Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-04-25

CHAPTER -
Miss Lee" the program director
asked her In q tone as husinesslike
as ne would address any on the work.
ing girls around wwBC. shave you
any Of your fan mail here at the
| studio?"
EIanda's heart sank to the bottom
Of her shoes.
Fan maiI7 Mono"
II suppose you keep 1t all at home.
Can you bring some Of II TO me In
the morning? I'd like 20 look IL over,
How many letters do you average q
program?"
Elanda sat down weakly.
"Why-why, Mr.. Fiske. isn't 1t too
soon for me TO begin getting fan
mail? I've only been on five La
, Paloma programs" She knew IL
was q weak defense OF herself, and
| blushed.
He looked I'D In utter surprise
You haven't had ANY fan mail
&C all2 Why, that is very strange,
Almost unbelievable. He stroked his
little mustache thoughtfully when
Elanda remained silent, dumb with
embarrassment and humiliation.
well, then there Is Just cause for
the advertising manager Of the ID
Paloma Soap company to call in VI
see me and ask whether something
can't be done to pep things up q
bit. We viii have to change the
type of stuff you r doing. Wei
have 20 give you some popular stuff
oh, no" Elanda gave q little cry
or protest, you aren't going 70 make
me sing popular things are your ]
don't like It. I've never done It,"
Fiske sat back and twiddled his
thumbs for a moment before he
answered her. When he did he ask
ed her fo~rcefully:
Miss Lee. r you another OF those
would-be 'artistes' who wants 70
earn a living with her voice and still
thinks she will be selling her birth
right for a mess Of pottage II she
sings what the general public likes"
Fiske haned over and drummed
a pencil ON the table. \.
"You listen TO mel I've been In
this businas ever since radio was
born. There are millions and mil
lions OF Americans listening In on
their radios every night who don't
know q word OF French, or Italian
or Spanish. They want to hear
things they can understand. I don't
blame theml They didn't buy their
radios to learn TO be interpreters"
Elanda twisted her fingers and
listened TO him attentively. Her face
was growing red, because he was
treating her Just as he would any
one else After all. she was Greg
Du Pon't fiancee. Didn't he realize
that? In q little while she would
mt be La Paloma. She would be
Mrs. Gregory Du Pont. the third.
She was almost ready to beg his
pardon coldly and get up and save
what shreds OF dignity she had left,
when he went On:
The La Paloma people wanted
someone more like a blues crooner
when they yer looking for a Miss
La Paloma. But Mr.. Du Pont con-
WINGED them you were the type TO do
II. because you wer pretty rs well
as talented.
There's only one way we can save
the day and give them full value for
their money. That IS for you to sing
things that will appeal to the gen.
| eral public. The La Paloma people
pay five thoSuand dollars an hour
for the air alone -- not counting the
expense Of a big symphony orches-
ira and you artists. 1T wouldn't be
honest business for us not to try our
best to get that money back for
them. Would it7"
Il suppose not" Elanda shook her
| head wretchedly, but I just don't
see how I can bear to sing that
junk"
ooh, be ~yourselfI" he exploded un-
graciously. You don't look like Q
girl who had been brought up 70 BE-
lteve anything except art Is not
worth living for. Being high hat
doesn't bring in the bacon. sister,
Elanda, much against her wishes
and with her pride In ashes. lef'
Fiske's office with several populai
songs to learn.
II was q fact that she had not
received any fan mail at AL and tina
had beaten her. She couldn't figh'