The Pageland journal. [volume] (Pageland, S.C.) 1911-1978, 1916-01-05
ANITA FINDS A way
BY DOROTHY sLAckMoRE.

"But my fathers business has been
absolutely ruined by the war;" pro-
tested Anita Morgan. Il must help
In some way or other"
"You-help!" laughed her chum,
Helen Bennett. Its 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.
Il can't even make doughnuts for a
woman's exchange. I'm not q good
mender; I'm not stenographer. I
have no profession, no work Of any
kind to turn to, and yet I am deter
mined to do something to help with
the family expenses, IL it's only add
ing few dollars week. have
brains and common sense and I know
I can find something"
I'm afraid it will be hard. Nita,"
said Helen, serious for the first
time. She was beginning to realize
that she, too, would be helpless
when it 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 q good
appearance.
The following day she went to the
management Of a 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 a fort
night not person had recognized her
in her bonnet and with her curls and
quaint costume. In fact, it seemed to
her as II 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 mystery among her
former acquaintances. And Anita
rather enjoyed being q mystery.
She gave them no satisfaction-not
even Helen, her chum.
At the theater she had many odd
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 q broad
sympathy with anyone who was try
Ing to earn honest dollars. In her
former mode of life she had given
Sage,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 approachable. And about
metropolitan theater everyone en-
ployed is not approachable, she had
been told more than once, when she
mad been OF service in securing an
interview with q star or with folks
on and OF the stage.
IF / get this interview with Nine.
Lurachez," a young newspaper man
told her one afternoon, land land It,
won't you break your rule and come
to lunch with me, Just SO that can
tell you how much appreciate your
tips?"
Anita shook her head, smiling.
Mold like to, but I mustn't be-
gtn," she said.
You'd not be beginning anything,
would you?"
Anita did not answer It was be-
tween the acts at a matinee perform
ance and she was not busy.
Would you?" the young man per.
sisted. "Think-is it fair, the atti.
tude you've taken toward me? You
won't tell ne who you are, where you
live, anything about you. You won't
let me call on you; you won't come
out with me. What am to do?" he
asked.
Anita was beginning to blush, for
she liked the young newspaper man
better than she had ever admitted to
herself
I'm an usher in the Sphere thea
tor, and you may see. me at any pei
formance," she said, laughingly.
"Consolation-isnt it?" Roger Nor.
row asked. Il don't believe I'll try
to get that interview. If you won't
accept a favor from me I'm hanged
If I'll accept any from you"
Anita looked at him in surprise.
And your career-your pride in your
ability to secure difficult interviews
for your paper?" she asked.
The man turned away. "I don't
care anything about my career. What
good is 1t, if in it's pursuit you meet
a bully girl, girl you-weil. See
here, I'm going to tell you all about
it here and now, IL you won't prom
fse to come to lunch with me to.