Evening star., 1941-06-08
Il Short Story Complete in This Issue

Harden House lobby as meeting place.
d Dora Smith knew that now. Unshed, bit
ter tears were singing behind her eyelids;
her fingers had been clenching her shabby
: purse so hard that they ached.
Five times now the man in thick-toed shoes
had walked by, eyeing her suspiciousy. The
house detective, that would be. Suspicious
of her because she wasn't in mink, or chin
Chilla, or silk.
1t had been CHASTITY mistake At previous
meetings she had enjoyed it. That was be-
cause Jim was always waiting, and they were
in the lobby only a moment. 1t had been an
adventure then. Once famous movie actress
had walked right by them, not three feet
away, really; so close that Dora could &C
tually see the slight lines that even makeup
couldn't hide - and she still playing the
parts of sweet young things! And once they
had seen famous senator there, looking sur
prisingly small and ineffective, not bit as
she had fancied him from his ringing radio
voice and his carefully posed pictures.
Those had been heady, Intoxicating min
utes - these brief brushes with luxury -
leaving tingle that carried through until
they reached their favorite movie house over
on Third Avenue
But they had been just single minutes.
And now Dora Smith had been standing
for nearly forty minutes by the pillar watch
ing the Park Avenue entrance, and feeling
lost and buffeted and bitter.
Men jostled her, and said politely, Sorry.
So sorry" And moved away. Women fioated
by in silk and fox, sheared beaver and ermine,
leaving wake of delicate perfume, making
her painfully conscious that she didn't fit
here at all. The suit that looked so wonderful
on the $500 rack in klemfusss Bargain
Basement stood out shoddily here.
Young men eyed her calmly, or covertly,
or sometimes - and what hurt most -
amusedly. She was sure it was amusement in
their eyes, And the man with the thick toed
shoes - so obviously suspecting her of the
worst - glowered at her.
0HE stood up very straight, by the pillar,
and stared at the entrance. 1t continued to
discharge bright, well -groomed young men,
who took sleek, furred girls by the arms and
cars - while she stood there, on one foot then
the other an object of suspicion and amuse-
ment 1t wasn't fair. Dora was fercely,
impotently rebellious. What had these sleek,
furred girls done to earn all this? What had
these young men done = these bright, dinner
jacketed young men. living no doubt on in
herited wealth. while Jim shaved at his desk?
The day had been bad enough Old Slack
hammer, her boss, had gone raging up and
down the office, threatening to fire everybody
in sight, pulling at the thin hair ringing his
bald white pate
Miss Smith, he had said, insultingly
Miss Smith, if you are unable to get to
work on time, would suggest that you re
tire and live on your income. In that case
you would be able to sleep until ten o'clock
or whenever you prefer. No doubt you aren't
used to life of work No doubt Miss Smith,
Just because she was eight minutes late.
to have said, ''Mr. Slackhammer, l think
you're right quit!'
But she didn't. She mumbled, I'm sorry,
Mr. Slackhammer," and bent her eyes down
on her typewriter keys. Why? Because she
was nobody who had to take dictation and
do typing from nine until five, and put up
with the madnesses of people who looked on
her as scrubby slave.
called her into his office and roared, Miss