Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-01-31
Stephanie Goes
South
BY MARIAN P. JOHNSON
g. Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

The window was the deck or snip,
the models, bronZed men and daintlly
tanned girls made charming group;
Stephanie, herself, was one OF them
the lady in white, perhaps!
"NO-not the white" she decided,
surveying the model with a critical
eye. snow that blue and pink over
there, in the cotton mesh
"Go South. Young Lady," blazed the
poster persistently.
'Of course" conceded Stephanie, a
little uncertainty, 81 could pretend!"
And so she slipped from the mOnOt-
onous gray mist of the February aft
ernOOn into the humming treasure
house that was ClaytOn's department
store.
I'm going South" she caroled to
the saleswoman. LET me see some
thing appropriate, please!"
She began trying them On-the vel
low sun dress with the bands Of or
ange, and no back at all And the
great sun hat to match. The blue
and pink cotton mesh. An organdie
Vi ucuCdlC IoSC Dlilo"Cu oOOus
her dark loveliness like a soft cloud.
With the evening things Stephanie
came to earth again. She glanced des-
perately at her wrist watch, exclaimed,
Heavens! I'm late!" and began get
ting into her own things with feverish
haste.
Stephanie passed, unnoticing. into
the February slush. The South had
lain the warm fingers Of its golden
sunshine upon her.
And so she chung to the mad game
she had begun. She went to the steam
ship office. and stood, her hands filled
with multi-coored folders. her heart
racing.
"Steve Chadwick, !" cried a familiar
voice
"Helen Blaine" echoed Stephanie.
"This disgustingly good-lOOling crea-
chartered Helen. "Stephanie Chad
wick, John I've hardly seen her since
we were in SCHOOL,"
Mr.. Thorne's gray eyes looked from
Stephanie's face to the hands with the
folders
$50 you're going to Bermuda" ne re-
marked.
Bermuda" repeated Stephanie, with
the Tilt of a sea breeze in her soft
young voice.
THAT'S where I'm going!" exclaimed
John Roger ThOrne
Stephanie's heart swept into a series
of quick little bumps.
an tell you," suggested Mr.. Thorne,
lets all have dinner somewhere, and
then dance
ooh, couldn't" said Stephanie,
quickly. Tin not dressed for it."
"Nonsensew exclaimed Helen. "We'n
go to the theater. then. I'll call Tad
King"
Helen and Tad went off somewhere
after dinner so Stephanie and John
Roger explored alone-and talked.
About Bermuda. John Roger described
it to her
IT wouldn't do any harm just to lis
ten. Stephanie told herself. She wouldn't
have to see him again. She'd pretend
it was all true just for tonight
But John Roger ThOrne seemed filled
with a strong determination to see
more of Stephanie. He wanted to call;
to take her places; to get to be real
friends before they started to Ber-
muda!
Standing one day before Clayton's
window Stephanie looked at the young
man model, and suddenly cold little
chill Of realization caught at her heart
Tonight was their last evening togeth-
er-hers and John Rogers. Hes GO
ing to Bermuda" she thought wretch
eddy, "but I'm staying at home!" And
then the young man model began to
blur and Stephanie had to wink very
fast before she could see him clearly
again.
''Ill make some sort OF excuse" she
decided. 'I'll have tor
Tomorrow" murmured John Roger,
softly. Tomorrow. Steve!"
There was lump in Stephanie's
throat.
I'm not going to Bermuda" she
said. And suddenly he began to blur,
like the young man model in ClaytOn's
window.
"Why, Steve" demanded John Roger
Winking very fast. Stephanie told
him. Not the excuses she had planned
Only the truth!
1T was game" she confessed II
was observation-disclosures l wanted so
much to GO! never dreamed I'd see
you again." she added hurriedly How
ever could know you'd be going
there? And would keep coming to see
me? And asking me questions? Well"
she concluded, with a perfectly good
laugh that was only a little shaky,
"Good-by, John Roger See Bermuda
for me-"
"Now. listen here. young lady," said
John Roger Thorne. holding her close,
don't think you're going to get away
from me at this late date! You are
going TO Bermuda Do you under
Stand?"
Stephanie understood. They weren't
in the cab at all They were on the
silver beach. She was wearing the
roSe-colored organdie cloud She was
in John Rogers arms and there was
soft, stringed music playing. She could