The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-10
The Shining
Talent
BY
Eleanor Early
CHAPTER /.

had not read that poem the
day she was graduated, every
thing would have been entirely
different. She d have married
and settled down, most likely.
And it was such an unim-
portaut little poem, too. And
merest chance that Molly saw
it at all. 1t was on the woman s
page Of a morning newspaper.
The wonder is that Molly had
time to even glance at the head
lines on that eventful day.
There had been a breakfast at
her sorority house in the morning.
And what with one thing and an
other the hours we're flying like
mad At IL o'clock the seniors
scrubbed down the steps of College
Hall, and gave the Greek statues
their traditional annual bath. Then
mere was the luncheon that Claudia
Cabot gave for her bridesmaids.
Claudia was getting married the
next day IN College Chapel, and
Molly was to be maid of honor. Her
dress was that lovely new shade of
green that looks like creme de
menthe with cream drifting through
it. It made Molly's eyes. which are
gray sometimes and blue other
times, as green as anything. Molly
loved green eyes. She was sure the
Lorelei and all real sirens had green
eyes and auburn hair.
Only Mollys hair isn't auburn,
but brown, with streaks in 1t about
the color Of red fox, which may not
sound alluring when you read about
il but really is extraordinarily effec-
tive. Especially with straight black
eyebrows and eyes like Molly's.
THEY say Molly got more formal
Il bids that year than anyone
else in college. She had stepped at
Princeton and West Point, and had
been to Dartmouth winter carnival.
But mostly, Molly had a yen for
Harvard. That was because Wells
vas a Harvard man.
Jack had been working year but
still was as poor as a church mouse.
He was coming out that afternoon
to take Molly to the presidents tea
Heavens, what a day! A sorority
breakfast, a bridesmaids luncheon
and now the presidents tea.
Molly in a way pitied Claudia Ca
bot, getting married right on top
OF being graduated. 1t must be
pretty nice. though, marrying money.
Not that Claudia cared. She had
enough of it herself Wasn't it al
ways like that?-the more you had
the more you got. Now if only
Jack had a rich father or some
thing Or if Molly were an heiress
like Claudia Cabot. Oh, well.A..
MOLLY glanced at her watch.
4VA She had an appointment at the
deans office at 2:3O.
She leaned toward the mirror.
Wiped a bit of rouge from her lips,
powdered her nose thoughtfully.
What under the sun did the dean
want?
On the way out she fingered in
the lobby a moment. 1t was crowded
with girls and reeked with the
sweetness OF commencement offer
ings-fowers and perfumes. Molly
felt a sudden pang. After all. COL
lege had been home to her for four
years. She would miss it dreadfully.
e'ASk Mr.. Wells if he comes before
I get back. to wait for me here" she
told the maid. and waved to group
that hailed her joyously.
Hey. Molly. wait a minute"
Cant" she told them. The dean
no leSS-iS paging me"
She had a sort of lump in her
throat a silly thing. She was, at
times, abSurdly sentimental. Just
seeing the girls like that. all to-
gether. made her think how lonely
she was going to be when she
couldn't see them any more.
Lay of my boy" she admoniShed
them with her flashing smile. He'll
be here any minute"
And of she ran, across the green
and down the hill, to the admins
tration office. where the deans sec
retary told her she was expected
and asked to wait.
So Molly sat at a window. watch
ing the commencement groups drift
across the lawn. a lovely green
lawn, smooth as velvet. 1t would be
a marvellous place, she thought. TO
switch trains Twenty years ago
girls cid wear trains at commence
ment Molly surveyed her
knees and smiled, and pulled her
skirt down as far as possible. The
dean was a little bit old-faShioned.
Five minutes. Ten minutes. .
There was a newspaper on the ia
bic, and Molly reached for it rest
lessly.
II was open at the woman'S page,
and she noted idly that DR.. West
had something to say about the
care OF babies in summer. And
Aunt Emily held, in her column.
that a man could not respect a girl
who INDUCED in promiScuous kiss
ing. She read a letter from Moth
er Of Eight" and another from
"Bashful Sixteen" and wondered if
women really wrote such things. Or
If the editor made them up.
But she thought OF a girl she
knew. named Emmaline Luce, who
had q baby nearly ever year and
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