away the outer door opened and in walked the most beautiful girl Connie had ever seen in her life. She was tall with a perfect figure, naturally curly blond hair, sapphire eyes, incredible eyelashes and a skin that would shame a rose. She was the type that neednt consider clothes for she could wear any model, any color, any shape. If she never went to the hair dressers it wouldn't matter and to cold cream her face at night would only be a waste of time. • n n “T WISH to see Mr. J. D. Jones,” X said the girl rudely. “Mr. Jones is busy. May I take a message?" replied Connie. “I will go in. I am his niece, j Miss Jones,” and phe brushed past 1 Connie toward t!ie door marked i private. But, before she disap- i

' peared she flashed a searching look around the office, which included every man. It came to rest on Jim, an unmistakable, come-hither, I-mean-to-get-you look which obviously registered, for Connie saw Jim straighten up, tighten his necktie and button his coat as though expecting a summons from the boss. Almost Immediately it came; when Connie heard J. D.’s buzzer ling her heart sank and. watching Jim walk through the door marked private, she felt as though he were passing forever from her life. Apparently he had done just that for in two weeks’ time it was all over town that Agatha Jones, visiting her uncle, had taken up Jim Wheeler to such an extent that their engagement was momentarily expected. nun IT didn't take people long to discover that Agatha was a selfish, disagreeable, snooty little cat which merely proved that all a mar. asked for in a girl was looks and everything that Jim had said that night at dinner was nothing more or less than hooey. That Vvic the situation on June 15, when the annual get-together office picnic fell due. Fifty strong they went out to Blair's Woods. Connie always enjoyed these outings, for they meant a long motor ride, a day in the real country and a general good time. Miss Jones had joined the picnickers because her uncle made her and greatly against her will. Bored and listless she sat aloof and from under the cool comfort of a shady tree watched the others wrestle with the lunch baskets. • I ss st ss PREPARING food for 50 people was no joke but cleaning up after them was even lesj- amusing. Connie disliked the job as much as anybody; she didn’t want to scrape dirty plates and burn rubbish but it was all part of the picnic and as such she accepted it without a thought of shirking. Finally, apparently unable to bear the picnic any longer, the boss’ niece called out to Jim, “Let’s go for a ride!” At the moment it so happened that Jim was helping Connie; together they struggled with a sardine that refused to release its clutch on a tin plate. Jim jabbed it savagely; it bounded into the air so absurdly that they both laughed and looked Into each other’s eyes . . . just a look but in it was something of their old intimacy. “Connie . . .” began Jim, but on the instant came again that soft, but unmistakably insistent call from the new sport roadster, “Jimmy! Come on!” nun THERE was a fraction of a second’s pause and it flashed across Connie’s mind that if she asked Jim to stay with her he would. She had a wild impulse to lay her hand on his arm and say “Please don’t go with that girl!” and then she saw him glance out at Agatha who, cool and exquisite and desirable, sat waiting. Jim took one look at the mound of waiting plates and without a word strode away. Connie turned her back so as not to see him go with Agatha, but try as she would not to listen in another minute upon her unwilling ears fell the sound of the smart, new sport roadster purring evenly down the country road. n n j* CONNIE!” said a voice behind her quietly. Startled, she turned. There stood Jim. “Why . . . you drove away with Miss Jones!” 'That’s what you think!” replied Jim. “only I didn’t. I came back to see you and get something off my chest. Will you listen to me?” “Why not?” asked Connie scraping furiously. “For the past six weeks,” continued Jim, “I’ve been making an awful fool of myself.” Connie agreed but she let it pass. “Agatha Jones is pretty darned easy to look at and for a while she had me going and I don’t mean maybe. But. on this pi nic I snapped out of it . . . just like thst.” “Why?” “Because I’ve been watching you manicure these filthy dishes.” nun ‘‘QOMEBODY has to clean up.” O "Exactly. Connie, I was brought up in the country and all of us high school kids had a sure fire, non-breakable test by which to judge our girl friends. I've never known it to fail." “What was it, the length of their eyelashes?” “Not on your life! It was: Watch a girl on a picnic. If she won’t help clean up she’s a.. . well, never mind what, but believe me, old Solomon himself never made a wiser crack than that. I love you, dear. Have I j got a chance?” “Wait till I finish these dishes.” answered Connie, “and 111 think it I over.” THE END. i

