Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 December 1937 — Page 27

By ELINORE COWAN STONE Copyright, 1937, NEA Service, Inc.

. L

CAST OF CHARACTERS LINDA BENTON—Hercine, daughter of a famous singer. ' © CAPT. BARRYMORE TRENT—Hero, flying “daredevil.” : MIRANDA TRENT—Barrymore’s grands mother; a “strong woman.” ?

Yesterday: Rita Blanchard enters the picture. Linda doesn’t know exactly how, except that Mrs. Trent and Barry ary, concerned in some manner. How will it affect her life?

CHAPTER FIVE

J ATER that day, when Linda ran L.« downstairs to fetch Mrs. Trent's afternoon mail, Barry stepped from the library door into her path. ~- “Don’t I rate even a few minutes cice a day?” he demanded; and swinging her from her feet, he held her close to him for a moment. Then he set her gently down again.

- “You're so little, Titania—so little to do to a man what you're doing to me,” he murmured. = “I must go,” Linda whispered in &-quick breath. : -" Barry, she was remembering, had & way with the lower classes. “This afternoon, then,” Barry begged, “while Grandmother’s taking her nap. In the library—nobody comes there.” 2 “No,” said Linda. “No, Barry.”

--It was incredible that Geoffry Benton's daughter, for whom to be sought affer had always been as much a matter of course as to be served her morning coffee, should be standing here in a strange woman'’s ‘house, feeling this hot, sickening humiliation. be » » HY not?” 5 “Because,” Linda flashed, 41 can’t be stealing around in your ‘grandmother’s house—hiding with ‘you in corners like a—oh, Barry, you ‘must see that I can’t!” | <-“1 do see.” He had been holding both her hands; now he dropped them. “So you imagine I'd thought of it that way, do you—that that’s {the kind of thing I would want?”

‘He looked so hurt—so like a Slapped little boy—that Linda, con- _» used and wretched, cried swiftly, ) “No—not that either. But, Barry, she’s so old—and you're all ‘she’s 5 got.” !-- “But after all, you're not taking - away anything she’s ever had. Good Lord! ‘ a8 a part-time grandmother.” _--Linda laughed in spite of herself. : 8 8 ry HAT’S better.” Barry caught her hand and drew her to a seat on the stairway; then he sat gown on the step below her. “You're not letting the Duchess’ legend of the Trent women get you down, are you darling? They were no doubt a fine, upstanding lot of women, as I should be the last to deny. But I'll take mine little and sweet, with hands like Titania's—" he lifted one of her hands to his cheek—“and feet that barely reach the floor when she sits in a man-size chair. And all the better if she turns pale at the sight of blood—especially if it’s mine . . . Anything else?” “Well—" Linda hesitated. It was hard to think with his dark head so near the touch of her hand. “We haven't known each other so very long, have we?” “You'd be surprised to find out how much I know about you, but—" he sat up and grinned as if at a new and entirely amusing idea—“I see! You're sold on that bromide of the Duchess about ‘a girl in every port’, eh? Well, there's this to be said about that: After you've knocked about a bit, you've picked up some _ pretty definite ideas about women. The girl I ask to marry me stays asked.”

HEN Linda sat very still for a '¥'¥ moment, not knowing what to say because she could not be sure how much he meant, Barry said, his eyes on the hand he still held in his, “Listen, Titania! Suppose you knew that I was going to—oh, let’s put it differently! . . . Suppose you knew that I had to go away, almost. at once, and might not come back for—well, for a long time . . . Got that?” “Yes,” said Linda, startled by his unwonted gravity. : “Would you marry me then, or would you still feel that we must wait until we knew cach other better?” = 2 Linda said, “I would marry you if it ‘were the last thing I did,” and was amazed to hear her own voice speaking the words. “In spite of the Duchess 4nd what she might » “In spite-of the whole world.” _ “And you will remember that I asked you this, and what you answered?” ; ° “I will remember,” she said. “That's being a fine brave Trent woman,” Barry said, and laughed exultantly. : - At the sound of impatient movements above, Linda broke away and ran guiltily up the stairs. Looking down from the turn at the landing, she saw that he was still laughing up_ at her, his hands clasped above his head in an -absurd gesture of self<congratulation, - that wicked glint in. his eyes that always' made his grandmother say, “Now he’s up to some meanness.” ; “And I thought he was in earnest, Linda thought as she fled. wo > ¥ un -» ALITTLE later that afternoon ; Linda thought she had the answer to the question she had asked herself earlier in the day. Old Miranda, answering the telephone at her elbow in the drawing room called to Linda as she

I don’t think of you exactly |

| Party organized, and is it nationorganised in July; 1936, |

{ Augusta, Ga.?

