The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-04-24
Love Game Won
at Tennis
BY LEETE STONE


curtained home In the suburbs, flow
er garden to fuss with, and lean,
broad-shouldered specimen Of man.
hood to welcome home In time for din
ner every evening. Janet did not pet,
drink, nor smoke. Nearly every night
she dozed off dreaming of sn up-to-
date Lochinvar who would some day
alight gallantly from the steed OF Ro-
nance and claim her for his bride.
So far 1t was nothing but a dream.
Day by day she conscientiously tapped
her typewriter in Wall Street bro
ker's office, and calmly refused the
soft-spoken dinner invitations OF the
office sheik who was noticeably shop
worn.
She bordered ON bitterness the day
that Rose Bailly returned from VA
cation club" cruise to Miami on the
arm Of Fred Daggert first violinist
In Emil Amsden's orchestra. Rose an
nounced to an awed group of fellow
typists that she and Fred were short
ly to march to the tune of wedding
bells.
Here was the fruition of her very
own dreams enacted before her very
own eyes. The thought of 1t, all day
long as she took dictation and tran
scribed, buoyed her up and then thrust
her down into crypts of despair. Why
not for herr This beautiful thingl
Ah. well, it was indeed too good to
be true. In her heart she know she
was every bit as attractive and charm
ing as Rose; and she had saved more
money than Rose. Why not for her
this Journeys end?"
Janet had both character and COM
mon sense. She knew that the day of
lolling around looking sweet enough
to eat and waiting for an eligible male
to propose had long gone by. Hard
times and depression in financial GEN.
ters, as well as a world Of unemploy-
ment, were making young men wary
of responsibility regardless Of the die
tates Of their hearts.
All at once she realized that Rose
Bailly had taken the wise way, wheth-
er Intentionally or not. And Janet
realized that another year or two Of
tapping the typewriter and sweltering
In torrid New York to save her vaca-
tion money would render her as shop
worn as the Office sheik. Which would
ruin her chances with the sort of man
she hoped to win.
So Janet risked all on a single
throw OF the dice. With no hope of
It's being granted she applied for a
six weeks leave of absence from the
firm. 1t was granted-the first lucky
omen. Then she withdrew all her saw
ings six hundred dollars, and for two
hundreds dollars bought round-trip
ticket on one of the smaller, One-class
merchant steamers sailing to and from
London.
The first day at sea was ideal. The
water was smooth as pond; the sun
held no sting; the air was tonic itself.
Janet was so happy and relaxed after
her four years of close work that she
almost did not care about the outcome
of her quest for true romance.
sidelines Of the little deck tennis court
watching q gay f0ursome volley the
ring OF rope back and forth, Janet
took discreet cogniZance of all the
men on deck. There were only two,
she intuitively OWNED, that could
make her heart strain at It's moorlng.
And only one of these, the tanned,
serious looking man Of twenty-nine or
thirty, who stood watching the game
near her, looked like the type who
loved home, a pipe, books and
pretty wife TO come now and then
and sit on the arm of his big leather
chair. The other chap was one Of the
four playing deck tennis. He looked
like college athlete out for vaca-
tion on fathers money; but the fact
remained that he, and he alone, had
already even In the midst of strenu-
Gus game flashed at Janet score OF
admiring glances.
"Shall we take the winners on for
a set?" 1t was the quiet, studious
voice of the man who was standing
near her.
Love to" Janet returned; mental
ly murmuring, This is luck %
So 1t came about that every bright
morning of the ten-day voyage, Janet
played deck tennis with her serious
acquaintance. he was always polite,
courteous; friendly even; but that was
all. And every evening she danced
and later stood by the stern rail
watching the moon-lit wake water
with the harmlessly sentimental COL
lege boy.
Until the night before they were TO
dock at London That night she
missed her university specimen at the
dance. Feeling little low-spirited
she sought the deck, huddled in the
lee of lifeboat, and marveled at the
mystery Of moon and stars.
"Hello, Janetl" She whirled in sur
prise. This was the grave, magnetic
voice whose tones she had learned to
cherish as they said "deucei" and
"forty love" at deck tennis. He came
closer and they leaned against the
rail.
"Janet-it's love game for you
l want you for q partner always.
Won't you playa"
"Do you read women as you read
books" the girl whispered, smuggling
closer to his broad shoulders. "Who
are you, Lee?
"Practicing psyche analyst at Ok
ford, but don't let's talk shop, dear