Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-11
BY HELEN BERGER.

ment How can you even compare
one of those ugly toys to Honeys
pictures? Why, Honey is great, I'm
nothing, yet. but a maker Of cheap,
common toys!"
There Tommy cried trium-
phantly, that's what l mean! You
know those toys aren't really the
thing for you to be doing, l knew
you felt that way even If you
wouldn't admit it. And l was right
|, Give them up. Judy"
Give them up?' Judy looked at
him in wide-eyed astonishment.
up, It's silly to think how much
can earn for doing such ugly things!
And we need every cent of the
money. Dabs' pay is uncertain, at
best, you know. My money is the
only steady income we have" Her
cheeks flushed suddenly. Il don't
want you to think that Dabs doesn't
help all he CAM" she cried Loyalty.
Tommy dismissed that with nod.
But why should you set yourself the
lob of earning for them?" he demand
ed "If | were in your place I'd stop
clouding up all my sky with Honey
and Dabs. You've a right to some
girlhood, some pleasure The pic
lures Honey paints and the. books
Dabs writes aren't any more real
than these parties are real fun. The
only rea son people who are real peo-
pie come TO these parties is because
Of you. The people who come TO see
Honey and Dahs are shams. They're
sham artists and sham friends. Be
honest with yourself. Judy. Aren't
they shams?" Tommy's voice was
low but urgent.
Judith had gone white with anger
His words had been like great
searchlight Illuminating dark cor
ners. Things she had not acknowl-
edged stood forth, naked and sordid.
Shams? Daisy Wells! Harvey Metz!
Oh, shams, Shams. All of them.
She spoke in small voice. Then
If they only come to see me and yet
eat Dabs' food they're all shams and
traitors. And you are, too. YOU
you make me despise you!"
Tommy did not vince. His clear
ewes held to hers. Wait. But we
aren't eating Dabs' food. We all
know who pays for this apartment
on Sixteenth street! We all know
who buys the food we eat! If you
want us to be ashamed because we
come here and eat the food that
you've earned, we'll and good. We
ought to be ashamed of that ! sup
pose"
why are you saying all this to
me?" Judith asked breathlessly. her
eyes bent on her twisting fingers.
why are you saying it to me just
tonight?''
Because some time. Judy, you've
got to come TO the parting of the
ways. You are nineteen tonight. And
your future is ahead of you. Don't
make yourself an old woman in the
shadow of shams. Come out into the
open. Be a girl. Have the fun that
girls ought to have, Let Honey and
Dabs shift for themselves. They did
it when you were little. They can do
it again! And you can't do the things
YOU are fitted TO do. But you can't
do If as long as you believe there
are only two geniuses in the world,
Honey and Dabs."
well. they are geniuses!"
Don't sacrifice your life for their
sort of genius: judy"
A lovely color flooded Judy's face.
I'D rather see Dabs' book succeed
than make a million!" she cried
SOFTLY. I'd rather see one of Honey's
pictures hung in a good gallery than
| would to see a hundred of mine
hung in the New York Gallery of
Fine Arts. That's how much their
genius means to mel"
Something beautiful looked at her
for an instant from Tommys eyes.