Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-01-18
By ROE FULKERSON

READ THIS FIRST:
Betty Brown isc an auburn-headed,
rather awkward girl Of eighteen.
Through high school, encouraged by
George Harris, a serIous-minded boy
who lives next door, she has studied
and worked for culture, believing II
10 be the most important thing in
life. She attends the first alumni
dance of her class, and while standing
on the clubhouse veranda sees num-
erous pettlng parties IN dark oraer
and parked cars. No man mas ever
wanted TO kiss heri She does not
particularly wanted 10 be kissed, but
desires to have some man want to
kiss her. Wanting TO be desirable,
she wonders IL her culture cult has
made her miss some worthwhile ex-
perience in life. IL must be physical
appeal which made men like one.
Did she have IL? She knew she was
brighter than these other girls. She
could more than meet them in small
talk and the wise cracking chatter of
the young folk. Betty determined TO
give this problem the same syste-
matte study she had used in her
school work. After the dance. Andy
Adair. the towns richest boy, had
asked George and Betty 10 ride home
in the rumble seat Of his roadster.
After she and George were set down
a. their doors and had thanked Andy,
she said good night 10 her escort.
George only lifted his hat and walked
away.
NOW GO ON WITH THE sToRY)
CHAPTER II
Sleep comes easily to healthy
young animals. The night Of the
fret alumni dance was an epoch in
Betty Browns life. After George
Harris left her az her door she went
directly TO bed. As she undressed
the problems Of the evening were
much in her mind. she went 70
sleep wondering why she was not at
tractive TO men.
In the morning she assisted her
mother to prepare her fathers break
fast, in getting hi moff to the store
and clearing up the dishes. Betty's
household was like thousands of mid
dle-clAss homes. Her mother was
entitled to that most damning of all
descriptions, a "weil-preserved wom-
an just past plump. and verging
into fat. She was always determin-
ing TO diet and never actually do
ing IL.
Betty's father owned a small cigar
store was the rendezvous Of "breth-
inroads of the chain stores on his
business, he read the papers. He
was an active lodge man, and his
store vas the rendezvous Of "breth-
rem who spent their leisure time
there talking over whatever lodge
men talk over, always dropping the
conversation when a "profsne" en-
tered the store. Mr.. Brown reluc-
family sold what cigars he could not
smoke himself. His rotund waist
coat always had cigar ashes in the
wrinkles which crossed il between
his Tropic of Capricorn and Equator.
Betty was an only child. To her
parents she was king-like, in that
she could do no wrong. They took
infinite pride in her school records.
but forhsds a career OF any kind.
Both Of them believed that "a
woman's place is in the home"
Their rented house ras Of the "six
rooms and bath, A. NJ l." type. They
lad paid far more than its value ln
rent during the twenty odd years
they had lived in it. They had al
ways planned 70 purchase q home in
the suburbs and a little car. but the
chain stores and hard times post
pcned IL until theat some day which
never comes.
At fourteen. Betty had very de-
cided views about Life. spelled with
a capital letter. She made the best
Of her school days. hoping 10 20 to
college. She wanted TO be cultured,
refined. She and George Harris, her
next door neighbor. decided thar Life
was only worth while to a cultivated
person. They put ASIDE everything
Of a personal. trivial and unimpor-
tsnt nature. like kissing and love
making. 70 devote time 70 the culti-
vstion Of their minds.
The gods Of things a. they really
are. laughed ~gleefully. as they always
laugh when young things decide they
have solved the riddle Of existence.
She and George stood well 20 the
front OF their classes in high school.
George had been a good boy in every
particular. This morning she Won
dered IL George was not too good.
Gecrgs always did or said exactly