The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-20
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CHAPTER ONE


the sound of voices.
Jaw, turn that alarm off, will
yaP"
Hey, you, Moran-!"
Its the redhead. Bud don't get
up this early!"
Seven thirty. And Mona (nee
Minnie) Moran stirred, nestled
costly for a moment, then lifted a
slender arm from the coverlet and
snapped off the shrill noise. She
turned over again, placed a palm
beneath her cheek and closed her
eyes.
Mona long ago had decided that
the last half hour of sleep caught
this way-stolen really from the
workaday world-was the most de-
hcious. Thirty more drowsy min
utes to reflect on this and that or
to forget 1t all in the relaxation of
another nap.
Mona had problems. What girl
as young and lovely as Mona does
not have-even when she is not, as
Mona assuredly was-the support
of her familyP There were five in
that family, counting dad in the
hospital and Bud, the elder brother,
away from home when he had a
job and came home when broke.
Then, as if another alarm had
sounded, Mona stirred again. She
patted a dainty yawn with the back
Of her rose-tipped hano, glanced at
the sleeping Kitty beside her
Kitty's slim little girlness occupy
ing more than half the narrow bed
and slid out carefully.
Mona stretched her arms again
and took indifferent stock of her
self in the mirror. She had be-
come used to the pleasant report
that mirror gave.
There were those who wondered
why. with such figure, such
creamy skin, such gray-green eyes
and miraculous bronze hair, Mona
had not followed her first job as
errand girl and later model at Pill
grim's with a stage utilization.
1t was true that Mona had had
several such offers, but. she had
rejected them all. To marry a
stage electrician (more chorus girls
did, you know, than landed mil
lionaires) had no part in Mona
Moran's plans.
So she had taken a job as recep-
ZIONIST for the exclusive law 1rm
of Garretson, Lawton g. Amesbury
It see people here" Mona con-
fided to her friend, Lottie Carr. L
Get to know them without parad-
ing half dressed behind the foot
lights. I learned to walk, to talk,
to dress and how to act
r OTrIE, tall, blond and languor-
l. Gus, was model at Pilgrims.
THAT Carr girl is no better than
she should be-" Ma would declare
after one of Lottie's visits to the
Moran home. Perfume, $40 an
ounce! handkerchief, $25 dozen
or I'm a liar. No good working
girl"
"Oh. she's all right, Mother|
Mona would protest. It's just that
that Lottie-" She would break
off here, for Mona hardly could
finish as she had intended, Its
lust that Lottie has no family to
support" Ma would be hurt-and
rightly-at that.
We'll" Ma would weaken, Il
don't want that girl calling up the
house. I don't want you going out
with her. My daughters are good
girls!"
Mona was. and, indeed, for that
matter, so vas Lottie. Mrs. Moran
might have had the rueful support
of many rebuffed young men as to
that.
Lottie, frivolous, gay, attractive in
the costumes her position as model
afforded her, would beg Mona to
join her on frequent parties with
that collection of young clubmen to
whom Lottie referred as "the gang"
Sometime, Lottie. But don't
count on me for many of these
affairs. I need my sleep. I have
to work"
Go to bed and never meet any
nice people!" Lottie amended here.
You might get yourself a husband
if you'd step out more. Ever think
of that?"
Mona shook her head. yes,
think of it. But you don't get them
that way. I know my onions"
And Lottie had rejoined signifi-
cantly, recalling the malodorous
SiXty-seventh street fiat, I'll say
you do! But do you know the
artichokes?"
Mona knew that, for some time at
least, she could not think of marry
ing. 1t was out of the question. Not
with Bud acting as he did, in and
out OF a job, absent for days on end,
home idling, begging small sums
for carfare, cigaretS.
Not with her father in the hos
pital. Mona couldn't go to a hus-
band saddled with these family
cares.
Her fatherl Mona's patient, kind
ly, Woodworking father, stricken
suddenly with that obscure, power
full malady which no doctor named
definitely, of which no doctor would
predict the outcomel He had been
in the hospital now for months.
Terrence Moran and his wife had
come to America years ago with
such high hopes. They. had left
Ireland earlier than that for Scot
land, but in Glasgow had heard OF
America, the land of opportunity.
Terrence had worked at this and
that to provide for his ever-growine
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