Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 June 1940 — Page 14

PAGE 4 Ticket to ‘Hollywood

By W. H. PEARS— CHAPTER ONE GUSTY GAIR skidded his road- _ ster to a stop in the cindered driveway outside of Maw’s Airport Ren- . dezvous. Music boomed through the open door, the kind of solid, - hot “music that put a shine in usty’s eyes. Seizing Francie Weston’s hand, ne dragged her and his trumpet out . .of the car. “Come on, Sugar! That's the new record the fellows were raving about in study hall téday.”” It was Friday night and under Maw’s scrupulous but benevolent eye the Elspeth City Jam Club was in roaring session. 3 ? "Everyone turned to greet Gusty and Francie, the high priest and priestess of their rhythmic cult. Gusty clamped his hands together, shook them over his head. Francie’s response to her public was more refined. She smiled graciously

.. and nodded. '

Were they not professionals? Wasn’t Gusty the only boy in High who was. paid $3 for sitting in with Duke Meyer's Kampus . Wildcats? And, when the dance passed her father’s rigid inspection, didn’t Duke often beg her to sing a chorus? Of course, he never really paid her, but

he bought Francie loads of cokes and that was almost the same, wasn’t it? The record closed in a wild flurry -- of trumpet notes. Francie said, “Gee, Gusty, some day youll be that good.” : Someone yelled, “Hey, Gusty, make like Harry James.” With a grin, Gusty opened his battered trumpet case and swaggered over to the piano. : “Fat,” he called imperiously to a " stubby-fingered youth in green slacks, “give me seme oompahs on Cheri-Beri.” - At the first note a change came over Gusty. He hunched his big shoulders forward. A dreamy exp:ession softened his dark eyes. Ris rugged face lost its brashness and became sensitive. Gusty’s soul,

as he played, belonged to the|-

trumpet. He had done the solo many t'mes, but when he finished everycne whistled and shouted for more. Gusty shook his head. Slowly. the rapt look faded and his face restimed its “so-what?” expression. “I aint in the mood now,” he said. “Ill drink a coke while Francie gives out.” : Francie moved to the piano. She tilted her head sideways, the glossy sweep of her amber hair falling cver one slim shoulder. Her young voice stabbed the place with an anguished sweetness and made it still. “Give the begged.

last one hot,” Fat

z ” » - FRANCIE'S voice caught fire; her shoulder dipped in rhythm. Eyes shining, she gave her listeners all she had. The beat was taken up on spoons, glasses and table tops. As she finished, the members of the Elspeth City Jam Club sat back and roared their approval.

“Pretty fair,” Gusty said. “I'll buy| |

you a coke. ) Someone slid up behind them and took their arms. ‘Have this one on -me, kids.” : Francie and Gusty whirled. Behind them stood a wiry, little man in a wrinkled linen suit. He wore: a straw hat with a loud band. His tiny eyes danced excitedly above a long, sharp nose. : “Over here," kids,” he said,’ gesturing toward an empty booth. “Did—did you mean us?” The man talked in rapid, staccato tones. “You kids are good, terrific. Latsa the old oomph, too. Ever broadcast? No, of course not. Wanta couple of cokes? Nothing stronger, I suppose.” “This guy’s nuts,” Gusty observed with characteristic finesse. “Come on, Francie.” “No, no, don’t go,” the little man pleaded. “Look, I'm Natie Koon, special representative for I. B. C. and Pegasus Pictures. Been dashing all over the old U. S. A. picking up talent, and you kids are tops.” Gusty’s laugh drowned out Koon. “Think we're dumb enough to swallow that gag?” “Here, looka this.” Koon flipped . a business card on the table. 1 Francie sald weakly, “I—I don't understand.” | ’ f “Look, kids,” Koon said, “I ain’t | got much time. Gotta catch a plane. Pagasus is making a supercolossal called ‘Parade of Ameri-

| can Youth.’ They've tied up with I. B. C. on this premotion stunt.

