Evening star., 1932-10-19


And when she gave the salesgirl her
name the girl stared suddenly. Miss
Allison? Why. aren't you on the radio?"
Yes. A little"
"A little!" the girl said. "Oh, Mr..
Tahaferro This is Miss Allison. You
know. The Beauty Builder"
of course, of course" he said rub
bing his hands together. Immediately
he launched into a discussion of styles,
of new suggestions. of this model and
that and Judy, not understanding most
of it, totally out of depth, still did as
we'll as she could, still kept the pose
but knew the man was wondering how
girl so brilliant on the air could be
so uninformed when he talked to her
about the very things she knew so much
about
She was glad to escape. And when
she appeared the next day wearing the
new black dress and the new hat, jerks
was waiting at the door of the reStau-
rant. watch in hand.
'Oh, l was afraid you weren't COM
ing"
'Of course. OF course And that's
just fine Miss Allison. Here-we'n go
up along this way. We've got place
for you up at the head table you see. =
He giggled. Want you to be where
everybody can see you"
Jill oIle QTeN DdCk. MllSU 1
sit there? Up in front of everybody?''
oh, yes. OF course. So they can
all see you. Come along, Miss Allison.
Come along
He led the way. crowding past chairs,
and Judy, following slowly, resolutely
staring straight ahead, heard whispers,
heard murmurs, heard men Saying out
loud. That's the Beauty Builder" and
That's she, all right" and, No Won
der she got the job"
She slipped into the chair quickly,
she looked down at the table she toulld
a water glass and drank quickly, then
put it down. Then, for the irst tlr,e,
she realized what jerks had done.
On her right sat Dick Mason. On
her left sat Elton Day. And both CT
them looked straight ahead, as though
Judy Allison did not even exist.
Lunch came and was taken away and
coffee came and that was carried away
and then men leaned back in their
chairs, putting on gift cigars and the
air was blue and thick and there was
an undercurrent of cnuckles, OF drgu-
ments But Judy. knowing nothing
about all this. thought that every mo
ment was an hour long, thought the
long wait for something more terrible
still to come would never end.
jerks stood up, clearing his throat.
Il know how interested all OF you
jerks said. 80 I've asked the three
people who've made our programs so
successful to come here and meet you
for the first time. And I'm not gong
to make any speeches Tor them, m
going to leave the speecheS 10 theln'
because" he giggled and some OF the
men nearest chuckled dutlfully- pc
cause that's what they get paid Tor.
talking And I don't get a nickel Tor
it" He giggled self-consclous!y agaln
and more of the men chuckled IN an
swer. knowingly. so 1 take TINS op-
portunity to present the regular an
nouncer of our Beauty Builder pro.
Grams who will tell you about himself
and will introduce his partners. Mr.
Richard Mason. Come along, DICK.
Stand I'D and face the music. here
vou are bows, Dick Mason himself. Call
him Dick. He likes it.
There was a patter of applause from
the men, then, suddenly from tnell
wives, much greater outourSt. NoW
the noise was amazing. Wonieli WY ~
had heard Richard MasonS voice SO
many times saw him now the hrSt
time. He fitted the picture. TAN,
broad -shouldered, smiling, he 1aceo
them without any embarrassment at
all. Judy could not help seeing no"
much success had done to change hlm.
She could not help wishing the little
how had not gone from his smile and
his ewes. But she could not help ad-
miriug him now. For he said almost
nothing. yet nothing he said betrayed
anv feeling at all. Because there was
no feeling? Because he had ceased TO
care at all?
He said, Thank you, Mr. jerks. ana
thank you, ladies and gentlemen. buI
I must tell you-an announcer means
little or nothing. He is simply. tnere
to set the stage And when his very
brief moment of glory is over the real
voice is heard. The voice l know you
want to hear now. The voice O. MISS
judy Allison, who Is the Beauty
Builder"
He took her hand casually and she
stood up. facing all these people, hght-
ing down her terror, her wild desire
to run madly out of the room.
Say something, Judy Dick said
quietly Anything. Just talk
Go ahead. Hurry"
She fought for cOmpOSure 1or WoroS
to say. There was nothing to be salo
All these people-any one OF them knew
more than Judy Allison knew about the
thing she was paid to talk about. Ana
vet they were waiting. They stared,
studying her, wondering about her
And beside her was Dick Mason. ana
on the other side Elton Day. Two men.
A man she loved, who did not love her
at all: a man she did not love, who said
he loved her. but would do nothing to
prove it. Two men.
Suddenly Judy Allison saw the way.
She knew what to say now. She knew
what could be done.
Thank you" she said quietly to Dick
Mason. Thank you. Mir. jerks. l have
something to say Something very i'm
portant" Then a little louder, but stu
So softly that people down along the
table strained eagerly to hear. and stu
heard only a little, Judy Allison SAID
what had waited to be said for long
time.
"Mr jerks" she began. "Dick Elton.
This is my last day; I'm all through
with radio I'll never go on the air
again." .,
jerks started up, but he paused
waiting, unbelieving, almost convinced
that it was a play, a comedy. So much
so that he giggled Self-conSciouSly, a
little uncertainty And, hearing him
other men along the table chuckled
too. This Allison girl was card. She
could Just stand right up and put over
comedy with a straight face and with
out even letting you know she meant
to be funny. You hear that, Ed? Says
she's through with radio? And her get
ting $500 a week, heard. Something
like that. Listen! She's saying more
she's a card, 1 tell you! Listen!'
Judy Allison moved down along the
table q little. The door was not very
far away The people were waiting
Yaotx had MT moved He on1v stared