Evening star., 1939-05-14

indeed He's been singing in Australia but
cabled and he's accepted He reaches San
Francisco on the tenth and will fly East. I'm
keeping his appearance as the climax and it
ought to insure our success.
And his own future in New York, Tony
added. Il suppose you'll have Mr. Bristow,
that radio program director chap along"
'Of course" said his mother, ''he can do 50
much for singer" Then she put hand on
Arizona's arm.
Il am going to ask Mrs. Wetherby to call
on you tomorrow and discuss what you can do
to help" she said gravely. Il want her to get
a good impression of you and this will be an
excellent opportunity. Make the most of it.
Now run along and for Heavens sake don't 60
hiring any more odd people,"
On the way home to the Park Avenue pent
house which she called her Mesa. Arizona
regarded her silent husband out of the corner
of one heavily-fringed eye and considered the
situation 1t was the first time Tony had taken
a definite stand on his mother side and this
gave rise to a heretofore undreamed-of
problem.
I'm one eyed loco sage hen, she thought,
IF allow any mother -in-law trouble in this
outfit! Right now Tony is mad as stepped-on
varmint. If Ma Spratt stays angry at me,
Tony goin' to keep that bit in his teeth, and
Icant stand it. I've got to wipe this up clean"
But it was not easy to know where to start.
This concert business was all very well. but
there didn't seem to be any more real place
in it for her than for coyote in oookho1se.
Still and all, if that was what Ma SIatt's
heart was set on she drew hong breath
and addressed her husband in oonciliatory
tone
Say, parr1ner." she began, lust how can
this charity concert be anything but sue
cess? If your Ma has signed on lot of famous
numbers, and Mrs Wethdby makes it xac-
tically a social error for person to refuse
buying tickets why it's simpler than train
robbery on the Mojave Desatv'
MY little prairie flower" said Tony coolly,
''the sale of tickets and the performers are the
least part of these shindigs The charity really
depends on fat checks from our leading ty-
ooons Most of them will be present dragged
by their wives, admittedly - but the concert
is merely jolt to their memories, and the
better the concert, the bigger the subsequent
checks"
I'll bet that concert is just one more boiled
shirt to most of. EN-" Arizona remarked
thoughtfully Il wonder what would happen
if they really enjoyed themselves"
This sort of thing is just a part of the New
York formula" said Tony a trife wearily,
land it would be 50 much simpler if you could
only learn it."
"Oh, I'm learning!" Arizona assured him. Il
even know better now than to send charity
layettes to the Stork Club"
But somehow this sally did not restore the
amenities between them. and that evening
Tony went out alone. This had happened so
rarely since their marriage that Arizona. al
though she made no comment, walked the
floor uneasily after he had gone.
1T isn't like he'd left me on ranch with
new hands in the bunk house and maybe
bad Chinaman in the kitchen, she mutteIed
I'D know what to do then! But he's of on
range l don't savvy. He's gone to dip into
that New York formula Of his. If this was to
keep up we'd come to fork In the trail
mighty soon" Gazing out over the brilliant
canyons of the city she shook her golden head
sadly. Then, pulling herself together, she set
about the accomplishment of something
which had been on her mind all day. There
was extraordinarily handsome stationery on
<ba d1cI> ArizOna drpW sheet towards