The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-03-20
Eileen's S Beauty
Sleep Won Out
BY RUBY DOUGLAS
(Copyright.)


4 Fate that you should have had
fire that night laughed Janice Burt.
''And you laugh" commented Eileen
dryly.
"Why not? You must have been a
scream"
II did scream anyway. Honestly, |
never gave thought to the fire itself
or to the fact that father and mother
were calling frantically to me to get
out. All | thought of was the way /
looked and the front yard full of fire
men,"
"What was this grand new beauty
sleep you were trying on this night
of all nights?" asked Janice, still
amused.
Eileen shook her head disconsolate-
ly. "Oh-dont ask me about it. And
there | stood on the balcony in front
of my room-the very spot | had so
often pictured myself in! But in
stead of looking wonderfully lovely
and wrathlike and ethereal in pale
romantic moonlight was a veritable
comic valentine. My hair was done
in metal wavers that struck out like
Topsy's pigtails all over my head.
had a frown eradicator between my
eyes o smooth out the lines am get
ting because l won't wear glasses.
had this white of egg smeared on my
face and it had dried in!'
1T sounds like some beauty Sleep
Il had wanted to look particularly
well at the party tomorrow night and
| was going to try this for two or
three nights. IL wanted to look we'll
because Tom Harper. whom | haven't
seen for three years, is visiting his
cousin Bert. You know / always liked
Tom, and then-he went away"
What has that to do with the fire?"
asked Janice.
Everything - stupid Don't you
know that we have only a volunteer
fire department in our village? You
city folks know so little about subur-
ban problems And don't you realize
that every male who is not half dead
of ennui dashes out to every fire
midnight or not? And can't you be-
gin to see that Bert dragged his cousin
| Tom out with him and that there they
stood with the ladder at the foot of
/ my balcony waiting to make heroic
rescue and me-oh-"
Il suppose you would rather have
smothered to death in the smoke
suggested Janice "But l do begin to
see"
81 climbed down the ladder with
the whole family and all the firemen
including Tom-waiting at the foot
to grab me in their arms. never was
so mortified in all my life. And you
know, Janice. l have always made 1t
d point to go to bed looking pretty
in case of fire or burglars. It has al
most been a complex with me-"
81 know-you powdered your nose
and brushed your hair a hundred
times and chose pretty colors Janice
burst out again into merriment.
Suddenly she stopped, for her com
panion's eyes were full of tears.
81 just can't help it," sobbed Eileen,
giving way to the emotion that she
had controlled ever since the fire. 81
know it is silly, but"
The sound of automobile wheels
crushing the blue stone driveway cut
short Eileen's cry.
Tom Harper pulled up in front of
the porch and stopped the car
He came straight up to Eileen with
both hands outstretched. Il do hope
you are none the worse" he said
earnestly, looking into her eyes. 81
have been so concerned. And you
were so wonderfully brave"
Janice knew that the man before
her had not seen the curriers' nor the
beautifying lotions nor the wrinkle
eradicator. She knew 1t and thrilled.
did she tell you about it?" he
asked Janice, turning TO her after a
minute.
Janice laughed. "She has told me
her vision"
(which has nothing to do with my
bravery, but rather of my beauty
sleep that | thought | was having in
solitude" confessed Eileen.
And then the whole story came out
and Eileen forgot that she had been
on the verge Of thoroughly good cry
The relief she experienced at the
knowledge that Tom had not thought
her dreadful after all these years OF
separation was enough to chase away
the tears.
They talked Of the fire and of the
insurance adjusters, and Eileen said
that the concensus of opinion was that
the fire had originated in the walls
among the lathing where mice had car
ried matches.
safety first" said Janice for lack
of anything better to add
81 think it was beauty first with
me-" laughed Eileen.
"And if Janice doesn't mind I'm
going to tell you what it was with
me-" began Tom, looking at Eileen
with his soul in his eyes.
But Janice left them alone, and then
and there Tom told Eileen that he
had never experienced so dreadful a
) moment as when he beheld her alone
on that balcony where, every moment,
he expected to see flames bursting out
of the windows.
He told her many other things. and
. among them the fact that he had not
even see the curlersl
. Then you do love me-" whispered
Eileen.
Washed OFF
Mrs Catt-I don't think swimming