Evening star., 1941-01-12
That was What Ellen wanted TO know more
than anything else in the world. Would
you like TO know, too? Follow Ellen!
by Virginia Dale
HIvstrufed by Miehoel

the maids from the ninth and tenth floors
ate the sandwiches they'd brought from home
and the hot coffee the management provided,
in the linen closet. They sat on couple of
broken chairs and an overturned tin waste
basket and discussed the great and ever
present question of how to handle men.
Cora, the other girl on the tenth floor, was
married 1t might have been expected that her
advice on the man problem would be the best,
but Cora always said frankly, II dunno hoW
they should be handled" Which was dis
couragmg
In the satin salon Ellen put gold cigarette
case prominently on the coffee table, hung a
double fox in the hall closet, and propped
another picture of the same man against a
vase of American beauties. Over everything
there was faint, elusive scent.
Suddenly fresh tears poured down little
Ellen's face Here was another Of those women
who had everything! She stared stonily at the
picture. 1890, with her silk and perfumes,
would have man and keep him caring for her.
Shed know how She d never have this awful,
tight fear she'd never see him again. Ellen had
a conviction that women who had everything
knew everything.
WITH trembling hands she began busting the
painted desk there near the window. 1890 had
begun letter. There it was:
Darling Dicky," it began, giving Ellen
quite start - believing, as she did, that hers
was the only Dick in the world. Not that she'd
ever called him Dicky, great big husky like
that She read the letter:
Darling Dicky,
81 wonder if you can possibly know how
terrible feel after the way you left me? We
mustn't quarrel. dear -"
Ellen was dumbfomded. Who'd have
thought that women like this had troubles
too? She read on:
Il should be scoldng you for being such a
bad boy, but expect you know love you
too much to do that, really. You know, too,
want always only the best for you. never
mean to hurt you. I'm 50 proud of you But
we have to take care of each other, don't we?
Please don't stay angry with me, Dcky; be
lamb and come Saturday afternoon. I'll be
waiting for you"
Ellen turned the page, but that was as
much as 1890 had written. So that was the
way the smart ladies handled their men, called
them dear boy" and darling" and begging
them to be Lamb" and come back. For
while Ellen just stood there.
Then she opened the drawer of the painted
desk and got piece of the elegant hotel
stationery and began copying 103O's letter
with furious speed. She couldn't imagine what
Dick = only she called him 'Dicky'' here -
was going to think when he read the lamb
part. She wavered but finally she wrote it. If
you admit you don't know what to do about
something, it s silly to try improving on some
one who does. The only thing Ellen changed
was about Saturday; she said Friday night"
because that was the night Dick brought his
truck in from Aurora and, unless they'd quar-
relied Tuesday, telephoned her at home from
his boarding house.
She'd mail this to the place he lived SOS It
would be waiting when he got there Then she
didn't know how to end What was 1880 gong