New Britain herald., 1929-01-07

Then shall call you Orchid" he told her. Tt will be my little tender name for you. My small. se- ere: name. Shall you like that?"
 "Oh, that would be sweet!" she exclaimed. She was beginning to feel like heroine in a rather exciting novel. A poor little ste- nographer! Alone with a million aire on a lonely island! In a little bit of 8 house on top of the world! With nobody around (nobody, that 1t, but 10 or 1: servants-and Ash toreth supposed they didn't county
 My goodness" she cried, "I just happened to think. I'm thousands of miles from home-and I haven't even toothbrush! Or a night gown"
 "Oh. guess we can fix you up," he consoled her. i've a few toilet things. And you can take reefs in my orchid satin pajamas."
 She wondered If she ought to pro- pose going to bed pretty soon. Or if the suggestion should come from Mir. Hart. And where her room was. And if his was near it. And if the servants slept in the house. Or if,
 It was all thoroughly exciting, she thought, and quite like the movies
 T told Hester to put some or chids in your room." he was say ing. There was a great cluster of them on the mango tree. Pure white. Tomorrow I shall pick some for you. and pin them in those coils you wear - one behind each ear. like the way you wear your hair, orchid'
 "Mother thought I was awfully foolish not to bob it,' she told him. But I've always known I wasn't a bob haired model"
 "No," he said. You're not"
 Do you like short hair?" she asked.
 "Oh. it's all right on some peo- pie" he answered carelessy. Don't VOL ever cut yours, though. Orchid"
 No. won't" she promised.
 And don't you ever rouge your cheeks, either" he counseled.
 "No," she said. "Make-up's not my type"
 He looked at Ter curiously.
 What a wise young person she is.' he bantered.
 Daddy hated cosmetics" she told him. ''He didn't want me even to use powder. You see" she hesi- tated.
 "Yes?" he prompted.
 "Well. mothers an awfully diff ferent type" she floundered. And mumsie uses sort of lot of rouge and stuff. And father got so he simply hated it. You see, Hollis, my father was a man with very de- cided opinions. | absolutely wor- shipped him. and l suppose he in- fluenced me great deal.'
 But your mother?" he asked. Didn't he ever ask her to refrain from cosmetics?"
 "Oh, yes" admitted Ashtoreth. but mother thought he~ was sort of an old fogey, and she didn't pay any attention. She loved him like everything, Holly. She'd simply have died for him. But = well. mother and father weren't a bit alike. They never really under stood each other, I think
 They were silent again for lit- tie. And Ashtoreth wondered if Hollis was revolving her mother in his mind. What sort of picture bad she conveyed now of Maizie? And what would he think of her if he should ever meet her? Painted and garish. in her purple velvet suit. Why couldn't she tell him the truth? She might say something like this:
 Hollis" she might say. i've been an absolute beast about my mother. I've lied and I've pretend- ed. And I've been ashamed of her. And I'm not worthy to shine her blessed shoes. She's the dearest. kindest woman that ever lived. She's gone out working by the day. She's shined stoves and scrubbed floors. And spent her hard-earned money to buy me silk stockings and patent leather pumps. Shes worked her fingers to the bone for me. She's good and loyal. and adorable, above all women.
 And I'm ashamed of her be- cause she makes the most awful grammatical mistakes. And dyes her hair. And uses too much make up. And wears purple velvet suit. And acts exactly like the gen. uine, simple soul she is.
 She's the salt of the earth that's what my mother is. And I'm a stupid, ignorant little soul pretending to all manner Of things. My mother is a grand wo- man. And I'm nothing but make believe lady"
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