Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 February 1940 — Page 13

SATURDAY, FEB. 24,

a “A Week

By LOUISE HOLMES

' - CAST OF CHARACTERS

ANN BROWN—Orphan daughter of Suales: Slope in an unfriendly Th a AUL HAYDEN—St PH a Stock room boy with ery CLAYBOURNE—Wealthy play-

CLARA BROOKS—Dime store ‘counter IRENE TEMPLE—Society debutante.

YESTERDAY-—Sewing on her dress at the Center. a community house for girls, Ann recails her father’s watch, prob- =! son in a entd game. The inscripSv, **10 Peter Temple,” has always intrigued her. She remembers her letter to “Lonely,” decides not to send it.

CHAPTER FOUR

ANN DID NOT DESTROY the|"

answer to K295's personal. The element of uncertainty and excitement connected with its writing had lightened her mood, given her a most unusual sense of elation. Dangerous or not, she had to follow the tiny thread of adventure. «After all,” she thought, “it might lead somewhere. I'll just wait and see what happens. I can make a graceful exit any time.” She mailed the letter in a box on Wabash. Her step was light and her eyes sparkled as she hurried to Mrs. Pringle’s shop. Working over a brown moire hat, trying to modernize its obsolete

lines, she mentioned the subject of}

newspaper personals to Mrs. Pringle. She mentioned it in a general way. “Do you ever read the personal column in the paper?’ she asked. «I never have time to look at a paper.” : “Io wonder what sort of person uses that means of approach.” The untidy woman looked at Ann shrewdly. “Matrimonial approach?” she inquired. “I don’t know—just any kind. Mightn't an individual be so desperately lonely that he, or she, would put a feeler in the paper?” “I think he, or she, would be pretty hard up.” «young girls shouldn't fool around with things like that,” Mrs. Pringle gaid. “There’s too much deviltry going on in a city like this, too many racketeers on the: lookout for girls who are alone and unprotected.” a $ » 2 ” IN SPITE OF THE SAGE advice, Ann was excited. What would Lonely say when he wrote again? If his answer sounded all right—if they arranged a meeting—her new - dress would be just the thing. How did two strangers know each other? A flower on the lapel was the accepted sign, she believed. Saturday—you could buy gardenias for a dime on Saturday—Saturday— That evening Ann prepared, and ate, a most sketchy supper. Adventure beckoned and adventure made necessary a new dress, also a matching hat. * Could she afford a new pair of gloves? She consulted her budget. The budget always had the last word.

Her mind had been scorched since |

childhood by the lack of money at a given time and the subsequent problems. Pete had been airy on finan-

cial subjects, Ann’s mother uncom-/ - |

plaining, adapting herself to the spending whims of her husband. It was Ann who had worried and fretted. . She had become a dollar stretcher of note. Now, with $15 a week at her disposal, she spread it thin and efficiently. Ten dollars a month for room rent, ten dollars for food, carfare —this was quite an item—clothes, cosmetics—she had learned that large quantities paid—insurance — this provided hospitalization and a neat burial if necessary. Once a week Ann took herself to a picture show. It was an extravagance, but her youth demanded some ‘small joy. : The budget was ironclad, but, now and then, a few cents remained from the food fund, occasionaily a pair of hose proved to be made of sterner stuff than its fellows. It was by hoarding these small pittances that the silver spoons were made possible. Later forks were to be added, one by one, then knives. After that, linens and dishes. ” ” ” DURING HER LUNCH HOUR Ann lingered in the linen departments of the big stores, touching the heavy damasks with aching fingers. After much wishful shopping, she had chosen her dishes, creamy wedgewood with a quaint spray of flowers on each piece. Often she went to look at her dishes. Yes, she could afford a pair of gloves, dark blue kid, $1 and the tax. Ann- always sighed over the tax. It broke into so many nickels. For a moment her mind dwelt longingly on blue kid shoes. The budget was sternly adamant and she pigeonholed the longing. As she started for the Center that night her room was faintly illuminated by a glow and she turned back, hand on the door knob. The young man threw off his suit coat and stretched wearily. He looked strong when he stretched. Ann noted the breadth of his shoulders and the bigness of his chest. He stood beside his table, absently looking over a pile of books. Apparently changing his mind, he sat down at the table with his back to Ann. She saw him dip a pen into a bottle of ink. oA Ann closed her door and ran down the stairs, thinking, “I really shouldn't spy on him, but why - doesn’t he draw his blind?” She never tarried in the hall. The landlady had a pallid-faced son whom she preferred not to meet. Walking briskly to the Center, she wondered about the young man in the lighted window. His voice had been kind, if casual. What happened when he smiled? Did he have a sense of humor? . “I hope, Lonely has a sense of humor,” she thought. “You've got to see the funny side these days. ' People like “us couldn’t stand it if

GRIN AND BEAR IT 198 t 4 :

“I'm gonna ask for a

HOLD EVERYTHING

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raise——everybody in this st eye Y od studio is overpaid

Tm Reg. U. 8. Pat. OR—AN ;

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“You don’t need to leave so soon, Aunt Hattie—Papa turned the clock ahead an hour!”

FLAPPER FANNY

By Sylvia

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1 aian’'t know your grandmother was visiting you!”

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

T M REG. U. S. PAT OFF

By William Ferguson

COPR. 1940 BY NEA SERV'CE. IN

he russ: GIANTS OF CENTRAL AFRICA, CAN JUMP A FOOT HIGHER THAN THE WORLD'S RECORD OF 6:10... SOME CAN DO 8 FEET!

