Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-26
READ THIS FIRST.

READ THIS FIRST.
Vivian Matthews. 20. is looked up
on as a flat tire" in the younger
set of Bender, Kan. Found on the
doorstep Of Martha Matthews, an
old maid, when a small baby, she
knows nothing Of her parents. This
has made her shy and bitter. She
feels no one even likes her because
she Is a nobody" Wentworth Hill
man Johns III, scion of the towns
leading family, home after gradu-
ating from Kansas university, passes
by the Matthews cottage and leases
Vivian about being the same little
sally Sad Eye Sit by the Fire" He
~preScribes marriage for her and tells
her Aurelia "Dovie" Jansen and her
mother are returning from Paris In
two weeks and that they are TO be
married. Later the thud of the
Times Democrat" on the porch
brings the startling headline: "Lo-
cal Belle WEEDS Rich Count"
Patricia Sullivan, Vivian'S best
friend. known on Broadway as Cud-
dies Namara. returns to Bender
after four years of trying to make
a success on the stage. Cuddlea
bawls Vivian out severely for her
inferiority complex. then sympa-
thetically promises to help her i'm
prove her appearance and make
friends.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER III
1t was a hot, dusty, windy day In
July, and Bender lay sweltering un-
DER a mercilesS sun. Now and then
a breeze would lift the curtains OF
the Matthews cottage. But it was
as though an oven door had sud-
denly opened. sending out waves of
heat. Kansas hot winds.
Pat and Vivian spent the after
noon driving "Cubby" Sullivan's
practically defunct old flivver. chris
tened the coffee percolator" b. Pat.
on a shopping tour TO Salina. In
the back seat, representing a days
feverish search. lay Pats hopes of
making Vivian the village belle.
A complete new outfit for Sunday.
And another for not so special occa-
sions. Tall, bright sunflowerS along
the roads nodded happily. A cataS-
trOphe was narrowly averted when
suddenly, right out of a little road
running through a wheat field. hid
den by the beautiful treacherous
sunflowers, Kent Johns drove his
beautiful sport roadster.
Kent ran his a into the ditch
to avoid hitting the girls, and Pat
stopped the Sullivan wreck on a
dime. Vivian paled. III was the first
time she had seen Kent since the
evening he stopped at the gate. Her
heart ached when she saw how pale
and thin he seemed. He jumped
out of his car.
"Sa-ayl That was a narrow shave.
Ought to have honked. ! might
have killed both Of you"
Don't fool yourself" Pat laughed,
this old percolator has a charmed
life. I cut my first tooth on this
left fender over here where the hole
is"
Hello. Kent" was all Vivian could
say.
Hi. Wv. I was going to call you
this evening"
Vivian looked dumfounded, but he
did not seem to notice.
Want TO talk to you about some
thing. Got a date?"
Pat nudged her and spoke up,
laughing:
she was just saying right back
here the evening looked as though
IL were going to be a dull one
guess I can let you see her. But
she has a lot of new clothes here
to try on
Vivian managed To make 1t known
that the evening was not taken up
Bout eight. then" Kent waved
to them and drove off.
Pat SGT immovable a moment
watching Vivian staring after Kents
car. Then she broke into a hearty
laugh.
Good gravy. vivi Don't tell me
you lost your voice because Kent
Johns asked you for a date. II II
hadn't been for me YOU never would
have been able to asnwer him"
Il don't see what he wants TO see
me for" Vivian still looked after
the cloud Of dust.
Maybe" Fat laughed He Is 90