Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1924-12-12
Dressed Up; No
Place to Go
BY RUBY DOUGLAS

= seated the last late theater guel
in her section and had sought n dark
quiet spot in corner of the prone.
made aisle. The red light from the
exit sign enveloped her Quaker gray
uniform In roslness that was becOm
ing beyond mere words to describe,
The door behind her opened quietly
and closed quickly. A big, uniformed
fireman tip-toed In. He stood close
beside her, his arms folded
They did not know each other,
though she ushered there each night
and he stood about to comply with
the fire law in the theaters.
The fireman turned to her with
broad grin. There was nothing on
the stage that was amusing, but the
infectious gurgle beside him had
brought out his ready smile.
"I couldn't help It," she said soft
ly.
"Help whatT'
Laughing out loud" she explained.
"Tell me so that /, too, muy be
mirthful," he insisted. They whis-
pered, perforce.
II was just thinking how you and
are all dressed up and no place TO
CO." she said, trying to be quiet in
her glee.
TITS true-you In your usher's uni
form, me In my fireman's grandeur !
It is funny" he admitted.
"Verltably-all the worlds stage
as Shakespeare said." she went on
stand around here every night decked
out to kill. You stand bravely around
IN your grand brass buttons and visored
cap looking bored to death. | sashay
up and down the alsles In this Quaker
outfit that no more suits my tempera-
ment than 1t suits yours You are
realer than / am, butts all up
stage stuff together"
The big man almost laughed aloud.
His arms were not folded now and
he did not look bored
"What are you going to do about
lt2" he asked.
"Nothing-it's all l can do to earn
my salt"
"And we all have to do that" added
the man. 81 supposed every girl who
took this sort OF n job hoped to be
an actress" he went on.
Heaven forbid" said the little
usher.
"Then what do you want to beT'
ventured the fireman.
IAN honest and truly girl who
doesn't have to act. A girl who can
be real--all the time answered the
usher bit wistfully.
The fireman did not reply. He had
caught the penslve note.
That's lnudable ambition he
said after a while, "but It Isn't he
ing done"
The girl acquiesced quickly. "Well
do | know It,"
After that night when her sense Of
humor had brought them together they
became friends II was some time be
fore the big fireman mustered courag
to ask the little usher II she would
spend, perhaps, the next free evening
she had with him.
I'm my regular clothesT she asked
laughingly.
you're taking no more chance than
] am plain Jane" he snld.
"Pm almost afraid to see you with
out your grand uniform. You know
how we women love brass buttons"
Nevertheless. I'm going to take n
chance, II you'll let me-"
They took their free evening TO-
gether far from the theater district
In quiet, restful garden they found
II table for two and there they sat
getting better acquainted
ado you like me In regular clothes"
asked the usher,
yes" said the big fireman, IF that
expresses it,"
"And | think you nre almost hand
some In TINT brown suit like II
better with your hazel eyes and light
hair than | do the blue Of your uni
form. Firemen should have blue eyes
to MATCH" she laughed.
After that she asked him just why
he happened to be fireman and he
told her. lie had further ambitions,
but he was young and the excitement
had appealed to him. Ever since he
had been II small boy he had loved to
go to fires and chase red fire wagons,
Suppose - suppose our thCater
should get on fire." said the little
usher.
81 should dash quickly out with you
In my arms" he said, almost without
thinking
sob p breathed the girl. "Oh!" she
repeated.
The man went on eating. lie had
not meant to blurt out those words
so boldly. you see" he said, 81 was
just being real"
She did not reply.
"DOn't you want 10 allow me the
privilege Of being real as well as your
selff' he asked
"But--yes, Of course | do. Only
hadn't realized what"
"You just hadn't realized that while
I've been seeing you In your sweet lit
tie drab Quaker costume every night
I've been slowly, almost unconscious
ly falling In love with you. You
hadn't realized that that spontaneous
little laugh Of yours that night when
we first spoke went stralght TO my
heart. You hadn't realized that now,
when you are your real self, with
all the uniform taken away you are
quite irresistible to me. Beth, I love
you and ! want you to spend your
days with me being just an honest
and truly girl'-my girl. VIII your
00f couraa--Waii fhaf'a nv arnhl.