FROGS CAN SURVIVE THE ORDEAL OF BEING FROZEN IN A CAKE OF

As BIRDS GO, OWLS :

OUR BOARDING HOUSE

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES : With Major Hoople © OUT OUR WAY

_aGREAT | PL 2 - CAESAR “. GO ON, SCRAMWOLD, GO ON/ www THERE'S THE RABBIT OVER THERE, TO YOUR LEFTY LOOK / $

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RED RYDER

STOPPED COLDER THAN AN ICED FISH! wwe NO

I'M GOING TO LOOK THA BABY OVER AND SEE IF HE'S GOT AN ANCHOR CONCEALED ON HIS PERSON /

By Williams

THIS WON'T DO AT ALL! YOU AGREED TO CLEAN IT UP THOROUGHLY, AND I WON'T PAY YOU A PENNY TILL YOU RAKE IT CLEAN

oN INR ~

ALL OVER! WHY, THAT

2) SSNS Sn

WHY, HE PAID US OUR THIRD AS THOUGH HED BEEN PAID ALREADY! SAY, I'LL BET HE'S GETTIN' MORE FER TH’ JOB THAN WE THOUGHT-*

NO, HE'S JUST SHREWD--HE'S SO VERY SHREWD THAT HE'S GONNA HAFTA DO IT

Yo Jewiuame

2:24 —By Al Capp

PAGE,

GOT BACK BEFORE THE HOSS BUYER AND THE OT Tio Rosse SHOWED ©

HERE YOU BEEN?

LEAVE WITHOOT WIN COR

5 HOSSES? YOU MUST CRAZY 7

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2-24

| FEEDING THE |

"ANIMALS !!

~ BAR! AND YOU GUYS THOUGHT You WERE TOUGH! FIVE OF OU), AND YOU COULDN'T |

WHIP ONE LONE MAN ¢

FOR THE BRAINS OF THIS ) OUTFIT, LISA, YOU DON'T TAKE NO BLUE RIBBONS, : ETH

WELL, I GUESS OUR PICTURE FINISHED ~ BY ORDER OF THE OLE DEPARTMENT ! THAT MEANS NOTHING WILL KEEP JUNE AROUND /

Hey: , Feutas/t

WHY CANT WE FINISH TH

WHO SAD SO TAS \& “spoRtY! ©

PANAMA,

(RA rie on FS REA un a e 0 000000 .

COPR. 1940 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REG. U. S. PAY. OFF.

—

—By Fred Harman

R HOSSES |

WwW a DE HOME

Le BE LIVERED “MORROW:

NOW TOIN TO BE D' ELEPHANT!

—By Bushmiller IT'S YOUR )

PERMIT ME TO CONGRATULATE You, YOUNG MAN, \N BRINGING

YOUVE PERFORMED

THESE SCOUNDRELS TO JUSTICE, / MURDER, YOU

A GREAT PUBLIC

SERUICE

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AN BETCHA | LIFE WE'LL GET ‘EM FOR USING THE MALS TO

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ISNT \T QUAINT AND PREY, LG &

AR =HHW , SENORITA we

ABBIE AN' |

THE IDIOTS # wy ("+17 WAS REALLY | | AHH--WHY DIDN'T

} MEET or. PLEASE

(~*1 DIDN'T TAINK SHE COULD!

HELP !!--WE'RE

MR. GALLA X RG ALLANTRY GOING TO HIT IT IT WHEN YoU LOOK ---LIKE

THAT 2

YOU~WHEN | WAS TWENTY YEARS YOUNGER? ALWAYS, MY DEAR--| DREAMED OF JUST SUCH A GIRL AS YOU “AND NOW THAT I'VE FOUND YOU-*

THAT LOOK HAS BEEN LAYING ‘EM IN THE AISLES ON STAGE AND SCREEN FOR TWENTY YEARSY)

DON'T PEOPLE LOOK WHERE THEY'RE GOING ? AS LE ns SIDE OF THE ROAD}! HE DIDN'T BVEN

we took things seriously.” 2 2 z

THE DRESSMAKING went well that ‘night. One more session and the Irene Temple dress would be

ARE |_| SMART” | |] ome ANSWER—Dumber than the average bird.

finished. A lttle of Ann's thrilled excitement went into the dress in the form of extravagantly stitched pockets and a pleated bustle effect in the back. Two strange girls _ talked as they made evening gowns of cheap slazy materials. Ann listened idly to their chafter. «He's the cutest fella I ever seen,” one of the girls said. “And can he dance! Just like Fred Astaire, I'm telling x “Yeah,” the other girl answered, “but gimme the trumpet player. 1 been working on that guy for six months and he finally gave me a

tumble. month.” : “Gee—you’re lucky.” She . spoke enviously. “All the girls are getting married. It's the life all right.” In Ann’s brief experience she had noticed that marriage was the everlasting aim. Why was a wedding ring of such importance? Ann could not figure

We're getting hitched next

it out. She had never been in love

and had no intention of experimenting with the emotion. Her mind ran along the avenues of pur-

pose and achievement. Listening to

the man-chatter of the two 1s she was horrified at her own Soe ness in having answered the personal. When it was all said and done was she not employing the same methods as the girls who went to the public dance halls in search of companionship? : In spite of a guilty conscience, she went to sleep with the eager thought of receiving a letter from Lonely on the morrow. (To Be Continued)

SEE THEM UNTIL: HE WAS ON TOP OF

IA TOO OLD ” YES, TOO OL 2 FOR YOU TO CARE FOR # ° Ba

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