Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-09-30

no WrOle CIle CoPy 1oI Illlo lilSCllS
ADJ"
81 did," Gordon Gavin replied.
A moments tense pause. The mer-
chandise-manage frowned. "It'll have
to be done over again. It's awful" he
remarked succinctly.
The big Ice Carnival for Charity
was to be held at Madison Square
Garden on the night of November
18th.
"And for the Lords sake, try to
sell some tickets for u.s." groaned
sister Bernice to Ann. Bernice was
now "cocktail-hostess" at The Laugh
ing Pig rendezvous on East 54th St,
decorated by Freddy and haunted
bv the "so-called elite"
Bernice and Claire were involved
in most of the big charity functions,
in one way or another. Sometimes
Ann had the disturbing suspicion that
her sisters were involved more than
was ethically correct, j. e., that they
were getting rake-off in commits
sion, like many Society damsels who
were none too scrupulous.
"I'll do what can," said Ann, who
was enormously busy, these pre-Christ
mas days.
The work in and out of the store
absorbed her, though she did go to
a few parties, as became a postdebu-
tante in her first "post" year, for Ann
was only nineteen.
"Somthing new in ideas,' said
Claire the blase, "is what we want.
I'm sick of seeing the same old faces.
I declare Freddy did a good job in
putting them on the bodies of pigs"
Claire was making a good thing,
financially, out of her eternal con-
tract-bridge games, especially at such
times as Captain de Freyn partnered
her. She derided Ann for working
herself to death on pittance of eight
cen dollars a week, when even stupid
Bernice was collecting thirty-five dol
lars every Saturday for drinking
champagne cocktails at The Laughing
Pig. between the hours of five and
seven.
Ann thought over the Ice Carnival.
She Matched bright idea.
It would kill three birds with one
stone. Promote the success of the
skating fete. Benefit Barclay & Weiss
department store. And placate Brenda
Salz, the disgruntled Gift Shop buyer.
Since Halloween, for which she had
ordered consignment Of masks and
dominoes, Brenda had been stuck with
them. She had had a wrong hunch.
Brenda had been called down by
Paul Bradley for her reckless buying
of the masks and dominoes, which
were luxuries that in these times peo-
pie couldn't afford. He told her so.
Suppose" thought Ann, 1--WE make
the Skating Carnival masked af-
fair? Masks and dominoes? To be
bought at the entrance to the rink
that night at five dollars a pair?"
That wasn't much to ask for some
thing one could keep, and use again
and again for fancy dress. She flush
ed, because, innately honest as shel
was, she knew that to please Paul
Bradley was her principal motive.
Bernice thinking of filtration, and
ofthe amazing effect her beauty would
make on men when her mask was re-
moved.
Claire because anything secretive
apepaled to her, just as a certain
slyness in Captain de Freyn had put
his stock up with her.
They took it up with the charity
committee of which Bernice was chair
man. Ann was told to go ahead on
the order.
, She approached Brenda Salz.
5 "You want to take the whole lot off
, nv hands?" in incredulous amaze
, ment.
; and dominoes, charging five dollars
| "We can use two hundred masks
7 the pair" said Ann eagerly, "of course
J 1 think we should get certain dis
count on the deal-to be given to the
charity, Miss Selz ?"
\ Now to get rid of her white ele-
{ phant- otherwise one thousand dol
lars worth of merchandise that
: wouldn't "move"-certainly appealed
to the Gift Shop buyer.
' She disliked Ann Delafield, but
she would use her to the limit. Why
< not?
AIMS costume for the Ice Carni-
val was bright scarlet, trimmed with
e white fox fur.