The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-07-21

p6CU W Beb IlcI pOo.oiOA. AAC Jop
pays fifty week, ten more than I'm
getting now"
"You say her name was Gladys?"
Mrs. Cartwright unused. "Was she a
Gladys sort of person, dear? a cud-
oily little blond, perhaps?"
"She is very pretty-chestnut hair
and blue eyes," Vera admitted. But
don't see what that has to do with
it"
Don't you, darling? I'm afraid you
may find out, but don't mind me.
After all, I'm only pretty parasite,
as you've so often reminded me, dear
"a shameless, useless creature who
has buried two husbands and di-
vorced two others. I hope you get
the job and that you spend the ex-
ira ten week on peach colored silk
underwear for the good of your
soul"
you know I'm trying to save
money" Vera began resentfully,
but her eyes betrayed her for an in
slant by becoming misty.
"And succeeding nobly," her aunt
reminded her, laughing. "You must
have at least three thousand dollars
saved toward your retirement into
the old ladies' home, and you're still
only twenty-four years old. My dear
when I was twenty-four I had
buried my first husband and divorc-
ed my secondhand was engaged to
my third, if memory serves me
rightly. And I was handicapped by
this horrible little nose" she tap
ped the maligned feature with a
scornful forefinger. IF I had had
nose like yours, that is absolutely
wasted on you, because you refuse
to make the most of it"
oh, yoWquit picking on me, Aunt
Floral"
And your mouth, If you'd listen
to reason and put just tiny touch
OF lip rouge on it, would be abso-
lutely the most kissable, I've ever
seem" her aunt's laughing drawl
followed the girl as she fled from
the dining room.
Vera Cameron ran gracefully and
fleetly across Riverside Drive. swung
to the steps of a great numbering
green bus, climbed up the winding
staircase ad found a seat beside
young man who glanced up hopeful
ly from his paper.
There was no reason, Vera told
herself angrily, why she should
blush like an idiotic school girl or
like sex?starved old maid, Just be-
cause an anemic youth who PROB
ably made less than she did dropped
his seeking eyes hastily to his news
paper.
If he dared to try to flirt with her
she would have squelched him. But
would she? She was startled at the
question which elbowed its impudent
way through the well-trained
grooves of her mind. Anyone would
think she was repulsive, the way
onat odious young man had looked
her over and declined her
But-she sighed and settled back
INTO her seat resignedly-she did
have 70 wear glasses, and she was
freckle-faced, and her hair was
mousy. So the only thing left for
her to do was to be the most eff
clent secretary in the Peach Bloom
Cosmetics Company's offices.
Ever since she had graduated from
business college when she was nine
teen, she had devoted herself with
deep seriousness to making herself
business success. She had held
positions in three companies, had
started work at fifteen dollars a
week and was now getting forty. To-
day she would be promoted to fifty
a week.
From fifteen to fifty dollars a
week IN five years had not been easy.
ana she had not always been happy.
out-she was succeeding. She had
TAKEN business so very seriously.
She had been a. member of a bust
ness Woman's club for four years.
mad subscribed to all the business
Women's magazines and to all the
otner magazines which we're design
ed TO lit earnest young workers for
bigger and better things.
She had been taking an extension
course in chemistry, the better to
understand the business of the
Peach Bloom Cosmetics Company.
She had. watched her health. know
ing that health means efficiency.
She walked the prescribed hour
oay, did setting up exercises night
ana morning with religious regular
ity' ate foods that contained the
largest percentage of vitamines
went to bedw early and rose early
she had repressed her desires for
pretty and faddish clothes with the
sternness OF nun and had dressed
according to the laws laid down bv
the business women's magazine. She
ala not waste her time at the Office
m gossip and in making up her face
IN the girls rest room.
She did not watch the c,ocL
thought nothing of working over,
Time, had the interest of her firm at
heart always ~
"A pair OF large, round tears welled
out OF her eyes and slipped down her
cneeks. The moisture misted her
glasses, SO that she had to tumble
nelpiessly for handkerchief what
IN tne world was the matter with
ner9 Was she getting an attack Of
spring fever? A u
Sne had learned to hate spring
tne season of gay, fluttery dreases
winch the other girls shameless1v
wore to tn coffee, the season ~
ssweethearts cooling at each other ~, y,
tne green iron benches all un and.
down Riverside Drive park. ~
one mad never had a real sweet
neart. Calvin Trumbuu who To-
wanted a "helpmeet" who could aar,
more than her half of the expenses
| O1Qn't count nathan S;y