OUR BOARDING HOUSE

WM. it's SAM ,TME TAJL OK~SW WWAT! VOUR 'BRMKJ X HEATED THE LAWYER, If ECaAP ? / A NUP6E,BEFORE ||L WHO*6 WITH HIM, SAY \ THEY TAG YOU WITH THAT IP YOU WOULDN'T Jgf J A SUMMOMS.HAYSE W TAY POR COUSIkJ RACK— i YOU CAM IMVEMT MICHAEL'S SUIT, J|§g THE KWAVE, \ A VAMISHIM6 fcjfr WE'p COVER YOU TgIrIMVADtMG N*/ 4 CREAM THAT WILL Wf WITH SO MAMV xM CASTLE WITH J MAKE VOU IM- % COURT PLASTERS HIS PETTY VISIBLE,LIKE VOU B "THAT YOUt? LOOK J “Dip Thi' TIME TH' wm LIKE YOU'D SWUM3 j SPUT— i ATRICAM “BUSHMEkJ m. OM SOE LOUIS BY S Jt MAD YOU SALTED

FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS—

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WASHINGTON TUBBS II

T \AW/TAKE ] VOU'BE LUCKy THAT MA6LEW / HUMPHf ALU HE HIT WAS\ > V A NAR>(DIDNT BUMP YOU OFP. /T-r / THAT BAR’L of ashes I IKrEco N ,vl irsai HUr i l was hidin’ behind, i 1 | | \owlv notArsnawetsy

ALLEY OOP

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BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES

r HEYVS TH\S \CEA OT ) CM 1\ —OF ALL TVWYiGS IUU • V

TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD MEN

f UNTTFId' FEa'tURE 'fcYKDIC rri, ‘ jl * 4

Talon death, dreadful, mysterious, stalked the dark jungles of Africa. And the people who dwelt in the shadows of the forest were seized with a fear such as they had never known before, for they knew not where the claws of the Terrible Visitor would strike next

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THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

The jungle folk were familiar enough with the fatal talons of the lion, the leopard and the panther. Each of these beasts they had fought. Sometimes they had slain; sometimes they had been slain; but there was no mystery in these stark, primitive encounters.

With Major Hoople

OUT OUR WAY

( / uSTEN, MISTER - I KNOW\ 1 EVERY SQUEAK. INI THE \ STAIRS BV UIEART, 50 } YOU'RE NOT FOOLING Mfe ! WITH THESE SNAPPERS J UNDER THE CARPET NOW I'M GOING TO L\£L TEll vou again to - CUT OUT TWESE wJr *L COOKIE PICNICS /"lln \ \ AND MIDNIGUT J 1 /'• \ 111.' IU WHY MOTMERS get qbav J

HOW ABOUT THE BULLET \/ THAT TDWNA WHY, THEY'RE HAILING) BALONEY/1 AIN’T HOLES /N YOUR LEFT APM? / DON’T COUNT- LULU BELLE, YOU AS THE GREAT- /NOTHIN’ BUT A H/IS UrLP / EST SHERIFF IN THE /FIGGERHEAD. IF / ABOUT -A HISTORY OF THE JIT WASNT FER YOU A V ?-ATE. -

DON'T “but* ME, YOU PUG‘SWUZZLP.D YAP.' )[ i' IF OOP HADN’T BUMPED YOU OFF'N TH'THRONE, /HU \ '/f/XJI I i WOULD HAVE.' now GIT OUTA MY SIGHT, fhn 2- 1 } M&4, \ BEFORE I LOSE MY TEMPER AN SIC MY J >, E '/ . 'kSSJV I DINOSAUR OM YA! G'WAKI, 0 Wmnt ©mg BY NEA SERVICE. IWC. T. M. Rfed. U j. PAT. OFF.

V.XT6 GO TOR A ..... .. m\ _ BOOTS,VOOLL S\U_Y^YOO ANO I’LL WYXOQA S\V\PVY HAXHE. TTV\_ YOO L 1 TO W£\S> ME ORE AOASOUT OUT '~ J

The Taloned Death, however, was a thing apart—an awesome Thing that struck silently, without warning. Once it had struck, no victim lived to relate his horrible experiences. And the jungle, dwelling place of a thousand mysteries, kept its frightful secret.

—By Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan of the Apes heard rumors of the strange death, but he paid little heed, for he knew the black peoples' tendency to superstition and exaggeration. Then, one day, within his own domain, he came suddenly upon an actual victim of the Mysterious Death!

_ COMIC P AGS

—By Williams

—By Blosser

—By Crane

—By Hamlin

—By Martin