INDA hurried upstairs. She did not want to talk to Barry just then. : She did not have a later opportunity, for a few minutes afterward he dashed out of the house and drove away. He did not return for dinner, nor for the evening in the drawing room. Linda did not ask anv questiohs about him; and old Miranda did not volunteer any information. Linda hated herself for the thought, but it would come, turning her alternately cold and hot with shame and misery: Had Barry gone to Rita Blanchard—almost directly from those moments with her on the stairway? Had all that been really just some of his teasing nonsense? .- . Affer all, just what had he said that afternoon? Not “will you . marry me?” but “would you marry me—if—?” . . . Did old Miranda guess, too, that he had gone to Mrs. Blanchard? For old Miranda was strangely silent that evening. a a. 8 HEY did not play their usual game. Once in the early evening Mrs. Trent glanced at the clock, which it -seemed to Linda

she had been furtively watching: ever since dinner, and asked Linda]

to turn on the radio. She listened impassively. to a brief news broadcast, and with a ‘silent movement

“It seems strange that there isn’t any trace of that plane Capt. Trent was so worried about, doesn’t it?” Linda roused from her own unhappy thoughts to say, “He said Lieut. Rust is the best pilot he knows.” _ “Ah?” said old Miranda absently. “So he did. . '. . Well, sooner or later, for the best of them, there seems to come one last time. No wonder they're a heedless lot. . . .

Shall we go oh with our reading, my dear Mss Benton?” , So Linda read on and on. But this evening Miranda Trent did not knit, nor did she drowse—nor did she seem fo listen. She sat very, straight as usual, her eyes on some dim, dark distance, as if they would | penetrate space, and find out something beyond the ken of ordinary vision. ' It was almost midnight when Barry came in. = At sight of his tense, tire] face, old Miranda got slowly to Ler feet, her hands trembling a little on the head of her cane. y “Well?” she asked simply. “Well?” and stood waiting. Then, when he only nodded, she said, “I see,” and sat down a little

her eyes never leaving her grandson's face. !

(To Be Continued)

of her head, ordered it off again.

(All events, names and characters in this story are wholly fictitious.) |

Daily Short Story |

TWO STRIKES—By James O'Hara

® personal decadence which even he

T heart Jerry Travers had always been a normal boy, and

if conditions had been normal, per-

haps he would have turned out to'

be a respected member of the com-

munity. But conditions developed

to be quite the opposite of normal. Almost from birth Jerry was destined to line himself up behind the eight ball. i His mother was all that a mother | should be. Before her marriage she | had lived in the exclusive Back’ Bay section of Boston, and part of a heritage of gentility had been | transmitted -to Jerry. _ | His father had also at one time laid claim to a certain amount of good breeding, but by the time Jerry was 6 it would have been difficult to find many traces of it. Old man Travers was one of those unfortunates who are predestined eternally to be defeated by the world. Jerry’s. earliest recollections of him were not of the sort he cared to shout to the world. They lived on the! borderline between a middle-class residential section and an unblushingly squalid distriet. Jerry’s father would work for a couple of weeks, just enough to make the expenses and a little extra, and then he would disappear for a week. What he did during his absences he never bothered to explain. Jerry's frail mother acted as a buffer between her son and his deteriorating father as long as she was physically able, and Jerry benefited by her guidance. But the struggle eventually proved to be too much for her slender vitality. Old man Travers sobered up just long enough to see her cecently buried. : ” ” »

HE second period of Jerry’s life ' was just what you might ex- ; pect if. to be. His father showed no aptitude for halting the steady

ASK THE TIMES

Inclose a 3-cent stamp for reply when addressing any question of fact or information to The Indianapolis Times Washington Servicer Bureau, 1013 13th St., N. W., Washingten, D. C. ‘Legal and medical advice cannot be given, nor can extended research be wundertaken,

Q—When will the monthly payments of ~ld-age retirement benefits under the Social Security Act begin

| in an orgy of self-pity and drink.

