Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-01-07

mo one Will ever KNOW Cne SllenI
suffering of those next few weeks.
1 would wake from unhappy dreams
and stare motionless into the night.
One morning l looked into the mirror
and drew back for my whole face was
pale and drawn and my eyes were
like ashes, lusterless and gray.
During those days 1 stayed away
from the plant. 1t was my desire to
bring more gladness into those peo-
pies meager lives but now that my
own chance of happiness had def
nitely fled, I was unable to put any
joyousness into the work. And then,
on the afternoon of a day that had
been particularly sad, Ellie arrived.
"Sallie, I've come for you to go
abroad" she announced.
"That's sweet of you, Sport, but I
can't this time"
"And why not? hope you are not
going to spend your summer fussing
with those smelly kids at your
fathers plant. You're too young,
Sallie, besides no one should take an
interest in the poor until after
they're seventy-five.
'But, Ellie, you don't understand"
I replied.
81, like my work and anyway, I
wouldn't enjoy trip to Europe just
now"
"Why? Because Curtis Wright is
going to marry Anne?" Then she
hurried on in answer to my look of
surprise, ooh, it's all over the state
by now. She shouted it from the
house tops the minute he slipped her
the ring. Depend on Anne. Any
how, that's all the more reason why
you should chuck the whole business
and come along"
/ thought for a moment.
"Tell me, Ellie, what are your
plans?"
"The Riviera-Monte Carlo-Biar-
ritz-Deauville and Cannes-all the
play places that are wicked and
smart. Why not, Sallie? You aren't
happy here"
'Who's going to chaperone?" 1
asked.
"Good Lord, Sallie, what's hap
pened to you? You oughter give
your friends notice of the change.
Chaperone? This is going to be a
PLEASURE trip.
ooh, I know l sound prissy but
if you'd had your name dragged
around in the mud like mine, you'd
hesitate too before you took chance
of it happening again"
"That's just one of your moods.
If you'll come along with me, we'll
have dreamy-eyed dukes and Indian
Princes trailing US all over the world,
Sallie, they'd all fall for you. Think
of moonlight on the Italian Lakes!
Please. come"
ri contemplated the plan.
( Why not? Things were dull
J Enough at home. Ellie painted al
Turing pictures in the old days would
have been the quintesence of joy.
"Your father says you can go, Sal
lie, I've seen him. DR.. Gray thought
you needed a change so if you turn
this chance down-you're a goose.
That's ALL"
GLOW long do you expect to be
away"
"Quien sabe?" she turned her eyes
Economically skyward, "there's no rea-
son for my returning as long, as I'm
amused"
"Ellie, L hate to see you go alone"
"Oh, as far as that's concerned, it's
nothing to go chasing around Europe
these days without a body guard.
Lots of girls do"
eyes, but there are girls and girls.
The scholarly type, for instance, are
always safe. You are not. You and
/ are different. There's some indie
finable something about us that in
terests men. I've gotten to the point
where I hate it. Not that Pm any
raving beauty butt mean this Ellie
i wish to goodness had been born
plain"
ooh, no you don't now, Sallie.
You'll snap out of this and be the
same little bright eyes and the life
of the party right on"
"No, you're wrong there. I'm
through. No matter what happens,
I'll never go back to the old days.
You'd be surprised if told you that
/ haven't had fag or cocktail since
/ saw you last"
''Do you know any more funny
jokes?"
"Cross my heart. It's been months
and months"
"Well, my dear, if the Riviera
doesn't appeal to your Puritanical
ideas, perhaps there's nice mission
airy course"
ooh, Ellie, you go to the Deuce"
4 laughed.
"You know I'm kidding, Sallie, l
Feaily think you're fine. 1 haven't
the strength Of character to even
WANT to change. I'll go fitting
Through life until I've completely
beaten my wings out against the
flame. In the end, no one will want
me and I'll look like bag. But
let me tell you this thing" she
paused dramatically, 81 solemnly
swear I'll never come back, like they
do in the movies, with skinny os-
trich feather in my hat and cough. !"
That was Ellie. Always she saw
the ridiculous side and went jauntily
on, defiant and unafraid.
''All right, Sallie," she continued,
"I'd rather have you with me than
any one in the world, and we'd have
q glee-ouious mite-I promise you
that, but I don't want any uncongen-
ial person cramping my style, so if
you decide not to go along, I'm off by
myself. Good night"
A Call to Duty Gives Sallie Some
New Insights
After Ellie had gone to bed, l sat
For long time turning things over
kn my mind. There were more rea-
bons why l should go with her than
stay at home. l might be able to
keer her from the head-long gait she
had planned, besides, father was most
anxious for me to have a change.