The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-07-16


"Pd like to try it, Miss Landes. :"
So on the Monday of the fol-
lowing week Helena had found
herself in the sportswear depart
ment. This department Of Hell
wigs big organization was hardly
more than one corner of the "la
dies ready-to-wcar" it was
a g,amorous corner, done in a sill
vcred modernistic mode with in
direct lighting and streamlined
display cases. Old man Helvig had
quickly recognized the trend
toward outdoor activities on the
part of young women, had been
among the first to see that.a smart
costume was half the fun. He was
proud of his spOrtswear depart
ment, and cautioned his buyers
that it was to have not only the
reasonably priced lines, but the
exclusive outdoor costumes as
well.
Helena liked the work from the
very first day. She had always
ienjoyed swimming and tennis, but
when her father died and she
faced the world with high school
diploma and the problem of sup
porting her mother she found ut
tie time to engage in either sport.
But now, at least, she could en-
fgage vicariously in them, and she
took over Miss Titles place with
a genuine enthusiasm that pleased
customers and meant dollars and
cents to Helvig's. :,
Quickly she learned the likes
and dislikes of the steadiest OF
her clientele-mostly young Wo-
men who had little to do but
sandwich sports between rounds
of bridge and dancing. Some OF
them she grew to like, and among
these was Sandra Leigh. Often
Helena had seen the Leigh girls
picture in the rotogravure sec
ton of the newspapers, and she
realized vaguely that she was the
daughter of a man who had much
to do with the upbuilding of the
town. But until she had sold San
dra Leigh bathing suits and ten
mis- shorts she hadn't known that
! she was a sensible and altogether
llikable person whose friends call
! ed her SANDY" -.
Helena would not forget the
day that Sandra Leigh had burst
into the shop in a rush, asking TO
see bathing caps and sandals.
"We're getting away on the
four o'clock to Crest Mountain
Lodge" Sandra explained, "and
I've left all my swimming things
at the beach" :,
"Oh," Helena had exclaimed
pleasantly. 81 hear Crest Noun
| tain Lodge is very pleasant"
Haven't you ever been there?"
Sandra Leigh seemed surprised.
Helena shook her head. "No. -"
The Leigh girl studied her
moment, then added suddenly,
"Why don't you come along?
There's an extra man who's said
to be awfully nice-and I'm the
one who's been delegated to find
the girl. Why don't you help me
out? l really think you'd have a
good time" -.
Helena hesitated. "It's good of
you, Miss Leigh. But tomorrow's
our busiest day in the week,
and"
"Maybe l could fix it," Sandra
Leigh said quickly. IF l can, will
you aecept?"
why why, yes"
Sandra Leigh had arranged it,
| too. Within half an hour after
the Leigh girl had left, Helena
received a message from Miss
Landes. 1t gave Helena permis-
sion to take Friday afternoon and
Saturday off-and congratulated
her upon getting along so we'll
with customer of the caliber of
Miss Leigh.
Sandra telephoned just before
noon. "Everything's fixed, darling.
Will you meet me at the station
at quarter to four? I'll introduce
you to everybody - and by the
! time the train arrives at Crest
Mountain Lodge you'll feel as if
you'd known the whole gang all
your lifew
Helena had doubted that, but it
turned out to be perfectly true.
The very fact that she was a
friend of Sandy's gave her instant
acceptance. But she didn't try to
convey the impression that she
was more than she was. By the
time the train reached the lodge
everyone on the party knew that
she was sin the sportswear de-
partment" at Helvig's, and none
seemed to think the less of her
because of it. In fact, most of
them were open in their admira-
tion..
"Helvig's is where l should be
right now," one of the girls con-
fessed. Fathers supposed to be
a big shot in these parts - but
we all realize that if he paid his
obligations we wouldn't know
where our next meal is coming
from. Pm the little lady who gets
her picture in the newspapers So
ciety columns and appears every
whereas if nothing was wrong.
Father calls me his front But
I'd feel better if I were dragging
down few dollars a week in Hell,
wigs, as you are"
They all took it for granted
that Helena was in Helvig's be-.