The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-03
INOBOT0Y'S GIRL

nice girl, and your David is one
of the handSomeSt men have ever
saw"
Your David" Sally's heart re-
peated the words, sang them,
crooned over them, but she did not
answer, except with one of her rare,
sudden, sweet smiles.
"Nita evidently thinks so, too, D."
the weak little treble went on, as
PITY Sing" trQtted toward her cot,
looking like an animated doll. II
might as we'll warn you right now,
Sally, that don't trust that Mia
person as far as can throw bull
by the horns"
She flung her dire pronouncement
over a tiny, pink-silk shoulder as
she knelt before small metal trunk
and reached into her bosom for a
key suspended around her neck on
a chain.
Sally's desire to laugh at the pre-
poSterous picture of the midget
throwing a bull by the horns was
throtteld by new and particularly
horrid fear.
"What-do you mean, Betty?" she
gaSped. HAS Nita-?"
been vamping your David?"
tiny Miss Elizabeth Matilda Tanner
finished her sentence for her. 1T
would not be Mia if she overlooked
a prospect like your David. 1t is
entirely obvious that he is a person
of breeding and family, even if he
is helping Buck in the privilege
car kitchen. Nita is always so
broke that she has to eat her meals
in the cook tent, but she borrowed
or stole the money today to eat in
the privilege car, and she found it
necessary to confer with your David
on a purely fictitious dietic prob
lem, and then went boldly into the
kitchen to time the eggs he was
boiling for her That Nita!" the
tiny voice snorted contemptuouSly.
"She'S as strong as a horse and has
about as much need for a special
diet as an elephant has for ga
loshes. Oh, she's up to her tricks,
not a doubt about that. I just
thought I'd warn you in time. Nita'S
man-eating tigress and once she's
smelled blood"
Thank you, Betty" Sally inter
rupted gently, as she knelt beside
the midget to help her with the lid
of the trunk But David isn't my
David, you know. He's-he's just
friend who helped me out when I
was in terrible trouble. If Nita likes
David, and-he-likes her"
Don't be absurd" the midget
scolded her, setting herself on tiny
stool to take off her baby-size shoes
and stockings. "Of course you're in
love with him, and he's crazy about
you-a blind person could see that.
Will you unite this shoe-lace,
please? My nightgown is in the tray
of the trunk, and you'll find a night
cap there, too. 1 wear it," she eX-
planned severely, on the defensive
against ridicule, "to protect my mar
eel. Heaven knows it's hard enough
to get a good curl in these hick
towns, with the rubes gaping at me
wherever I go. Then please get my
Ibsen-a little green leather book.
I'm reading 'Hedda Gabler' now.
Have you read it?"
"Oh, yes" Sally cried, delight
edly. do you like to read? Gould
I borrow it to read between shows?
I'll take awfully good care of it"
Certainly I read!" Miss Tanner
informed her severely, climbing,
with Sally's help into her low cot
bed. my father, who had these
little books made especially for me,
was a university professor. I have
completed the college course, under
his tutelage. If Re had not died I
should not be here" and her little
eyes were suddenly bitter with lone
illness and resentment against the
whimsy of a Providence that elected
10 make her so different from other
women.
Sally found the miniature book,
small enough to fit the midget's
hand, and gave it to her, then