tT grab up one talented kid from

| every state in the union. Three | weeks from tomorrow night these | kids do their stuff on a big two- , hour broadcast, coast to coast. Pegasus signs the best ones to play with Jerry Finney in the picture. | Get it?” } Jerry Finney! Francie had a photograph of him on her dressing table | right next to a snapshot of Gusty. | Nightly she compared them and tried to make herself believe that Gusty was like Jerry Finney. was awfully hard. Jerry had lovely red-gold curls) and beautiful teeth, | and in techni-color his eyes were | oh, so blue. ao » “How wonderful,” she breathed.

sn un ” “SOUNDS screwy,” Gusty said. | “Screwy, huh?” Koon said | “Give a thought, kid. Who's gonna see ‘Parade of American | Youth?’ Proud Ma and Pa and all | their friends and relatives from | 48 states, that’s who! Itll gross ' more than ‘Gone With the Wind.” Two deep furrows ridged Fran- | cie’s brow. “You—you mean that we...”

“Just one of you,” Koon inter- | rupted. “Youre both good; | don’t care which. See, I'm in a | kinda spot. I got to be in Holly- |, wood by morning and I ain’t found - anyone from this state.” He fumbled in his pocket, brought out a .. square of pasteboard. “The last -one—and am I glad! Take a look.” : Francie read it aloud in hushed tones: “This | tigket entitles the

It),

G1" Tips: i94e by United Feature Syndicate, inc,

By Abner Dean

gH,

HOLD EVERYTHING

“Go ahead, Champ . . . tell the staff how you won your last 36 fights!”

‘By Clyde Lawis

- x ~

COMIC ART

CEPT

PENCIL SHARPENER —

FLAPPER FANNY

COPIC 1940 BY NEA SERVICE INC. T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF. “Can you use an idea man?”

By Sylvia

Br 0 CCC Cle

CCL TCC CTTT

OUR BOARDING HOUSE

EGAD, MEN, ARE YOU SURE YOU, ARE APPROACHING 7 YOUR TASK INTHE (~o "MOST EFFICIENT MANNER 7 WHY NOT A SCAFFOLD INGTEAD OF LADDERS ? ww WAR-RUMPH/ “ww [T WOULD PAY YOU TO CONSULT ME BEFORE PROCEEDING TOO FAR/

NES

EDGIN' FUM TH POSTMAR BIN STURFED IN THEY - 3 HOLD

RED RYDER

(ED R¥eR ARD. LITTLE BEAVER ARRIVE IN INVGGET CTY

DURING A GUN FIGHT AS A

REY RESTAURANT.

6-12 NANCY

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I DO, REILLEY 7/7 16 IT THE HUMAN VOICE, OR : 1S IT ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

WH 45 T'S HUMAN wee DON'T LOOK NOW,

WOULD FALL

WHERE IT WOULD |

QU 2) 2

BUT IF MY BRUSH § GLIPPED OUT OF Ww]

[Mes ,

LEADING WITH HIS CHIN AGAIN/

1940 BY NEA SE INC. T.M. U. 8. PAT. OFF.

. FO’ NIGH ON HUNDERD YARS/ 7 ‘Ll DEE-LIVER ITZ”

‘MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1940 | By Williams §,

COOM ON, WE MAKE DE © FLIRT WID DEES — LOOK. ! AT DE BEEG SHOULDERS--STRONG LIKE DE HORSE--DEY MAKE GOOD WIFE ON DE FARM FOR PITCH DE HAY, ‘DIG DE SPUDS, AN . SHOCK DE CORN™ j=

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DO You HAVE ANY RELATES “TO HELP YOO?

NO, MISTER RYDER’ WITH FATHER GONE, I'M ALONE --

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afrigsion

— 7 se [1]

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“Yes, it gets pretty h time—if you're

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

DUST From AUSTRALIAN DUST STORMS FREQUENTLY SETTLES IN NEW ZEALAND,

LFO0O MILES AWAY.

COPR. 1940 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. 8,

ZEAE

How DO YOU FIGURE THE BATTING AVERAGE OF BASEBALL PLAYERS

T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF.

