The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-06-03
SHORT
SHORT
STORY

SEOKY satisfy all the sup
pressed desires of
her beauty-loving little soul: Gossa-
mer stockings, exotic jewelry, and
clothes-the last word on the last
page of next months fashion maya
zine.
Life for Marilyn was indeed
song, a syncopating jazz tune but
for two minor discords. One was
the fact that her boy friends were
mostly students or junior clerks
making little more than herself, and
the other was Aunt Carrie.
Aunt Carrie was also a business
woman" one of the old girls. She
was past thirty and addicted to blue
tailored frocks with touches of white
at the neck and wrists.
Marylin never forgot the night
that she had danced gaily into the
living room wearing her new en-
semble, black with trimmings of
lip-stick red. There was antique
jewelry to match and a tight little
cloche with dropping red feather.
Aunt Carrie had lain back and ac-
tually howled.
"Do you intend to wear that cos
tune to a business office, Marilyn?"
81 most certainly do. I only
hope that it makes everyone as hap
! Ply as it apparently does you"
Aunt Carrie made for the door.
at wasn't that. II Just thought
of something f-f-funny."
Mother, do I have to put up with
that sort of thing? Do I have to
work hard all day and come home
to be insulted by hysterical old
maids? If I do, I'm through here.
I'll stay in town-get an apartment.
A few days later a perfectly mar
velous thing happened. 1t put Aunt
Carrie and her little "jokes" en-
tirely out of Marilyn's head. She
was hurrying to the office, when she
heard voice. eli, Miss Morgan!
Want a lift to the subway" 1t was
Mr.. Nelson, branch manager, over
forty, and idol of all the typists.
Her heart skipped a beat as she
jumped into the long shining car.
81 think it's just wonderful of you
to give me lift" Martyrs mas
caraed eyelashes 1uttered softly.
If only he would invite her to dinner
at one of those swell places that had
dancing and cabaret.
''How would you like to have a
little bite with me?"
Her heart skipped two beats.
"Oh, wouldn't it be fun!"
He took her to quaint little down.
stairs place that advertised "home
cooking" Marilyn was disappoint-
ed, but frightened over their dinner
cigarettes, for Mr.. Nelson said: "Pll
have to take you to one of those high
hat places where they give you little
food, but plenty of atmosphere"
Marilyn's head was whirling. Al
ready she could see dances and
theaters, and in the dim distance a
sweet young thing throwing her bou-
quet from the deck of a great ocean
liner. A honeymoon in Europe, of
course.
AS they parked before Marilyn's
home, her mother leaned socially
over the piazza railing. "Your din
ner is in the hot oven, Marilyn."
Mother, this is Mr.. Nelson, from
the office"
Her mother invited him inside,
and, to Marilyn's surprise, he &C
cepted. The papers were spread
all over the living room floor and
the airedale snored in the only COM
Portable armchair. 1t was terrible.
Mr.. Nelson and Aunt Carrie became
excited over the election, but Mari
Ign gazed dejectedly out of the win
dow, wondering why there wasn't a
law to execute all "old maids" Lat
er, Aunt Carrie played "Kitten on
the Keys" and her mother served
coffee.
Mr.. Nelson kept his promise and
invited Marilyn to the ritziest dane
ing place in town. He also took her
and Aunt Carrie to the new revue,
and the following Sunday he invit-
ed the whole family to ride. Marilyn
was puzzled but finally decided that
he had old-fashioned ideas about
young girls being chaperoned.
While he was away on a business
trip Marilyn played around with Bob
Evans. Bob strummed a wicked
ukulele and took one upstairs at
the movies.
"No, honey boy, can't make any
more dates this week. I'm thinking
of taking some night courses. TODD
ley-ooh."
She opened the hall door. Aunt
Carrie was standing there, and in
the shadows there was a man.
Marilyn stopped, smothery feel
ing in her throat.
"Why, why, Mr.. Nelson?"
He put his arm about her, laugh
ing rather foolishly. For a moment
she thought he had been drinking,
and then she became conscious of a
terrible thing: his other arm was
around Aunt Carrie.
In the solitude of Ter little Gre
tonned room she fought her battle.
1t was not the fact that Mr.. Nelson
was to marry Aunt Carrie; it was
| the devastating knowledge that he