The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-07-11
By KATHLEEN NORRIS
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By KATHLEEN NORRIS
DAMELA wants to be popu-
liar. She works downtown
4 in a lawyers office; she
gets good pay; she maintains a
bachelor-girl establishment with
another girl; she is rs, pretty
enough, smart above the aver
age, but not popular.
my manner isn't shy, because
I take good care it shan't be-"
writes Pamela. "But way deep
down in I'm shy. / know men like
my looks, but lot of them are shy,
too, I guess-except the married
ones. The only attention I've ever
had is from married men, and that
doesn't mean much. The younger
men in our Office, and ! could fall
in love with at least three Of them,
will stop at my desk to dictate let
ter, ask me if I've seen this picture
or that, recommend a good murder
story if they see book on my desk,
and then pause by some other girls
desk for three or four words that
drive me perfectly mad with be-
wilderment-and I suppose jealousy.
! mean they will say to some really
less-attractive woman, Fun at that
crazy restaurant last night, wasn't
it?' or Crazy about the new hairdo,'
or How about Tuesday, honey?'
Too Tense Among Men.
''Why don't they do that to me?
But of course / know why. I know
I'm stiff, awkward, stupid with
men. / clear my throat and get
red and say things I don't mean to
them. My clothes are right, but
they're just a little TOO right.
Clean, neat, dowdy, correct. When
I ought to shut up l giggle and chat
ter and when I ought to break si-
lence / can do nothing but swallow
and stammer. But girls like me,
and I know I amuse them, and as
I say married men always seem to
understand me and / can talk to
them.
''Now, what can't understand,
the letter goes on, sis the sort OF
girl who attracts men and always
has lots of attention They seem
to make no effort. Brainless little
fools who can't spell are trotting off
for lunch with the incest men in
the office; murmuring and blushing
and having a glorious time.
Resents Being Overlooked.
there's one-I didn't mean to get
this far, but may as well admit it
there's one girl and one man who
are breaking my heart. The man
is my immediate boss, but in cor
poration as enormous as this that
doesn't mean he's so very high.
But he's sweet and big and clean
and smart and I like him terribly.
The girl is named Lola, she's an
uneducated, noisy little thing with
badly dyed hair in a wild mop, but
whatever she is or isn't he likes her,
and she can actually play fast and
loose with the dates he tries to make
with her; maybe she can 60 tomor-
row night, maybe she can't. If he
rnarries her she will wreck his life,
leave him in a few years and take
his child with her, and it seems as
il l couldn't bear it. Why WILL
men fall for girls like that, and
never see other girls who really have
background and education and code
and the love of home and family
behind them?"
Well, that's an old, old problem,
Pamela, and until men solve it Reno
will continue to be flooded by pretty,
empty-headed little wives who think
nothing Of breaking vows and ruin
ing children's lives.
Girls Uneasiness Affects Men.
Your predicament is not a new
one, either. You say your manner
is not shy, but shy or not it is awk-
ward and uneasy, and that infects
men instantly with something Of the
same discomfort.
Perhaps you think too much Of the