The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-09-01
e BEACH CLUE Girl NJ, . z:5-,.''

house a few moments before on
one of hef periodical shopping
orgies. Gloria was perfectly hap
py, strolling down Manhattan's
Fourteenth street, staring at the
wax mannequins in the windows,
siping a hot chocolate and swal-
lowing a double-decker sandwich
at a crowded soda fountain coun-
ter Lou and Gloria never man
aged to have a penny. The in
stallment collector was a familiar
figure at the door of the flat.
But Gloria came home from these
expeditions triumphant in her
spoils-a velvet hat "iust like the
uptown shops" sieazy pink silk
vest, pair of gloves which
would shrink hopelessly in the
first washing. Bargains were
Gloria's very breath of life. Her
bureau drawers overlooked with
lace trimmed nightgowns with
frayed seams. There were half a
dozen shoddy pairs of high
heeled shoes tumbiing about in
gray curls of dust on the floor
of her clothes closet.
81 can't live this way. l WON'T"
Boots told herself, setting her
lips stubbornly. This was the
day Russ had gone over to Jer-
sey to see some vague man
"about a job" Boots had rather
lost faith in these nebulous jobs:
After she had hung the frayed
towel beside the cracked dishpan
she spread the morning paper
out on the drainboard, open at
the "help wanted" pages. Girl
wanted girl wanted oh,
there were 20 jobs open but she
was eligible for none of them.
"Steno, college grad: dept.
store"
"Steno: some coll. operate slide
rule"
"Switchbd. opr. multi. exp"
"Alert, capable woman, over
27: executive ability" :.
She opened her purse, the dark
blue kidskin envelope she had
bought so casually last spring.
1t was still smart looking but
the change purse was limp: she
shook out it's contents. Thirty
cents. The quarter Russ had
given her yesterday. The nickel
she had saved. Russ had been
shame-faced but clustering about
it.
"Stick with me, kid, and you'll
wear diamonds" he had said. He
remembered hearing his father
say that to his mother.
Thirty cents. Five cents for
subway fare to the city. Five
cents back. She could have lunch |
at some counter. Maybe the !
basement of the dime store.
She'd do it. She wouldn't wait |
around till Russ came home, till
Gloria came dwadling in with |!
her bargain of the day. She'd !
go over to New York and see if !
there wasn't something-anything
she could do.
If only she didn't meet anyone
from home! That was the fear
which plagued her most of the
time. Would they cut her, turn
away their eyes? i
She put on her last years fall
tweed, still smart. She had press
ed it herself. (How easy it had
been in the old days to telephone I
the tailor to come aroundD She
darned her gloves. s-.j
On the street, her spirits lifted.
1t was SO bright and blue day;
the air had a sort of tonic in it.
She lifted her chin and stepped
along with animation. She left
the mean, street with its occasion
al pallid tree behind her. Ahead,
in the dazzling clearness of the
distant horizon, she could see the
city's towers, and spires. New
York! She wasn't terrified by
it, its vastness and Indifference.
because she had known it all her
life as friendly place to which
one went on happy iaunts to
theater anda shops and restau-
ranst. OF course it was not the
same now. She was one of a
vast army, struggling for foot
hold. She stared out of the WIN
dow as the. train rushed over the
bridge her hands clenched in her
mended Gloves. .a3fa. =.
ut must find something" she
told herself az simply must. ;" 4
She had the newspaper want
ad column in her purse. There
would be the agencies first. Ex-
perience? : No, she hadn't any.
But" weren't there some thingst