The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1944-12-07
Facing Fact
q o O
By ESTHER v.
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
Released by WNU

times and was just as beWlldered a:
ever. Finally he rubbed his sun
burned nose with the back Of his
hand and reached into his pocket fol
his wallet. Opening it. he looked a
Marge's picture.
Boy, wasn't she a honey! He re
membered the night he had met her,
Two years before in June. He'd gone
to the drugstore that morning ano
had run into Tom Barker. Hi,
Bert" Tom hailed him. Il was just
going to call you. Want a date fol-
tonight? Nancy's cousin is here Wis.
iting and we want to make it a four.
some"
Bert hesitated. He wasn't much on
girls, and he had planned to 60 to a
meeting at the fire house. Come
on" Tom urged. Il don't know what
she looks like but she'll be o. K.
Nance says she's a pippin."
Nuts" said Bert. They all look
alike. Shake EN- up in a bag and
pull one out and you can't tell which
m you have. Hair to their Shout
ders. eyes on their mirrors and
mouths from a to ear"
Itch, tch!" Tom jeered. Listen
to ole man cynic! Well, do you or
don't you? Well 60 over to Pals
and have some hamburgers. Nancy
says she's a swell dancer" That set
teled it. Girls, Bert had found out,
might all look alike but they didn't
dance alike. For years he had be-
longed to a group Of folk dancers
and when he stepped out on the floor
with a girl he wanted her to know
what it was all about.
Bert wasn't quite ready when they
called for him at eight-thirty. But
he regretted his hardness the min
ute he put his foot on the running
board of Toms old Ear. From then
on every minute away from the &C.
cupant Of the back seat would be
just so much wasted time. She was
so different! Soft blond hair, not too
long, blue eyes and a sweet mouth
with wide, full lips and not too much
lipstick. Just right. Cute, slender
little figure. Bert could remember
just what she wore that night. A
white skirt and a blue sweater thai
was the exact shade Of her eyes
There was a blue bow in her hair
He had loved that. The blue bow
Nothing ordinary about Marge. I
you pulled her out of a bag you't
know who she was all right. Ant
couldn't she dance! She even hae
some new tricks that stopped hin
for a minute or two. Nancy and Ton
got quite a kick watching Bert fal
for her. He'd always been a it'll
standofsh with the femmes. Nov
he knew why. of course Sub
consciously he'd been waiting TO,
someone like Marge to come along
She liked him too. That was tn,
remarkable thing. When he took hel
home that night and they were alon.
for a minute, he had leaned ovel
and kissed her. He'd done it almos
without thinking. Then he'd apollo
gized quickly. Gosh, I hope you
won't think I'm fresh! Kissing 20,
when I hardly know you"
NO." she said, II don't thinl
you're fresh. III only be here {
week. We haven't any time to lose
He knew right then that she wa:
the one. He didn't need a week t.
find out. When you stumble on any,
one as wonderful as Marge you
know it, if you've got the I. @. Of
a canary. She lived in New England
and worked in a defense plant there,
and before she went home they
were engaged. His visits to her were
wonderful too. Even her folks were
wonderful. Then when his number
was called and he was accepted for
the Army. they decided to get mar
ried.
Boy, and wasn't she the stunning
bride! And wasn't that a honey.
moon! Wherever they went every.
body looked at them. OF course. with
a gal like Marge on your arm you
had to expect that. People just ma.
turally stared at anyone like her.
And that's what made this letter SO
crazy.
He picked it up and read it again.
Darling:
know I just wrote you this morn.
ing and likely you'll get that letter
and this at the same time-al.
though maybe not, what with the
Army mail doing such peculiar
things - but I am bursting and have
to tell you right off. I guess maybe
l didn't mention it, but I sent my
picture to compete in a contest a
while ago-and, angel, I won! Out OF
five thousand eight hundred and
sixty-seven entries I was picked as
Miss Average American Girl! Me!
Can you imagine, darling? I'm
overcome.
Corporal Madden read no farther.
Slowly he folded the sheet and re.
placed it in the envelope. Can you
tie that?" he wanted to know. Miss
Average American Girl ~ that in,I