The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-03-07
CHAPTER VI
Classified

opened the door in answer to joys
knock.
"What is it?" she asked suspicious.
ly.
Joyce felt guilty, though she could
not have told why.
"I want to ask you about rooms, v
she said. 81 saw your sign from the
street car"
The woman opened the door a
trifle wider. +Fifteen dollars week.
SINGLE she said. Then she let
Joyce into the house, adding, "All
rents paid in advance"
To Joyce this seemed a huge sum-
They paid only thirty-five dollars a
month for their whole flat on Seven
ty-Eighth st. But not knowing how
to make her escape to the safety and
economy of a Y. w. c. A. room she
followed Mrs. Jenkins intoAthe hall
The house had once been a show
place.
Tie rooms were large, the cell
ings high, and over everything there
was an air of decay.
Up the long stairway Joyce fol
lowed the 1andlady. Turning tC the
right, they entered a large bright
front room. 1t was poorly furnished
but an air of responsibility hung
over it.
"You can have this room at fifteen
a week in advance, with the bath
right next door," said Mrs. jenkins
who did not seem to care whether
she rented it or not. Indeed she re-
garded roomers as her natural
enemies even though she made her
living from them.
"That seems like more money than
really want to pay" Joyce said
tiniidly.
"You got job?" asked Mrs. Jen,
kins.
mot yet" said Joyce. "But I have
! enough money to pay my rent for
a while and I expect to get work
right away"
There's a young lady I got over
here in 81 that's looking for a room
mate" said Mrs. Jenkins. "She's a
nice girl, works in a hotel down
town, the Statler. l can put you two
single beds in there and let you
have half Of her room from ten dol
lars week. She's been paying fiji
teen too and would like a cut"
"I'll look at it," said Joyce, divided
between distance for sharing hel
room, and hunger for company.
Mrs. Jenkins opened the door Of
a bedroom across the hall. Joyce
saw room as large as the first
one she had looked at, but with ar
air of comfort. There was some
pictures on the WALL some bright
pillows on the bed, some books an6
magazines on the table.
"Of course she might not like
you," said Mrs. Jenkins. "But you
look like a good girl, too. Why
don't you wait a bit? She'll be
back soon. Saturdays she doesn't
go to work until 3 o'clock and works
until midnight. What's your name?'
Joyce Daring. I'd like to wait
and see this other girl. Do you lei
us get our meals here if we want
| to?" Joyce thought of food for the
first time that day. She had eaten
nothing at all since rising at II.
you can get your breakfast in
| the kitchen if you want to, and
don't mind your eating crackers and
milk up here, but 1 don't allow any
cooking in your rooms, and you'll
have to entsrtain your gentlemen
friends downstairs in the parlor
don't allow no young men in the
girls rooms" She spoke acidly and
looked keenly at Joyce again.
The girl put her travelling bag
down and said, eff you don't mind
III leave this here and go out for
some lunch. I'll be. back in a little
bit and perhaps this girl will be
here. What is her name, please?'
miss Gladys Warner. She's beer
with me over a year now and we've
never had a word. Pays her rent
| promptly, keeps her room picked
up nice, and never tries to gel
around no rules of the house." Mrs
jenkins showed joys bag aside and
turned to lead the way to the front
door.
Joyce went down the steps ani
across the street to drug store
where she ordered matted milk
While it was making, she bought {
paper and turned to the Hell
| Wanted" column.
Accountants, bookkeepers, cooks
housemaids, stenographers, typists,
| and after each demanded that fata
word experienced" There seemed
no place where one could get thu
coveted experience ither.
Canvassers and house-to-houst
saleswomen were in demand with
out experience, but this Joyce fell
she could not do. At last her glact