The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1930-01-10
When Betty
Steps Out
BY DUFoRD JENNIE


nose-she turned away. Anyway, he
had asked her, and he had always
smiled at her when she happened to
see him at the house where he was
popular caller.
A knock On the door, and pretty lit
tie Dolly Murdoch looked in. Before
she could speak, Betty told her the
good news: Dolly, Tom Hyland has
asked me to the Blair dance.
Dolly's eyebrows went up. Lucky
kid. Tom can give a girl a happy
time IL anyone can" Dolly's eyes
grew serious. Betty, you come home
early, and let me get at that hair OF
yours. I'll"
"Oh, Dolly, will your"
The older girl smiled little. "And
why don't you get cute dress l saw
ut Claire's?"
Betty thought Of her small savings
Then she remembered: 1t was one
chance at happy time; she must not
lose 1t. She nodded, 'T'll get 1t. Dolly
I'll get It,"
Betty knew that Dolly was an ex-
pert hairdresser in a downtown estab
lishment and quite an expert on
dresses within the range OF limited
pocketbooks.
The next day Betty came home with
the treasure under her arm, purchased
with Dolly's guidance. She tried the
dress on and paraded around the
room; and there Dolly found her and
looked at her bit wistfully.
Honey, it makes you look" Then
she paused. How could she describe
the odd quality of loveliness the sim.
pie dress gave the slim girl In front
OF her. "Tom will be proud of you
Now for the hair; let's get busy
Dolly added.
When Dolly's skilled fingers had
done their best and she had gone
Betty once more rushed to the mirror
She gasped. What difference
knowing how to fix yourself VI
makes!" she exclaimed She danced
across the floor.
A quick rap on the door caught her
attention. She answered, and in came
Blanche Benton. Blanche stared a
her, then said briefly:
Betty, just heard about your note
that you think was from Tom. THAI
green maid showed 1t under your door
but Tommy intended it for me-"
The room seemed to revolve around
Nv hn ,rDs
eyes were brown. Tom had often tax
en- her, and the new maid may have
mixed up the rooms. Suddenly the
room seemed to grow dark. An idea
trembled to life in her mind, ther
grew to cry.
"Oh, Blanche, / thought 1t was for
me-and / bought q new dress-and
l haven't been to dance for months
and just love to go-can't you
can't you just make believe-fix II
with Tom-so can go7 Please dc
that!"
Blanche's somewhat cold, hard eyes
softened. 'Well. If you are crazy
about 1t, perhaps l can"
There was more talk, but Betty
hardly heard it; she was going, any
way.
Later on she had her minutes of de-
spair She thought of calling Ton
and telling him. But she could not
bring herself to the step; SO In the
end she was ready when she was
called downstairs. She went with
trembling feet, her face flushed, tC
the small parlor. Toms hearty, gen.
erous greeting saved her.
Outside, he tucked her into a taxi
and they were off through the gay
streets to the dance hall. She thought
OF telling him how she felt, but his
pleasant chatting gave her no chance
and she was on the dance floor, her
light feet circling with the music be-
fore she had another chance. And
then it was too late, for he said soft
ly in her ear: Little girl, you dance
eautifully-and you certainly look
beautiful -
She knew his words were probably
the fiattering ones he may have spok-
en- before to other ears, but they had
happy sound just the same-and il
was the first time she had ever heard
such words.
The last dance came after happy
hours, and the music died in her heart
and the lightness passed from her
feet. She would have to explain. She
was silent on the ride home. Tom
looked at her curiously, she knew, but
she was wondering what to say to
him. She said 1t, haltingly. She
heard him laugh, and new firm note
came into his voice. She began to
tremble. He sensed her emotion, and
put his arm gently around her:
"Listen, Brown Eyes, I meant that
note for you. I've been watching you
at the house. Blanche hasn't the
sweetest disposition in the world, l am
sorry to say. but I've tried to be nice
to her. She may have been q little
sore but We'll let her. The main
thing is, I'm dating you for the dance
next week, If you want to go?"
She hardly knew what she said, but
she felt Toms comforting arm tighten
about her, and she knew he under