The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-06-29


Margery put on the ill-fitting,
unbecoming dress and The homely
"common-sense" shoes. She re-
moved every trace of makeup, ad-
justed the well-made wig so that
not a strand of her beautiful
honey-gold hair was visible. and
put on the undetermined, tinted.
Spectacles.
Susie, watching her, had been
saying, "Merciful heavens!" and
similar expressions. When Marg-
cry put on the spectacles Susie
quoted well-known couplet:
Men seldom make passes
At girls who wear glasses"
Let us hope and pray that they
never make any more passes at
me-" Margery replied. She
examined herself critically in the
long mirror and asked, Honestly,
Sue, what do you think? Do l
look phoney, or as though I al
ways looked like thiS?"
"If they want homely secre-
taries, you'll get the best job
they've got" Susie assured her.
Fifteen minutes later Margery
was at the imposing offices Of
the Belden Publishing Company
where the reception desk girl took
her in to see Miss Abbey Belden.
Miss Belden was a very large
woman, mannishly dressed, and
possessed a stentorian voice that
fairly doomed as she spoke. She
was something of a martinez, and
eminently successful as pub
Usher of beStSelling books.
Margery explained that she
came from the johnson Agency.
Miss Belden looked her over as
though she were horse or some
curio. Margery told her of her
four years experience at secretarial
work.
Can you correct and synopsise,
as well as take long story dicta-
tion?"
81 am sure can"
The telephone interrupted. Miss
Belden picked up the instrument
and doomed "Well?" She listened
a moment. you don't know where
he tsp. Well, you find him and
tell him to march himself in here
Yes. at once, Alonzo, and tell
him he has only 81 days to finish
that novel"
Miss Belden slammed back the
instrument, and turned to Mar
gerry. Handling temperemental
opera stars is child's play, COM
pared to handling novelists."
The reception desk girls voice
came over the photograph:
will you see Mabel DeHaven?"
1T certainly will" Miss Belden
shouted into the machine.
Margery gasped with amazement
when a very husky and he-man
person came in.
Look here, Joe," beloved Miss
Belden. "of all the lazy procrasti-
mating"
Hold everything, angel-face,"
the man interrupted.
II don't mean you, I mean that
Freddy Matthews. Have you seen
him lately? You pal around with .
him occasionally"
THE last I saw Of him, he was
bound for Morocco"
Morocco" yelped Miss Belden.
II mean The Morocco, the night |
club down here on Market Street."
That's it, playing around at
night clubs when he ought to be
writing. He might as well be in
Africa. And, by the way, when
can expect your manuscript"
Joseph Horgan, known to his
horde Of readers as Mabel De
Haven" handed over a bulky
manuscript, saying, Here you are,
sweetheart-my brain-child."
"Your brain-child, huh? I'll bet |
it's a half-wit," Miss Belden re-
piled, but she grinned at him. She
glanced at it and read: The
Daffodill Twins on Vacation"
tits the best of that SERIES" he
assured her.
rs that the best you can say
for it,"
You know how they sell, dar-
ling"
Margery was taking it all in
and thinking that book publish
ing office seemed to be something
of a mad-house. And, evidently,
she decided, this big mans sweet
hearts" and "darlings" meant
nothing at all. to either of them.
They sell all right, Joe. Come
In next Thursday at 10, ready to
map out that new series for me
that you mentioned"
What? No rest at all for me?
Now look here, Sugar-pie, Il
simply :"
The telephone interrupted him.
you bet I dol" Miss Belden
doomed To Joe Horgan she said,
Speaking of the devil-it's Fred
dy Matthew'S"
"Ah, back from Morocco"
She waved him to silence.