The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-09-17

| rum MoorenouSe, Jack Vinton and
four others smoking and chatting.
Peters play is going to be
easier for us than a lot of plays
we've put on Mrs. Plat said
when everyone had said hello. "It
has a comparatively small cast
just eight. We ought to be letter
perfect after a week or 10 days
OF rehearsal-that is, if we re-
hearse every night, and"
Il don't see how I can manage
that" Adam said. Il have a lot
OF night work to attend to at the
factory. It's been necessary to
keep watchers and lookouts there
night and day here of late"
You mean err saboteMs?"
Mrs. Platt's eyes widened.
Il mean SOS not to have sabo-
Tours" said Adam. Anyway, all
OF us down there are doing all we
can to keep things going smoothly.
Jack, several of the office men,
and Ruth here" He smiled at
Ruth, and she smiled back. "She
has keen eyes and keener ears,
and is sort of feminine ]. Edgar
Hoover"
by the way" Jack spoke up,
Il left word where we'd be, lust
in case they needed me-"
so did l." said Ruth.
Adam laughed. Me, tool"
well, for heavens sake" said
Mrs. Plat, suppose all of you
are called at the m time?
Where'u our rehearsal be?"
Sorry" said Adam, but if
were needed at the factory, the
play will have to wait"
The ideal" said Mrs. Plat.
Don't forget we're putting it on
for the USO."
I'VE WON'T" said Adam. But
don't you forget dear lady, that
we're running the factory for the
USA. Tools for tanks and planes
are more important than plays
at the moment"
Perhaps So" Mrs. Plat said.
But l wrote Peter we were going
to do his play, and he'll be hor-
ribly disappointed if we don't 60
ahead with it"
But don't you think" said
Brenda, that he'll be lot more
disappointed if Adams factory
doesn't go ahead with production?
After all, it's the tools Peter needs
tools that are helping to make
planes, maybe the very plane he
will be flying in a short time"
That's so,' said Mrs. Pla t
thoughtfully. of course. I'm sor-
ry, Adam, 1 sounded $3.50 Off
cious.'
Forget it. I'm eager to see
Peters play done, but I do have
to put the factory first Adam
smiled and gave Mrs. Platt's
plump hand little squeeze. I'm
fond of Peter and you-and if I
had my way I'd be right in there
with the boy. getting ready to
pound the devil out of the Axis. )"
Adam" Mrs. Plat laughed.
You are getting wrought up"
Brenda picked up the play man.
uscript, which she had laid upon
table when entering. Shall we
go on with the reading?"
YES" said Mrs. Plat. EVERY
one find a seat-and keep as still
as the proverbial mouse"
Have you decided on our
parts?" someone wanted to know
Yes, my dear" Mrs. Plat re-
piled. Il shall assign them as soon
as Brenda finishes her reading.
She was kind enough to type the
parts, or have them typed, as
soon as she'd done some rewrit-
ing work. Ready, everyone?"
A chorus of assents was her re-
ply.
And Brenda settled down to
read.
The play was a zmall-town COM
edy, having to do with the prob
lens of a family that was always
trying to make both ends meet,
while at the same time living far
beyond its means. There w e e
some clever situations. and all of
the roles were fairly fat ones, es-
pecially those which were to be
assigned to Susan Potter and Ad-
am North. Susan vas to play the
eldest daughter. Who wanted to
marry d rising young lawyer, but
was always being held back be-
cause she was the chief bread
winner. The young lawyer. the
part to be assigned to Adam North.
was madly in love with the girl
and willing to move heaven and
earth to make her shake her leech-
like family and marry him. Their
scenes were humorous at times,
and highly romantic at others.
AS Brenda read, someone laugh
ed now and then which, Mrs. Plat
thought to herself, was 600 d
sign. Then as she suddenly re-
membered how Peter had looked
up in his room working at the
typewriter-the portable one she'd
given him on his 21st birthday
she found it difficult to keep back
the tears. Dear God" she whis-
pered. bring him safely back to
me. He has such wonderful plans
for becoming a famous playwright
"'Sound of someone whistling
softly off-stage'," Brenda read,
underneath the window. Lila tip
toes across stage and looks out.
She then backs away as Johns