“He knew he was in a spot.”

himself finally was forced to recognize. Instead, he used Mrs. Travers’ passing as an excuse to indulge

Jerry managed by some miracle to get through two years of high school by the time he was 16, at which time he pondered the advice of some of his case-hardened associates and quit school forever. And following their advice still further, he joined their mob and went out with them on their little forays, Inevitably, the time came when one of the juvenile gang’s coups failed tb come off properly—and when Jerry came out of a oonfusing haze of police station cells, rides in patrol wagons, show-ups at the detective bureau, he found himself facing a year’s imprisonment in reform school. ! ) » » ”

N the day he emerged from the ’ reformatory he found Datective Breen waiting on the steps for him. “Jerry,” Breen told him, “I knew your mother and I know you've got good stuff in you. You just got in the wrong company, that’s all. For vour mother’s sake I'll see that you get a joh and a chance tp go straight. How abbut it?” Jerry naturally grabbed at this unexpected offer. A year in the reform school had opened his eyes to a lot of things, among which was the

fact that he had been a big chump. |

The straight and narrow was the only way to go! In practically no

time af all he found himself an at- |

tendant at ‘a big gas station in the district. And Breen himself, in the role of old family friend, often dropped by to see how things were progressing. Jerry counted himself lucky ‘o get the break. =F He was happy at last, just being free and working. He never bothered t¢ inquire about his father. He took a little room by himself and began tc study in the daytime when

he got. off the night shift he was|

working. At night, when he was alone in the station, he had time to think, to plan his future. But the past caught up with him finally. Shortly after midnight one night Jerry found himself the unwilling host of two of, his former cronies, Pug and Clem, who came from tie other end of the ward. Even as they came quickly to the point of their visit Jerry realized that they represented an entirely different world--a world he had almost succeeded in forgefting. ' ° : on 8 8 8

: E'RE in a jam and need some dough,” Pug explained. “You can help us out, just by playing dumb. We know you've got a lot of dough in that safe that the boss is supposed to take to the bank in the morning. All we do is wait

and how many persons will be eligible by that date? : ;

A—On and after Jan. 1, 1942, ment benefits will be paid to individuals who meet specified require ments. By 1942, it is roughly estimated that about 175,000 per-

sons will be eligible for monthly |,

benefits. = Q—Can salt water be frozen?

A—Yes; at 4 degrees below thet

freezing point of fresh water. Q—When was the American Labor

wide? A—-1It was by John L. Lewis and George 3 It is confined at present to the State of New York. hes :

Q—1s there a Negro newspaper in

A—Yes, “The every Saturday.

many U. 8. 3

y poe Ng ae

monthly Federal old-age retire- | him

: alibi, see?”

Echo,” published |

for the next single customer to came along and stick him up, then take him into the office. We tie up. and you too, open the safe and scram. The customer’s your

heavily on her chair behind her,|"

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

TUESDAY, DEC. 21, 1937

OUT OUR WAY

By Williams |

—

‘LI'L ABNER

{ WHY, THAT'S AN \ SULT, TO SAY CAN'T GET MY FEET INTO THEM .GOLE BAGS ~ WHY, I COULDN'T . BEND MY KNEES : IN ‘EM /

WHY MOTHERS GET GRAY

HA-HA! \Z ‘WHY, THEY'D LOOK LIKE NOSE BAGS ON THAT PAIR OF PERCHERONS! H-

THE TODAY -IS A

CIRCUS TRANS

WELL , YOU JUST SAID YOUR ARE YoU SURE ’ You Si. NAME: WAS SYLVESTER COOK ..°

SO I GUESS YOURE :

ABBIE AN' SLATS

hai} Se tle 2 hr Pp = o

ITS MOTHER LEFT ! 4 rr INTHE OFFICE

NOW, LISTEN - YOU TAKE THOSE SHOES TO THE SHOE SHOP TO GET THEM STRETCHED ~ AND STOP THAT CLEVER STUFF! HE'LL RUIN

TT RWiLLIAMSE, ie2

SHE SAID SHED B "READ ABOUT You IN THE PAPERS AND KNEW You [ WERE IN A POSI- E

FLAPPER FANNY By Sylvic

Teveavraine gl on iy ™IS COUNTER :

