The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-05-22
Chapter Eighs
Call By Jordan
"T'HE station does not have long

uOQIop MLS- WClSdild tOlu
Eileen. after dinner. They had all
moved out into the lounge. Some
of the others we've out on the long
wide veranda, shaded in the SUM-
set by the tall cottonwood trees.
1.-THE program lasts from two in
the afternoon till seven; then
we're on from eight to ten thirty.
It's a couple of hours longer than
last year"
How many times do you want
me to sing?"
Two programs a day, we
thought. Three quarters of an
hour each. You think you could
manage thct much?"
"Yes-wily not?"
Mrs. Weigand said, Good.
Helen Arndt- who did it last year,
went East last week. People
missed her a lot, but we couldn't
begrudge it TO her." Mrs. Weigand
said enthusiastically. .She has
splendid prospects there"
It sounded good. 1t was certain
ly steppingstone to New York
network; and from what Mrs.
Weigand said, they would be very
decent about letting her go if
something better came along. In
fact, at the low salary they paid
her-not a living wage they
could scarcely mind her following
in Helen Arndt's footsteps. She
wondered what Helen Arndt had
landed.
Mr.. Weigand slipped up to his
wife, They automatically took
hands. His doglike eyes. behind
their horn rims, fixed themselves
on Eileen'S face with the intense
look thew ALWAYS had. He patted
her hand, and then the tive were
called away.
Caller
EILEEN fell into the routine
Il easily enough. Twice day
she went into the glassed- in stu
do; dressed and made-up and
groomed, for the sake of the peo5
pie who drove by and stopped off,
The programs were an adver-
tised feature in all the nearby
towns, of course: The Kings. and
Mr.. Weigand putting on the re-
cordings, and, from six to half
past six, Airline Carson doing her
bedtime hour for the Riddles, very
badly indeed. but to the intense
delight OF her family and feier Us.
who never seemed tired o. r7akiag
up parties to go and see airline
on the radio.
Aunt Lou ard Helen Doran
drove out to Sc. Eileen about once
a fortnight. They were. inevitably,
excited as seeing her at her work.
Eileen. herself. got a thrill Out
of it. To sing, Steadied, poised.
walking the exciting tightrope of
the precise timing necessary, plac-
ing herself exactly before the lit
tie table microphone in the eve-
ming, or the stand-up one in the
afternoon: knowing that the drift
ing people, gesturirg in dumb.
show outside the glass. few or
many. were nothing compared to
the invisible listeners beyond the
little instrument she sang tot
strung her up as nothing ever had
yet.
Then Jordan Estill came. one
afternoon.
Jordan stood listening. out
among the groups of moving.
chattering listeners who looked
so strange in their livelv silence
from within the glass room He
bothered Eileen-not much. but a
little He was so Enthusiastically
adoring
When she had finished her pro.
gram. he came forward to meet
her with such complete posses
siyeness that she felt like crying
out. Stop acting as ifyoi. owned
met" But ii isn't possibl, to resent
manner which has nothing overt
about it
You were wonderful. But you
always are" he said. He looked
q little tired
She said I'm glad. / love doing
it." colventionally. but with sin
cerity.
He kept by her side as they
walked through the groups Of
tourists and people driven over
from surrounding towns. How
long are you going to keep on be-
ing glad you're doing it7"
His voice was rough and abrupt
''Idiotl I've scarcely begun!"
She caught his hand and swung
il coaxingly-and unwarily, for
his grip frightened on hers.
They walked out from the We
randa into the bright dry clear
sunshine; the big cottonwoods
waved over them.
Eileen. you're lovely. Your
voice Is lovely. People back In
Denver are crazy over il, and you.
admit you were right. I've heard
a lot of talk about concert en-
Eagements. for the fall Listen.
dear. There Is something ! want
70 tell you"
I'm listening, Jordan"
The little bright colored adobe
cottage was empty. Jordan came
in. and sat down on one Of the
touches. his eyes rowing around
the room, neat in is daytime
dress ~ Indian rugs. MoIly's
dresser with a half-dozen photo
graphs on Il, Eileen's with q Lone
cnfored clay ssatuette OF q sleepinr
AFnw<z.~s So S@affz. %a41 - - -