Evening star., 1942-01-10
FILM-STRUCK BY sheaeh Graham

lunch at tie Sunshine Hotel for the
choosing O. the winner?
All day long Iivia had wrestled
with the problem. ALI day long the
opportunitr for fre edom had burned
in her soil. Surely, this was fate
saying: "Eere is life! Go out and
grasp it." If she won-the magic
door was cpen for all the treasures
of the word. Fame. money, adula-
ton. But she had promised her
mother to Join her in the school.
To destroy time and help her
decision, s,e went to the premiere.
It was the first one she had seen.
The furs, The dazzling jewels. the
sleek, happy expressions, convinced
her she, TO, would one day walk
down thai wide, red carpet. They
would shrek her name. and she
would wave languidly to the crowd
in the bl.achers, and smile gra"
ciously tor the photographers.
Drabness ,ad surrounded her. but
now had come this miraculous op-
portunity. ,
II won't give it up." she repeated
as the trolley car changed on Its
homewaro journey. But her secret
weighed h.avily on her heart. anc
she pausec uneasily by the door OF
her home. Vera was playing softly
a Chopin -octurne. Livia hoped her
mother wss out. 1t would be easier
to break tie news to Vera first, and
then perhaps together they could
persuade -er mother to forget her
unreasonable attitude against the
movies.
But her mother was home. She
was leaning forward in chair,
her face cupped in her hands.
Traces OF tears cleaned on her
cheeks. bu. she smiled happily when
she saw Lvia. Vera stopped play
ing, they lad radiant news.
He. Mothers Chance.
1.-THE school," Vera said. For a
second tine Livia did not hear.
She was Caoosing the words to tell
them of the competition. Why
should heI mother hate the movies?
It was unlike her mother to be so
preiudicec her mother was usually
50 understanding and intelligent.
I'VE ca, get the school" Vera
said agaiI. .
SCHOOL, repeated Livia, "Oh,
YES, the s:hool." Her mother and
Vera we're talking together.
Hey, ~ait minute" Llvla
stopped item. She tried to make
her voice calm, but gloom settled
in her helrt. where's the money
to come f.om?" she asked casually.
But the money was there. Only
comparatively small down payment
was to b. made. The rest to go
over a flvt-year period. They were
to take possession in six months:
"By thea time I'll have my de-
gree" Vela said happily.
Livia listened calmly. Should
she destrcy their content by telling
them abo,t the competition? What
was the use? She probably wouldn't
win it anyway.
The dram had been nice while
it lasted. But now it was over. For
one day she had escaped from drear
reality inl, a sweet land Of make
believe. Tor one day an image OF
freedom lad carried her beyond the
narrow hsrizon of the schoolroom.
But life aad caught up with her
again. Sae knew her place. 1t
was with ,er mother and her sister.
And she ,eally meant 1t when she
told then:
That's fine; count me in"
Yes, she meant 1t all that evening,
and far .nto the sleepless night.
She mealt it up to IL O'Clock the
next day But somehow she was
putting IN the green dress that
emphasized the round lines OF her
young figure. And the green straw
hat that framed the hair that was
like a glowing sun. And she went
to the Sunshine and smiled charm
ingly at. the judges and won the
competiti,n.
Continued Tomorrow
(copyrisfs. 1871, by sheila Graham)