Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 10, Number 48, DeMotte, Jasper County, 17 October 1940 — TRAILER GIRL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRAILER GIRL

(g) Ledger

By VERA BROWN

WNU Service

THE STORY THUS FAR Lynn Morrow, beautiful blonde New York girl, Is stranded In Palm Beach in her bathing suit with only 50 cents when her employer, Mrs. Helen Warren! disappears with car and trailer from a camp where she. Buddy, her son, and Lynn had been living. A note from Mrs. Warren advises Lynn to call at her New York attorney’s office for her clothes and wages. She is rescued by Terry McNair, whom she met at the beach. She goes to his home, where he has a maid provide her with some of his sister's evening clothes. They then go to a beach club. His sister appears and a quarrel Lynn accepts the help of a stranger to escape. He takes her to his home where he identifies himself as Raymond (Wild) Austin. He accuses her of trying to blackmail him. Greatly incensed, Lynn flees. Stopping at a coffee shop, she meets a young artist, Rene Bouchier, who is returning to New York by trailer and offers to take her there. They enjoy roughing it along the road. She finds Rene to be a decent sort of a fellow. Lynn tells Rene her story. He knows McNair and Austin as moneyed playboys. The car breaks down. They are forced to stay at the Lovell farmhouse during repairs, the Lovells believing them newlyweds. The Lovells discover they are not married and Insist a marriage take place. There being no way out, Lynn and Rene agree. They decide their marriage is to be one in name only, with a divorce to follow. The wedding takes place. Their car repaired, they go on. Arriving in New York, they go to a trailer camp. Rene Is taken ill. Lynn nurses him through. Their funds are gone. Lynn goes to see Mr. Mortimer, Mrs. Warren’s attorney, who gives her a check for S2OO.

CHAPTER IX

— 7— Lynn stared at the check and then handed it back to Mr. Mortimer. “I can’t take such a sum as this,’’ she explained. Mr. Mortimer smiled. “My dear young woman, the least Mrs. 'Warren could have done was to pay your fare back from Florida. I was shocked when I learned you were stranded down there. We were liable.’’ Just then the secretary came in with Lynn’s big suitcase. Mortimer was silent while she was in the room: “I am deeply concerned over all this. If you will allow me, I am going to give you a card to a man 1 know, who, perhaps can give "you a job.’’ Lynn’s face lighted: “I’d be terribly grateful!” He took one of his own cards and scribbled an address on the back of it. ‘‘Go there tomorrow. I think we can find work for you.” “I’m afraid I may not be able to do it tomorrow,” Lynn said hesitating. Then she added with charming frankness: “You see how I’m dressed. I must get my clothes pressed, and get some shoes and things.” “Of course.” “Besides, I’ve hurt my ankle. I got into a little accident, an automobile accident on the way from Florida, and it is hard for me to walk yet.” “Then the first of the week will do.” He pressed a button on his desk “I am going to send you home in my car, Miss Morrow. Now, undoubtedly, you’ll want to get that check cashed. Suppose I send my secretary with you to the bank across the street? She can arrange things there. “I mustn’t trouble you. I am afraid I made things very difficult for you.” Mortimer was watching Lynn intently. In spite of the awful clothes, the girl was a beauty. Mortimer nervously fingered some correspondence. He wondered. He must watch her. That would tell more. Then he indicated the interview was at an end. But as Lynn tried to thank him he held up his hand: “Thank Mrs. Warren. She’s really responsible. And I’d be grateful if you’d not discuss this with anybody under any circumstances. And there is no. need to tell anybody the sum Mrs. Warren sent you.” “I’ll not discuss it with anybody!” Lynn promised. As Lynn went down in the elevator with the secretary, Mortimer sent for his chauffeur and gave minute instructions. Fifteen minutes later Lynn was sitting in Mortimer’s handsome black sedan whirling back home with S2OO in her pocket. She kept pinching herself to see if she were really alive. And all the time Lynn had been blaming Mrs. Warren. The girl was puzzled now. Then she gave it up as too much for her. As they got into the Bronx Lynn directed the chauffeur. Fifteen minutes and Lynn lirpped into the trailer home, radiant-. The chauffeur brought in her suitcase over her protests, and to Rene's amazement. When he had tipped his hat and closed the door, Lynn fell on her knees beside Rene and pulled the bills out of her pocket. “The old homestead’s Rene, we’re rich! We can eat, and everything! And I’m to have a job!” Rene was speechless at the sudden turn of events. After supper, the girl dived into the suitcase. She had a browm suit and a topcoat of excellent cut. They had belonged to Mrs. Warren and she had given them to Lynn when they first starred for Florida. Lynn had worn the suit down South, and the coat over a lightweight dress. So enthused was Lynn at having a few of her belongings with her that she insisted on taking her suit and coat to the cleanersj that night. Two days later Lynn went downtown and got a new hat and gloves and a purse. She felt well-to-do and secure, and well-dressed, and the hat had not turned out badly.