TiTme TieEns WERE’

—By Blosser

ISITA..AAl.. A..MALE OR A SHEMALE ?TI..I.. MEA ..MEAN, IS IT A GOY OR A BIRL?2

A. THIS NOTE WILL EXPLAIN THINGS !

HE MEANS, WHAT CAME WITH IT... A

“

—By Raeburn Van Buren

GRIN AND BEAR IT

“Ips that awful Smith dog howling again. We simply must ; have a baby and give them a taste of : their own medicine.”

began to breathe easily. He went back to work, and the boss put an additional man on the night shift. ~ And then one day Jerry put aside

{his studying to answer the door[bell of his little apartment. Breen {stood there unsmiling, and behind

him was the victim of Pug and 's robbery. : Bis “Sorry to see you go back to the ways, Jerry,” Breen said. “You g9% avay with it, too!” Jerry rh ath and waited for the

bringing a | the body

° By Dr. Morris Fishbein American Medical Journal Editor NOTHER extraordinary disease of the nervous system, known as St. vitus dance, or Sydenham’s chorea, after the man who first described it, is usually seen in children, but sometimes also in adults. Nowadays it is believed to be due

infection by a germ of the streptococcus type. Perhaps some. of - the poisons developed by this germ in get into the brain and ner-

WHILE | FINISH TH ‘ON

in some perhaps indirect way to an |}

VANILLA-OR BEEF

\ TIN THIS PIE ---

HM--DO | FLAVOR, WAS IT : WHERE’S THAT DRATTED REC\PE

IT WITH - NUTMEG ?-- J

p————— - LATS #1 L SLATS

Wi 2)

Mind Your Manners

Test your knowledge of cor-' rect social usage by answering the following questions,’ then checking against the authoritative answers below: 1. May a man give his fiancee expensive wearing apparel as a Christmas gift? 2. Should a girl give a man to whom she is not engaged an expensive gift? 3. Is it wise to choose gifts for friends that are not more expensive than those which they can afford to give in re‘turn? 4, Is it wise for a girl to write endearments on a picture .of herself which she is giving to a man? : 5. Is it all right for a girl to invite ‘a man to be her escort when she has two theater tickets? : :

7 What would you do if— It is necessary for you to curtail your expenditures on | - Christmas this year? You decide not to send gifts to a number of persons with whom you have exchanged previously. Would you then— : A. Write a long letter a week or two early wishing the other ~ person a happy Christmas? B. When - they give yow a gift explain why you cannot reciprocate? ; C. Say to them ahead of time" “Let's not exchange gifts this year”? ;

” i ”® Answers 1. No. 2. No.

3. Yes. 4, No. It tight prqve embarrass when she changes

the object of her affections. 5. Yes.

A SRIALCEC CAN CRAWL OVER. THE KEENEST : RAZOR BLADE WITHOUT : A COPR. 1937 BY NEA SERVICE, ING. TH+ RD \ OF ALL THE ‘DEATHS AMONG NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS IN 101s

TUBERCULOSIS attacks different races in different ways. Amers ican Indians, on leaving the outdoor life to which they are accustomed, and moving to congested cities, are notoriously susceptible to the disease,

NEXT—On what does the true horned toad of South America live?

dance makes involuntary but cone scious muscular jerks and twitches and because of this has difficulty . in co-ordinating his actions; When the ‘twitching movements affect the

caopstruction of the nervous system in those families.

8 x =

REQUENTLY St. Vitus dance is - associated with rheumatism or

Best “What Would You Do” solution—A. 2

Liabit spasm is ‘not to be confused with the twitching of true chorea. Girls suffer with this condition |

| rheumatic infections, probably be-

muscles of the, face, they are, of course, much more noticeable than when they concern the arms or legs. The typical twitching movements are quick, beginning suddenly and passing rapidly. No two movements are exactly alike as is wu ‘the case with a habit spasm. ' ove-

cause both conditions are related to an infection by the streptococcus type of germ. Occasionally there may be a period of illness with headache, vomiting and ‘even a slight fever bethe ms first - appear.