Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-28
DniIy Short Story
IStreamIined Version
By MIRIAM +. BRANDON

world war J.
Statistics Will tell YOU the
modern version Is an inch and a
half taller than her sister of a
reneration ago She - longer of
limb and professionally coiiied'
She is capable of dealing with
causes amt effects socially eee--
nomically and pSychologically.
Subjected 10 the vagaries oil
Freudian philosophy the flaming
youth period and a couple oil
financial cataclysms. her approach,
Is Fortnight and efficient. with
none of the sentimentality which
raised so much havoc 25 years ago.
Ferris Reid faced the Hawaiian
fiasco of December, 1871, with the
same aplomb which she accepted
the civilian slaughter OF Coventry.
UneaSily her thoughts drifted to-
Phil KinSley.
Selective service had taken him
under its military wing, but II was
commonly accepted that those on
The deferred list would not be-
called for some time After all,
Phil had a dependent in hiSl
mother Determindedly, Ferris
concentrated ON that fact.
RECOGNIZED MOODS
Her boss, Clifton Andrews,
gr7umbled a profunctory greeting,
and shuffled out of his overcoat
tiredly, Out of the corner OF her
eve she watched him closely. One
Z of her main assets as secretary
was recognizing the mood he was
in, and arranging the day accord
tngly.
After a glance at his face. She
made a note to cancel his 3 o'clock
appointment with the Granville
Contrary to his usual GUS
tom, he did not say. Let's get at
! this mail. Miss Reid" as he had
said every morning of the year and
half she had worked for him.
Instead. he just sat, his clasped
) hands resting on the desk like al
child waiting for the morning class
to begin. After bit he sighed,
tiredly.
.Ilnc,. he explained. heavily.
7 els stationed I'm the Philippines"
A gasp escaped her lips. Line,
she knew, was his son. He had
come into the office once. She had
a faint recollection of grinningI
boy, well put together, and obvi-I
ously embarrassed when his father
kissed him.
'T'm SO sorry" she said now
with quick sympathy But he'll
be all right, I'm sure"
FEELS UNEASY AGAIN
-. 81 wish were sure" Mr..
Andrews told her bitterly. Then,
with shrug, "Nell, we're all In
Il together, II that's any COM
= fort"
Again that uneasy feeling de-
scended upon her. All in together,
that would mean Phil but she
dismissed the thought as too fan
tastic. Phil had a dependent in his
mother. She remembered BITTERLY
how many times she had resented
Mrs. Kinsleys dependence.
"Let's get mt this mall"
Andrews muttered absently, and
she gathered up a handful OF I
pencils and her notebook.
1t was a travesty of day, and
( ut noon, Andrews admitted defeat.
I'm catching the 1:10, Miss
Reid" he told her apologetically. |
"Phone Mrs. Andrews to meet
5 me at the station"
Left alone, Ferris tackled all the
long neglected jobs she could think
-Uf, and waited with aching nerves
for Phil to call her. But the phone
gave out only business calls.
She wondered idly what Mrs.
Kinsley was like. They had never
met, because the older womanl
lived in a small Connecticut town,
and Phil had never suggested that
Ferris visit her.
HIS MOTHER A WIDOW
The only thing she knew about
his mother was that she was
widowed, and determined TO re-
main in the same house to which,
she had been brought as bride.
"She's q cute little tyke," Phil
had told her, click her weight In
wildcats, she would. And scared
silly at the sight Of a spider"
He had given an indulgent
chuckle.
"She'd let her soul siZzIe In
hell before she'd tamper with
the truth, but she'd beat up Hit
Ter singlehanded IL she could get
near him. Ferris, you'll love
her." he had said. but he had
never arranged meeting
AS though some fate had needed
her unspOken plea, the phone
Changed SO suddenly il made her
Jump.
"PhiI" she cried happily, I'm
40 glad you phOned. I was just
leaving
Took the day off," he told
her easily. Just got back from
mothers"
ANGER SHARPENS VOICE
ooh" she was fighting down a
resentment which stifed her
very voice, "Of course" He could