Lynn’s blonde hair gleamed from under the tiny off-the-face hat, and Rene thought she was the prettiest thing he had ever seen. “You know, some day I want to do a decent portrait of you,” he said, suddenly as though that thought just occurred to him “Here I have before me one of the best models I’ve seen about these parts, and somehow I never thought of doing it, except for a garage man ” Lynn hurried off without any more discussion of the matter. The address Mortimer had given her was on Fifth Avenue. The girl had no idea what kind of a place it was, but she \yas to ask for Mr. Wallace. She walked over to Fifth Avenue from the subway with the card in her hand, and turned into the avenue, hunting for the number. There were several smart shops along the way, hats and shoes and frocks. Then a branch bank. Her number turned “out to be the bank, and Lynn’s heart sank. What could she do in a bank?

Lynn waited patiently outside Wallace’s door for almost an hour. When she had completely despaired, a secretary motioned her into the room. “Miss Miorrow, eh?” The man behind the desk looked startled, as he saw Lynn standing there before him. “Can you itype?” he asked after a long pause. “Yes, silk” Wallace nodded; nothing was said about salary. He told his secretary

to take Lynn into the big office behind the cages. A severe woman of 50 told her where to hang her hat and coat, and then began explaining her duties to her. Lynn’s head swam. The thought of copying all those terrible figures appalled the girl. She was in a panic. She had to make good! She had to keep this job. Just before closing time Wallace called the model of efficiency who so terrified Lynn and asked to have Miss Morrow come to his office. Wallace was not alone. An elaborately coiffured woman in luxurious black was sitting across from him “Oh, Miss Morrow, will you come in,” Wallace smiled •at her, and Lynn, so grateful for his courtesy, smiled back at him a tremulous smile. “This is Mine. Reanoud, one of our good customers.” Wallace let her stand there for a moment. Lynn bowed, and the two looked at the girl appraisingly. “Walk over there to the window, Miss Morrow,” Wallace said, “and now come back.” “Are you limping?” Mme. Reanoud spoke for the first time. She had a deep, almost masculine voice. “I sprained my ankle a week ago; it is still a little troublesome.” “Nothing permanent?” “Oh, no; it is much better.” Mme. Reapoud made a sign to Wallace, nodded her head. “Let me explain why I asked you to come here,” Wallace said. A shadow settled on the girl’s face. “When I saw you this morning 1 was struck by your appearance.” he w r ent on, not seeming to notice her remark. “Then, Mme. Reanoud came in here and told me some of her troubles. She’s one of our good customers. She has a dress shop, two shops down the street. She needs a model and I thought of you immediately.” “Have you ever done anything like that?” Mme. Reanoud was making mental notes of the girl’s roughened hands. They’d have to be fixed up. “No.” “That is odd; I should think you would have.” “I have been out of school but a short time. I did office work last Fall, and this Winter I was in Florida.” “You came back at a bad time.” Lynn merely smiled. “Wouldn’t you be interested? Do you like clothes?” “I love them, but I haven’t any.” “That’s a good suit—excellent, in fact—” “It is a hand-me-down,” Lynn answered, truthfully. Mme. Reanoud laughed. “1 like your frankness. Come and work for me. I’ll give you $lB a week to

