The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-12-09

1t was five O'CLOCK on an a4IeA-
noon of late october. They had
moved that day-from the smart
bijou residence on Sutton Place
from which, in the past four years.
the three had stepped forth Tor
their individual debutS at an eX-
elusive hotel-to this second'tloor
brown-stone walk-up, between Lex
ington and Third Avenues. The
elevated roared, trucks banged
and taxiS honked, children on roll
er-skates yelled in the street. But
to Ann there was challenge in the
din.
A delightful challenge!
On her slim, willing shoulders
had rested the responsibility and
the major annoyanceS OF the
moving" Claire and Bern1ce mad
been bored and piqued. But Ann
had been a figurative Saint Joan,
saving her country.
1.-The trouble with you two
girls" she said now briskly, "is
that you want to continue a cham
payne existence on beer income"
"But I adore champagne" pout-
ed beautiful Bernice, aged twenty
one. She looked at herself in the
mirror across the large, shabby
living room, and what she saw
delighted her, so that the pout SLID
off. She grinned fatuously.
"Only fools like working" con-
tributed Claire, the eldest by one
year, who was not so pretty as her
two younger sisters, but pr1ded
herself on being aStute. In tact'
knowing her onions!
''Bunk!' said Ann sharply.
"Drones are out, and"-Wndly
mixing her metaphors, but empha-
sizing her point-"from now on,
elbow grease is in! Get that
straight"
"You sound like a scrubwoman,
darling" volunteered Bernice, her
gaze transferring itself from the
mirror to the clock. Time to knock
up q shakerful Of cocktails! Freddy
uncertain, fascinating Freddy
was liable to walk in upon them
at this hour. Freddy must be en-
tertained in the manner IN when
Park Avenue accent on the fem
inine) had so thoroughly accuS-
toned him.
And what's little Miss Fix-1t
noin0 IN do?" Sneered Claire,
flicking a cigarette from the slim
gold case she had bought with
her bridge winnings. The clga'
rette dangled from her thin, care
fully rouged lips. She struck q
match, inhaled, tilted her pointed
chin, half closed her eyes. TWO
tiny columns Of smoke issued
from the wellShaped nose she was
convinced was an exact replica OF
q movie beauty'S.
Ann thought, half irritably, halt
indulgently: How inept they are,
how incapable of facing reality
How on earth to make them under
stand the worse-thanrocky status
Of the DelafieldS, financially
speaking?
Mother had taken to her bed
under the cloak of nerves. In any
crisis, as far back as Ann could
remember, mothers escape had
been via the route of q heart that
was "fluttery." It was dreadful
to query the authenticity Of this
thought Ann, but it was plain as
the nose on your face (Ann had
a delightfully."- piquant, tip-tlted
cheerful noSe) that though mother
could go through an all-the-clock
round of society functions that
might well have made a strong
man wilt, her cardiac organ only
acted up when she was crossed
and practically collapsed in the
face Of calamity.
Dad was kind, and tired, and
gray, and pathetically grateful to
the bankerS-or was it the receiv
erS who had swooped down on the
firm of which he'd been the head?
for retaining him in the reor
ganized company as a $60-a-weeB
employe.
I'm going into business" Ann
announced firmly.
Modeling? BAIL" Claire
yaWned deliberately.
AIMS Plan
Nothing of the sort! I intend
to start from the ground up, using
every iota Of gray matter the good
Lord may have given mel" In the
breast pocket Of AIMS smart, sim
pie tailored suit was tucked the
letter Of introduction she had to
day wangled at great pains from
peppery old Tom Barclay, grand
father Of school chum and one
of the two owners Of Barclay and
ReisS' big department store. But
it would be unlucky to speak OF
the letter before presenting it.
you're not the only one with
brains, and there are more ways
of making a living than one-i1
you're smart, that's to say
shrugged Claire, emphasizing the
adjective. Contracts my game
You've nagged me for playing SC
much. But I shall turn it to good
account. What's the matter with
my giving lessons up and down
Park Avenue?"
Blonde Bernics who had gone
out to the kitchen for the where
withal for cocktails now returned
with Q tray bearing a bottle Of ba
card, q small bottle Of grenadine
q pitcher Of lemon Juice and q
howl F1111 Of Ire cIIheS An array o.