The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-16


 There were other couples who had sought the deck under the stars. They heard rather than saw, them, for these were shadowy shapes which stood two by two, like carved statuettes against the sky. Close to them on the other side of the fog horns were mur- murs and the sound of kisses.
 Softly Jane laughed. This is really only another excursion boat" she said, a little sadly. Hike the excursion boats on every little river and every harbor in the United States. On cruise ship I expected romance, glamorous TO- nance. You must be convinced that I'm rather unsophisticated. sup pose I'm a little-simple. thought I would meet - you know, grand people. Not just 8 lot of young people necking under the stars"
 She paused, and watched for the effect of this on him. "Oh, I'm one of them, sch added. Last night, Dirk, when you told me you loved me. I couldn't keep up the farce any longer. I'm not an actress. I haven't got any special talents along any line. I'm just me, It, tie girl who has tried very hard to find 8 good job and hang on to 1t. And 50, far, I've failed"
 She inflicted hurt on herself as she said this. She didn't want to lose him. She wanted 50 much for this to have no effect on him. She watched his face closely for a reaction.
 "You don't think my having 8 de luxe suite on board this ship means anything?" he said, smiling. "But go on. Tell me the truth. What kind of @ person did you expect to meet on your first ocean voyage? It wasn't that sardine king you were talking about. A mans money wouldn't mean a thing to swell girl like you. You're the topsp
 T had in mind an opera singerl" she said, her eyes aglow, not real- izing the hurt she now inflicted on him. "You know the kind who are always crossing the Atlantic on big liners. He would sing to me under the moonlight, and tell me such @ lot of romantic lies about kisses in the moonlight on Lake of Como"
 Dirk laughed uncertainty and reached out for a moon which was not there. The night was black. He felt strangely abashed before her desire.
 T wouldn't qualify" he said. "There's nothing of romance about me. If I'd ben born on the plains I'd have been blow jockey, with the reins around my neck and my big hands on the blow handles. But as it happened, was born 8 pack animal All my family, including me, have carried the malls in the High Sierra on skis. Until a year ago had never seen building higher than the saloon in Truckee. When they found out I was a champion jumper, they took me everywhere at no expense to me, You know, like 8 circus performer I don't mind. I love to jump! But when I hurt my leg I lost my chance to go to the Olympic Win ter Games. got this free trip in- stead. "A sort of booby prize"
 When he had finished this talk, the longest she had heard him speak at any one time, there were tears in her eyes. Her throat hurt her.
 They had both bene engaged in game of pretending.
 "All right" sch said, "now you tell me what sort of romantic per- son you expected 10 meet on ship board. Be honest, know 1t wasn't little girl who has lost her job, who is having a free ride on a cruise ship simply because the boss couldn't pay her off any other way"
 No" he said. "I'll admit I had sort of romantic notion about this cruise. expected" He paused. But I'd rather not talk about myself. When I came on board I wanted to have 8 good time, fling. When this is over I'm going down to the state of Mississippi, and turn out skis in the sawmills down there. It's just the job I want. I like to do things with my hands. I've developed a new type of ski"
 His eyes were suddenly aglow. Did you know all the good skis in the world come from the hickory that is found in Mississippi"
 T never saw ski" she scoffed. Do you skate on them? But please go ahead and tell me whom you wanted to meet on this cruise. "
 T think you are nice," he said. He moved to kiss her, but she evaded him.
 Jane spoke for him now. q, a young man who's never been to sea, man who has pride in his sawmill job, wanted to meet a glamorous actress on this cruise, a real character actress whose every gesture was full of dramatic pose. Somebody like Greta Garbo, Kath- arine Cornell or-Nora Lane."
 He said. grinning sheepishly, How did you know?"
 Then suddenly their meeting had lost its glamour.
 They were a boy and a girl who