The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1932-02-27

fun to be driven in Limousine
wherever you wanted to go! What
fun to stop at q smart restaurant
because you were thirsty, to be
served by an impressed headwaiter,
to have every wish anticipated.
Care and worries drifted away from
her. The hurried, clattery morning
with its clashing OF milk cans and
jangling alarm clocks seemed years
away. Here there was only peace
and beauty and leisure.
She began, did Ellen, to weave
| those swift dreams Of girlhood,
those dreams that need 30 little
substance. Although Steven Bar
clay did not guess 1t his own shad-
owy figure moved through those
fancies.
They drove almost quietly to
Dreamland, absorbed in their sepa-
rate thoughts. They stopped off
Broadway. Ellen carefully picked
up the box which held the precious
dress and stretched out her hand
to Barclay.
81 can't tell you," she said breath
lessly, "how much / appreciate
what you've done for me-"
Above them, through the open
windows, came q clashing Of
brasses and a singing Of strings.
| The orchestra at Dreamland was
! tuning up.
"I'm glad I could do it." Barclay
replied"
He meant to stop there. But he
heard himself saying what he had
not intended to say.
II would like to do a great deal
more for you"
ElIen's heart throbbed queerly.
but her voice was steady as she
told him that he had done a great
deal too much already. She was
self conscious, a rare thing for her.
as she climbed the stairs-self-con
scious, and, now that she was away
from Barclay and what he stood
for, q little dissatisfied with herself.
How foolish to imagine that the
fact Steven Barclay had lent her q
dress meant anything except that
he was a kind and generous man.
| What did she know Of him after
all? He was rich and she had idly
dreamed of becoming his young and
adored wife, dreamed of the beauty
that as Mrs Steven Barclay she
could bring into the lives of Myra
and Molly and baby Mike. Dream
ed, to, Of herself in thin, gay
frocks. never chosen for utility,
| moving in the pleasure spots of the
world with never thought Of
work or care.
She stepped into Dreamland and
ran straight into Jacob Solomon.
His face broke into q wide grin.
"Hullo-you're back. And with
the dress, too, see. Quick work,
kid"
Ellen's chin came up.
II might as well tell you," she
said coolly "that I intend to work
here. only temporarily. For three
weeks at the most"
That's o. k. by me, kid. But
since you're here I suppose you
won't mind obeying the rules like
the other girls. Or will your"
II won't" Ellen replied, ignoring
his heavy-handed sarcasm.
Guess this is the only one I
didn't telr you about"
He pointed to a sign on the
bright pink plaster wall. Ellen read
that the hostesses were permitted
no conversation while dancing ex-
cept ives" or9"no" In answer to
questions. She turned her amazed
face to Solomon.
docs look funny" he conceded.
still grinning. But there's good
sound business back of It. The
hostesses can talk when they're SIT
ting at the tables with their part
ners. And when they're sitting
they order things to eat, II the
gents will stand for 1t. They most
~ will"
"Oh," said Ellen blankly.
"Our specialty's chop suey," he
continued imperturbably. Price 81
rs cents to me. Is cents to the
hostess. Thirty-five II the chop
suey isn't eaten but that means you
can't mess in 1t with your fork. 1t
| has to be good enough to serve
again.
Ellen giggled.
"The joints straight" he assured
her seriously. 1--WE don't serve
liquor. We don't even admit men
that have been drinking-much."
She was a little perturbed by his
cheerful outspokenness but she
meekly allowed him to pilot her to
a cramped dressing room and to
introduce her haphazardly to the
other girls, some Is In number. He
used no last names. The girls were
Alice and Dolly and Sunny and
Anne and Mazie to him. Ellen as
sumed they were to be that to her.
Solomon had not knocked but
nobody appeared surprised. A few
of the girls reached for kimonas
with mechanical squeals Of dismay
| but most Of them serenely co1tin-
ued their toilets. One hard little
youngster, whom Solomon called
Tony, deliberately pulled her one
piece dress over her head and stood
4 In brief shorts and soiled satin
lift, grinning at them.
| A brightly painted screen, gaudy
| with peacocks anG pagodas, con-
cealed a washstand In one corner
of the small, hot room. Ellen went
behind It to dress. The quarters
were cramped and sitting but she
did not mean to risk another OF
Salomon's. unconventional entries.
| When she emerged only two
hostesses were left In the room -
Tony and languishing blond CALL
ed Anise. They shared a wicker
bench. where they had sat smoking
and waiting to have q first-hand
look at the new hostess.
Ellen looked toward Tony--and
met a pair Of coolly hostile eyes.
TN He COntinucdl