The Key West citizen., 1940-04-19
Chapter Four
Lass Leaps To Luxury

Lass Leaps To Luxury
At LEAST, she was free from
the family. They'd forgive her
in time, perhaps in the morning.
Morning brought Toni a taste
Of sheer JOY. Jumping out of bed
to close the windows, she stood a
moment, shivering but delighting
in the view, looking out on a city
white with snow and washed with
the gold of the sun. The storm
had blown away during the night,
leaving ice-blue shadows in the
street canyons, a cerulean sky
overhead.
"And," breathed Toni, "for the
first time in twelve years / won't
have to eat oatmeal for break
fast"
She chose a table near a win
dow when she entered the hotel
coffee shop. The sunshine slanted
in on snowy linen, shining silver
and slim vase of fluted jOnquils.
Breakfast was a tall glass Of or
ange juice, crisp toast with mar
malade, and a whole pot Of steam
ing coffee.
1t was also Tomi's first intro
duction to the press.
The young man who seated
himself across from her with an
abrupt, $50 you're Toni Toland, !"
looked as though he had arisen
recently, and reluctantly.
Understand you've inherited a
million dollars" he commented.
"a million what?" echoed Toni,
and while he went sleepiiy
through wad of copy paper, she
escaped.
Hurrying from the lobby. she
was aware Of clicking cameras
and arms that reached out to de-
tain her; voices that asked her to
wait a moment, other voices beg
ging her to pose.
She was aware of further click
ings, as she. stepped into cab.
The office provided a steadying
anti-climax. Midwestern Fruits,
Incorporated. was unaware OF
harboring a celebrity. This gave
Toni time to orient herself.
She must first arrange for
someone to take her place. Per
haps A. J. would give her a leave
of absence so if she failed with
the farm she'd have a Job to
which to return. Then she must
buy something new to, helpi hori
morale. ,..s.
She wished she had time to
take a course in frog raising; she
supposed agricultural colleges had
frogs in their curriculqm. AT least
she could purchase books. ..
AT that tnonaentt az p IHoti9s
burst into his private Office, his
face beaming, "And you said the
old boy didn't like you" hcsci2cu-
lated. Have you seen the after
noon papers? Left you sole heir
to a million"
Toni arose in protest. "a. j..
please wait minute" But her
employer went on joyously.
1T gives me faith in human ma
ture to see you getting a break.
little girl. Hate like the dickens
TO lose you as my secretary but
! won't stand in your way one
minute. What's that girls name
who relieved you last vacation?
Call her in; break her in"
"a. j., pleaSe"-Tomi got no
further. Johnny had come into
the room like a young cyclone. an
afternoon tabloid in his hand.
"Looky!" he carohd. Look
what's on the frCnt page about
Toni. Can you beat it?"
A. J. snatched the newspaper
from his hand. and Toni. looking
over his shoulder, gaspcd and
read:
LASS LEAPS TO LUXURY
ON FROGS LEGS
Beneath this was a Photograph
Of Tomi'S stockinged cX'remitics
generously exposed as she stepped
into a taXicab.
French Femme
IS EROGS legstaexploded A. J.
A. Are they intin1ating t',oSe
are frogs legs?"
Toni jerked her a. employers
sleeve. will you listen to me?e
she demanded. Il did not inherit
a million dolldrS-underStand? l
did inherit a million frogs"
Fortunately A. J.'s chair was
both handy and spacious, for he
sat in it without a backward look.
"ThoSe things don't happen" he
protested. when he could stop
laughing long enough to talk.
"Don't happen to anyone but
me-" Toni corrected him.
A. ]. sobered. Tell me about
IT," he ordered.
Toni spared herself nothing.
She went into every grUeS0mc
detail. There l went leaping into
the parlor like an inebriated Mer-
curry. to come to stop in the
arms"
"YeS, yes, go on" urged Morris.
But Toni couldn't go on. How
could she hope to put a man like
Allen Bartell into words; how de-
scribe what he appeared to be and
wasn't?
''You can at least tell me what
ne looks like" grumbled Morris.
II suppose he's tall, dark and
handsome"
Hes tall" conceded Toni,
Sbut he isn't dark. He has golden
eyes-no, ! don't mean that-he