The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-02-20
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY.

BEGIN HERE TO-DAY.
 Life was never dull with GIN GER ELLA TOLLIVER around. Whenever there was a threat of 1t Ginger got q new idea. Thus she suggested a Junior Country club to save the younger set of Red Thrush, Iowa, from utter boredom. It was to be cxclusive-nO parents, no babies. Accordingly Ginger, whose father was . minister but whose stepmother the former PHIL VAN DOORN, was both wealthy and indulgcnt, pur- chased the Mill Rush farm, a 1O-acre tract with an old house on it, which she proceeded with the assistance of her friends, to overhaul and fur nish.
 Red Thrush seized tiIe idea with enthusiasm. One day an artist called at the Tolliver kitchen and offered to do portrait of Ginger in exchange for q meal. After he had shaved off his beard, Ginger found to her amaZemcnt that he was both young and good looking. And he had talent. He had studied in Paris, and his name was BARD HOLLOWAY.
 Ginger thought it would be good idea if Bard remained a while in Red Thrush. She would sec that he got enough commis- siOns for portraits, which would be better than hObOing through the country, and he could do the mural decorations at the new club house. So she got her step mother to prevail on Bard to ac- cept an invitation to stay at the Tollivers'.
 Bard thought "Joie de Vivre" would be q good name for the club. It was adopted. And he thought it would be splendid if they could import NICOLO GAIL LENO from Chicago. For Nicolo was handsome and he could cook and sing and strum guitar. He would make picturesque addition to the club. He would be knock out on the opening night, for which 8 dinner dance was planned. So he sent for NicOlO. But on the morning or the dance there arrived at the TOlliverS not one Latin youth, but what seemed an army of them. Lit tie ANGELO was q musician and PIETRO could cook. And BENITO could sing. And how! NicOlO could not come, it seemed, and they had come in his place. They would work for their board. So they were installed at the club.
 That evening at the dance, Bard began to realize he was fall- ing in love with Ginger. And Ginger felt the same way. It was a wonderful evening for everyone. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 
 CHAPTER XVII.
 Dancing had been announced for nine o'clock-that in itself daring innovation in a community where six is the favorite hour for dining, and where within an hour or so after ward the average resident is willing to call it a day and retire for the night.
 So It was not surprising that, im- pelled douOly by their own de- terminal ton to miss nothing. and by the lnsistence of parents who con- sidered 7:30 the proper hour for chitdren's party, the upper high and prep school crowd was in noisy posression of the tables assigned to them.
 And those same parents, be it confessed to their shame, had re- sorted to the unworthy eXpedient of driving the youngsters out, as a sole legitimate excuse to obtain one glimpse of the goinGs-on at Joie de Vivre that night.
 By eight o'clock every reserva- tion had been taken up, and Benito, shrewdly figuring that there was no use waiting an hour when folks were willing to begin parting with their money at once, started the ball rolling.
 He turne Angelo loose at the piano, released the three walters borrowed from the Hotel Grand for the eVenlnS-fOr a consideration and made his first attack upon the auditory nerves of Iowa.
 Even if there had been no food at all, no dancing and no clubhouse, the three suave and smiling for eigners in their startling compila- tions of second hand operatic cos tunes garnered heaven knew whence, would have steamped the evening with the ineffaceable hall mark of success. Even Ginger felt a stirring of her already excited pulses at sight of them.
 It was at Bard's suggestion that they adhered exclusively to their native tongue, answering every word addressed to them with a tor rent of eloquent, comprehensible Italian which permitted of no argu- ment in return, and at the same time lent an international flavor that Red Thrush had not before eX- perienced.
 Also, as Bard aptly observed, it served to condone the service, which was not always what it might have been. One who ordered soup received spaghetti, one who would have crackers, one who would have crackers and cheese was obliged to be content with ginger ale and fruit cookies. No matter! All protests were swept away in the laughing tide of apologetic, rhythmic, good natured Italian.
 Out by the gate Ben Brooks held royal court with his friend, al though crowded just a trifle for first honors by Try Ford, upon whom, after all, the merrymakers were largely dependent for transporta- lion to and from this place of joy, while upon Ben devolved merely