Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-09-07
TRUE BEAUTY
BY ROSE g. sAKALAR

7~-~t
dirty chocolate seconds off her floor,
briskly punched the time clock and
scrambled into her last years spring
made-over suit.
Z "Wot's the grand rushT languldly
chewed chocolate wrapperess.
I'm going to the boilermakers third
ANIMAL tonight" she telegraphed, and
bolted. But that was not the main
cause Of her excitement
In all her twenty years she never
had INDUCED in real manicure and
massage. Now, ever since her ready
acceptance Of Bennie's casual oral In
yitation, two months ago, Fanny had
forsworn gum, lemon and lines, and
weekly serial thrillers, to save for this
dreamed-of luxury. Tonight she still
lacked petty cash to realize her fer
vent desire. She vowed to obtain that
deficit somehow, somewhere. Hence
the grand rush.
Five minutes hurried walk from the
factory brought her into her home, on
the stoop.
At small, secondhand table near
the back window, sat Joie. Opposite
him reigned plump Mrs. Zibin, con-
tentedly masticating some hot boiled
potatoes.
Fanny threw her late model on
nearby chair seat and FASTENED into
the family bedroom anxiously re-
counted-only one whole dollar.
She scanned her healthy finger
nails, then peered at the worried,
youthful reflection in the half blind
glass.
Il just gotta, / just gotta, that's
ALL" she m1rmured. After carefully
relying her boarded treasure, she
thoughtfully walked into the kitchen.
"Why can't You give it to Inc. mag
bringing up that subject again. "All l
need now is 40 cents"
Mrs. Zibin eoughed dryly, and with
arched eyebrows and struggling Shout
ders, mildly asked, "Forty cents?
Where should get you 40 cents? tell
you papa is right when he hollers. You
don't know what suffering is yet. So
many people go around with their
hands in their pockets-with nothing
to do, and it wapts you massage. A
massage, you want? A piece of hard
bread to put in your mouth, you should
I. be glad, yet you cry your eyes out
for a massage"
Il need it. gotta have 1t. Just
this time, ma" she entreated.
ITS them new peoples" Mrs. Zibin
peeled another jacketed potato. "Such
noises what they make 1t should only
clap them in their head. Three days
what they moved in, and every mantel
Of mine they break. Go, Fanny. Go
holler on them. They should STOP"
II have no time. i gotta dress. Tell
yoie."
Our imbibery Of written thrills and
soggy humps raised shrewd counte-
nance. "You always tell me to 70. I
won't go. You told her first"
Mrs. Zibin sighed heavily as she
peeled and aired her sorrows to no one
In particular. "Such children I got"
Reluctantly Fanny tapped on the
noisemaker's door and entered. On
the bare floor crouched an exceedingly
thin woman, soothing a wailing child.
"Why do you make so much noise?"
indifferently.
Il can't help It," ereakel the living
skeleton. "My kid bangs the floor
when he's hungry"
Fanny adored children.
Drawing deep breath, she plunged.
Herr" She dropped her blinking cap
ital into the squatting, skinny lap,
then met the unturned, deeply sunken
eyes. A soul lay bare its gratitude.
Fanny then descended as softly as
possible.
A kid and his ma are staryin' up
stairs quietly reported Fanny.
Mrs. zibin lost her appetite.
as it? No-o?" she gasped. "Tll go
get them bite. Don't stand looking at
me. Go dress It's getting late.''
The faithful alarm clock on the
shelf warned seven
Reused to action an awakened Fan
ny quickly slipped off her made over,
cheap serge, theoretically massaged
her smooth skin with plain soap and
cold water, busted it with talcum, and
perfected a quick manicure with
common pinhead. Quite contrary to
her mood, she hummed, "I've Get the
Blues"
With cheeks bearing tantalizing
flush, such as no beauty expert could
hope to produce, and eyes sparkling
with understanding, She answered Ben
MES knock. Al sight of her he
whistIed.
Gee was his pithy tribute, "you
1 look great /"
AT the ball some said it was her ex.
preston, but whatever the cause of
her attractiveness, the majority adj
mired 1t, and forgot to notice the alb.
sence of pink-paste-highrpolish on her
y clean fingernails.
Quite long time later, we see Fanny
in her own comfortable home, hem.
ming the party dress Of her listening
CrnyvntyY, datfehter and yuindino NV, har