The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-09-18
ANITA FINDS A way
BY DOROTHY BLAckMoRE.

absolutely ruined by the war;" pro
tested Anita Morgan. Il must heir
In some way or other"
"You-helpi" laughed her chum
Helen Bennett. 'It's so funny!'
They were nearing the theater for
which Helen had tickets, and Helen,
beginning to realize that her friend
was in earnest, could find no reply.
i can't even make doughnuts for a
woman's exchange. I'm not good
mender; I'm not stenographer. /
have no profession, no work of any
Kind to turn to, and yet ! am deter
mined to do something to help with
the family expenses, il it's only add
ing few dollars a week. have
brains and common sense and know
can find something.
I'm afraid 1t will be hard, Nita."
said Helen, serious for the first
time. She was beginning to realize
that she. too, would be helpless
when 1t came to earning money.
AS they sat in the theater Anita
watched the ushers running UP and
down the aisles busily seating the
guests in the theater. They were
earning their living-those girls. That
was not skilled work-even she, Anita
Morgan, could do that. She was ac-
customed to late hours; she was
quick and active and she had good
appearance.
The following day she went to the
management of theater and found
employment at once as an usher. She
did not speak of her work to any
one, but she saw many Of her friends
In the theater. At the end of fort
night not person had recognized her
In her bonnet and with her curls and
quaint costume. In fact, II seemed to
her as If the ushers might be so
many wooden dolls for all the atten-
tion paid them by the audience. And
for this Anita was very thankful.
She became a mystery among her
former acquaintances. And Anita |
rather enjoyed being mystery.
She gave them no satisfaction-not
even Helen. her chum.
At the theater she had many odd |
and amusing experiences, but the
most interesting people to her were
the newspaper men and women who
frequented the theater. both in front
and behind the footlights. searching
for stories, for news, for plots and
situations they could turn into space
for which they received dollars.
Anita had begun to have a broad
sympathy with anyone who was try
ing to earn honest dollars. In her
former mode OF, life she had given
wage-earners and wage-earning little
thought.
Perhaps because of her keen inter-
est and sympathy, she made many
friends. She was pleasant, cheerful,
earnest and approachabie. And about
a metropolitan theater everyone en-
ployed is not approachable, she had
been told more than once, when she
had been of service in securing an I
Interview with star or with folks I
On and off the stage. :
If get this interview with Nine. I
Lurachez," young newspaper man
told her one afternoon. "and land it,
won't you break your rule and come
10 lunch with me, just so that can G
ell you how much / appreciate your T
ips?" :
Anita shook her head, smiling. l
'No-Td like to. but l mustn't be-
,in,' she said.
You'd not be beginning anything,
WOULD you?"
Anita did not answer 1t was be- :.
ween the acts at matinee perform y
nee and she was not busy. y
Would you" the young man per- y,
listed. Thinks 1t fair, the atti- :,
ude you've taken toward me? You -
von't tell me who you are. where you -
i've, anything about you. You won't
st me call on you; you won't come
ut with me. What am to do?" he
sked ei
Anita was beginning to blush, for a
he liked the young newspaper man IL
etter than she had ever admitted to G
erself in
- oh oohti ia tnC 0putIB litd- oi
'r, and you may see. me at any per- Ia
'rmance," she said, laughingIy. in
Consolation--isn't it?" Roger Nor f.
Nv asked. Il don't believe Ill try =
get that interview. II you won't =
,cept favor from me I'm hanged
I'll accept any from you"
Anita looked at him in surprise.
Ind your career-your pride in your
'ility to secure difficult interviews
r your paper?" she asked.
The man turned away. Il don't
re anything about my career. What
'od is it, if in it's pursuit you meet
bully girl, girl you-well See
re, I'm going to tell you all about
here and now. If you won't prom
. to come to lunch with me to-
orrcw. Shall II" he asked, facing
r and searching her face.
Anita looked at him for a moment
d saw that he was terribly in earn
t. Il will-but you may not tell
? anything until you have come to
7 house to meet my E:other and