ANSWER—Divide total number of base hits by total times at bat,

carrying to three decimal places.

, but you'll need a light coat most of the

6-17

a movie fan.”

By William Ferguson

ED CEDAR WAS KNOWN TO THE FRENCH IN CANADA AS "BATONLROUGE, OR REL S7/cA<, WHEN THEY FOUND IT GROWING IN LOUISIANA, THEY NAMED THEIR CAPITA

¢r7 IN ITS HONOR.

bearer, if between the ages of 16 and 19, and having the full written consent of parents, to' pariticpate in the ‘Parade of American Youth, broadcast, Saturday, June 22 at 8 p. m. in Studio A of I. B. C. Pegasus Pictures and I. B. C. obligate themSelves only to reimburse participant, at the conclusion of said broadcast, for transportation from his home to Hollywood and return.” ; By now even Gusty was convinced. “Say, maybe youre on

the level, mister. Sure, I—" £

“Okay, okay!” Koon stabbed his

initials on the ticket, filled in the

name of thé state.

Then he was gone as quickly as he had come. The ticket lay on the table. Francie stared at it. Gusty stared at it. It might have been something that had ;fallen out of the heavens, filling their eyes with stardust. ! a

(To Be Continued)

WOW [--- AM [ GLAD MISS RITZ WILL BE BACK SOON--- ONE MORE WEEK WITH NANCY AND I---

OF YOUR OWN !

OH, HO! WE GOT ‘IM, BovS. WE —

RUN, EASY! TS A TRAPS

FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS

CONTROL YOURSELF ---JUST I SUPPOSE YOU HAD CHILDREN

JUST WISH

NANCY WAS MY CHILD /

RED RYDER’

5 N HERE EVERYBODY LEAVE “EAVE - TOWN IN RUSH 100s

{ THATS TH SPIRIT,MISS 4 1 STAY HERE AND MAKE A

You OUGHTA SUCCESS OF oR ot HIS RESTAURANT! IT LD HIS WISH /

CL ei TC U.S. PAY. OFF.

—By Bushmiller

GOODNESS !--- AND I THOUGHT HE DIDN'T LIKE ME!

CHEER UP. MR. SPUTTER-- )\I ! // ~ WHEN AUNT FRITZI GETS Veni — BACK I'LL STILL COME y= : AND VISIT YOU _ _/— EVERY SINGLE | — DAY! z

3% JonE=1T

WWOA.vo BLOOMIN' SWAB! YOUR. HANDS!

I KNEW IT, ITA, RUN FOR THE

Tad,

TING oN

( gur "WHAT will 1 DO TO GET HIM BACK 2

WELL, HILDA, HE REDUCED TO LIKED “You ---You

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PROVE HE CAN "REDUCE TO PROVE YOU WERE WORTH THE EFFORT [

INSTANCE ! ECLAIRS

IF 1 WERE You ,ID GIVE ® UP FATTENING THINGS . THOSE CREAM PUFFS, FOR Too! UP WOULDN'T

Hi, June J HELLO, FATTY /

BUT THEY'RE MY PASSION / GIVING THOSE

BE VERY EASY/

COPR. 1940 BY NEA SERVICE NC 7. M. REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.

—By Martin

WELL-LAL, TLL MASE To So Tema ] x LRE HAY a>

x 7) 7K 4 YY i

NEE (EA TEA

ABBIE AN’ SLATS

(All erentl, names and characters in this sto; :

are wholly fictitious.)

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TO PLEASE HIS MOTHER, WHOSE DREAM IS THAT Bs Ds A GREAT ARTIST, MIKE ROMERO

EAMS OF EASY =-AND-- PAINTS ---

OKAY-~CONSIDER IT » SAID

THANKS TEACHER LA SURE RATE A BG

'T THIS SAW WILE AND WE

WhLE ,YYou SPR

J YoU DIDN'T HAVE TO. YOU -~LOOKED IT

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