The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-06-05
Satin Slippers
BY KARIN ASHBRAND
@. Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.


at her alluring little self.
The new waiter had been most at
tentive all week. Already he had asked
her to college dance. He was rah-
rah boy working for his tuition. Moth
Ing so classical as this young Adonis
had ever come into Claire's life before.
His being there in the same restaurant
with her made it easier to be on her
feet all day. To carry heavy trays to
impatient consumers. To receive puny
tips, which, however small, served to
exc out the pittance allotted to the
Yellow Canarys help.
Rand was at the bar ordering drinks
for the jolly fat quartet at the window.
On his way over to their table he slid
over to her and whispered out Of the
corner of his mouth so that the boss
wouldn't notice, "Can you go?"
Il told you couldn't" she whis-
pered back. Il can't get those satin
slippers. 1 can't go barefoot"
"Let me buy them for you"
"No; thanks"
"You can pay me back next pay
day."
mo. I gotta give all my money to
Ma this week count of her operation.
She's paying off the doctor. Ask one
Of the college DANES"
II wouldn't enjoy it. None Of them
can dance the way you do"
Claire approached her table with the
appropriate smile on her lips. The smile
passed unnoticed by the man sitting
there waiting, alternately studying the
menu and scribbling on scraps of paper.
"Just club sandwich and Coffee"
he ordered abruptly, and kept on scrib-
bling.
Gertie, on the next table, intercepted
her ON the way to the kitchen. "D'ya
know who that is?" she asked In an
excited stage whisper, indicating the
scribbling patron with her thumb.
That's Merland Ross the novelist You
lucky bum! You would draw that table.
He amt married, either. He's as easy
to look at as Rand"
Claire brought back Mr.. Ross lunch,
and took a good look at him. He was
easy to look at, she admitted to her.
self, but he looked as If he needed
sleep, and plenty Of it.
He paid scant attention either to her
or to his lunch, except to bolt 1t alb
sently. Then he handed her dollar
bill and left without waiting for his
change.
1t was Gertie who picked up the
scraps of paper from the floor where
he had dropped them. She crumpled
them in her hand and started to throw
them In the rubbish cOntainer.
"Say, gimme those" demanded Claire.
"You aren't going to throw those
away?"
"LandsI Them are no good" ex-
ploded Gertie. "Lookit! Some Of 'em
are scrawled on wrapping paper. Lit
tie bits Of craps!" She handed them
to Claire who smoothed them out with
tender fingers.
''They belong to my customer"
Claire said. 81 bet they're precious to
him. Writer folks scribble on tissue pa
per If they can't find anything else.
I'm going to send them to him."
She thrust them into her pocket, and
the minute she was off duty she slipped
into telephone booth to look up his
address. Marland Ross. Her lips
caressed the name even as her pen
wrote it on restaurant envelope.
Rand stamped it and mailed 1t for her.
The next day Marland Ross appeared
at the restaurant and asked to see the
manager. 81 want to talk with the per-
son who mailed me back my notes." he
requested.
Rand was standing beside the boss.
"It was Claire Carter, sir" he has
tened to tell him.
Claire was sent for.
Merland Ross held out his hand and
Claire laid hers into it.
"You don't know what those notes
meant to me-" he told her. II was
nearly crazy when found out I had
lost them. They were the finishing
chapters for my new novel, Rising
Tide l sent it off today. You're a
smart little girl. 1 felt that I had to
reward you somehow. Thanks"
He smiled down upon her from his
famous height, withdrew his hand, and
left. Claire gulped and shut her eyes.
In her hand was a crisp cracking slip
of paper. She dared not look at 1t.
She had never received reward be-
fore. Perhaps it would be the price
of a pair Of satin slippers. Rand was
looking at her proudly. She could feel
his eyes on her, and she opened her
own eyes suddenly to stare at the bit
Of paper in her hand.
1t was green. One one side OF 1t
was written in Merland Ross bold
scrawl: "Give to bearer one compli-
mentary copy of Rising Tide"
On the other side there was moth
ing