Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-03-23
Oh APTEk 1

MARGALO'S performance was
superb. Of course. l had known il
would be. for she has a fashion Of
accepting her roles seriously. Ever
now. taking her last curtain call, she
still was Maggie Shand. more than a
little embarrassed by the applause
There was a shy half smile on he1
lips as her fingers touched the gold
watch pinned to the bosom of her
plain black dress.
/ sat for moment or two after
the curtain finally went down, while
the audience poured into the aisles
There was no need Of hurrying. II
would take Margalo at least half an
hour to change. She loathed being
hurried after a performance. We
were doing nothing special except
dining, Where I did not know
Margalo would have to decide that.
The haunts I once had known. the
places / had liked in the old days
probably would be gone now. A
long time since I had been in New
York. A large city changes rapidly,
and it had been 10 years -.
Even Margalo was not the same.
There was something more settled
about her. more mature. A light
gone from her eyes. Something
more. too. something 1 couldn't
fathom yet. because we had had so
short a time together at noon-my
luncheon. her breakfast.
Ten years since 1 had seen her.
I had expected her to be the same.
Queer. the tricks the years play on
us. The way she had looked at me
II knew had changed. too.
you're getting gray. Cary" she
had said. I was. but I had never
had my few white hairs mentioned so
frankly before. Yes. I was getting
gray. But 81 Is entirely too young
an age to begin feeling old. Mar
gallo was 81, too, Probably now she
didn't admit to that age. but she
was, nevertheless. I knew. Prob
ably her press agent gave out that
Miss Younger was not day over 80.
She looked 80. I thought. Easily
that. And when woman looks 30
these days when no woman claims
careless. 1t was unlike Margalo to
be careless.
Margalo and I were getting to-
ward middle age. I sighed. as had
\ right to do. although I know very
we'll there is no such thing as age.
Once. long ago. very long ago it
seems now. because the span Of IS
years is not so tenacious in our
memories as older years. she and I
had been in love. Young love. It
lasted only a summer. and then we
both came to our senses. I say both,
but I mean Margalo first. The
thought. l remember. that she made
the discovery first. rather stung at
the time. Later entirely recovered,
so completely that when / think of
our realization now. it seems per-
fectly evident we both decided at
once that we were quite the worst
kind Of fools. I without a sou. just
out Of college. She just starting. on
her career
If our love had been a little
stronger. we probably would have
braved it. but tthink we. both were
a little frightened. Margalo had a
right to be. was moony boy, liv-
ing on Dreams and eating where I
might
We agreed later, when we came to
earth and could talk about 1t sensi-
bly,. that what had happened was for
the best. Since then we have been
friends. Very good friends. We have
written occasional notes, sent occa-
sional presents. Ten years ago when
] saw Margalo in Paris after the
war. we mentioned not a word of
love. Indeed. we both knew very
well we didn't love each other. That
had gone. It was of the past We
didn't try to resurrect it.
Tonight we would talk and plan
what we would do In the week / had
in the city. Most of the time knew
] would spend with her. Indeed,
Margalo's company would be all I
would need. The business had come
over for would be quickly transacted.
Then 1 would go back to Paris,
Already was homesick for my
adopted home.
The trip over had been lonely. but
] was used to loneliness. Then the
city which I had known so well in
my YOUTH was a stranger now.
looking on this city Of my birth with
almost alien eyes.
My business over would hurry