start, five days a week, and your clothes at wholesale.” “I won’t be buying many clothes, , I’m afraid.” “You will when you see mine!” She handed Lynn one of her business cards. “Report tomorrow at nine.” CHAPTER X Lynn ran most of the way from the subway to the trailer camp to tell Rene about her good fortune. She burst into the trailer like a whirlwind to met by howls from Rene. “Close that door, damn it!” he shouted. “Do you want to ruin everything?” Lynn stood still in the doorway in amazement. All over the walls, standing on the stove, on the sink, on sofas, on the floor were scores of sketches—all of a girl by the name of Lynn Morrow. There were sketches of Lynn in bathing suit, of Lynn walking, running, smiling over a cup of coffee. And Rene, begrimed, with rumpled hair was working away at his drawing board turning out more. “Look! I’ve got an idea at last. You! Why I didn’t realize before I don’t know. I’ll make my fortune yet!” “What does it mean, Rene?” “Just that I have the swellest model in New York, and haven’t done anything about it. Now watch me go to town!” In a tumble of words as he worked Rene explained, “You’re a natural! I wanted to work and work at these sketches, to hold every line firmly. Then I’ll start painting!” His eyes shone triumphantly. “I’ll paint stuff that I can sell anywhere!” He threw down his pencil. “When do we eat and what? I haven't had anything all j day.” ' Lynn frowned severely at him as she put up the gingham curtain, got out of her one decent outfit into the old overalls ready to cook supper. “Didn’t you even drink any milk?” “Too busy!” he said shortly. So engrossed was Rene in his own ideas that Lynp did not get a chance to tell him about her new job and her fabulous salary until at supper. “Nonsense! That will do for a few j weeks, but when I get going I’ll want ‘ you to model all the time. You can’t go to work then. If I only had decent Quarters. It’s hard to work in this joint!” he said irritably. ! Lynn was at work fifteen minutes early the next morning and had to wait until Madam got in. It was almost 10 before Madam could devote a few minutes to Lynn. She called her into one of the unoccupied fitting rooms. “Now, my dear, I’ve made an appointment at Selano’s for you at 10:30. He’ll cut your hair. You don’t do it well. And he’ll prescribe for your hands. If you must work at home, rubber gloves. Get back as soon as you can. This will be a busy day.” Lynn went obediently up the street to the hairdresser’s. The rest of the day she kept getting in and out of clothes, parading before customers. At 5 o’clock Madam called her again to another fitting room for a hurried conference. “You’ve got a lot to learn, L.ynn. You have a million-dollar smile. Use it, but only on the women. Dian’t you see Glenda Royall walk out just now? Why, do you suppose? Because you were smiling too much at the old guy with her! Use your head! Smile, but at the fool women!” “I didn’t realize—gasped Lynn. “I know, but Glenda did!” Madam put her hand on Lynn’s arm. “You’re going to learn a lot in the next few weeks. 'Most of it won’t be pleasant. The days flew. One Sunday morning in May, Lynn was cooking Sunday breakfast of bacon and eggs. The trailer was in a cloud of bacon smoke, for she’d burned the first slices a bit Rene was grumbling at her carelessness, the smoke made his eyes smart. “Hi, Bouchier, are you there?” called a voice from the doorway “Come in.” A man stepped into the doorway, looming big in the little home. Just then, in a resounding smack, a newcomer to the tourist camp backed. smartly into Rene’s trailer Bang! Crack! Away went the bacon and eggs and the coffee pot, down to join up with the sketches and drawing board in a welter of grease and general confusion. Lynn was holding a burned hand. “Oh, oh, how awful!” Lynn was on her knees trying to rescue the sketches. She hardly saw the new-, comer in the doorway. “That’s it, that’s it! Get to work, you fool. Get to work! I say!” The big man hopped and skipped about over the floating drawings. “Rene, get to work! Sketch you fool, sketch! That’s what I want!” A great light broke over Rene’s face. “Stay there, Lynn!” He grabbed up some paper from the couch, pulled a chair toward him for a drawing board and set to work Lynn sat back on her heels and just looked at the two mad men, as she nursed her blistered hands. As she started to rise Rene cried: “Wipe up the mess Stay where you are.” “My hand!” “Damn your hand!” Rene was sketching furiously. (TO UK COSTI\ lID)

“It’s hard to work in this joint,” Rene said irritably.