Show PM g life Is Short L Life e appears too short to be b spent in nursing animosity or rag reg- registering wrong Love of money is the root ot of ofa all a evil but curiosity oft leads to wickedness It you dont don't think you can do it try it anyway Then you will find out why you cant can't We believe in applying the mind to art culture and literature but not every instant Sometimes we like to think of corned beef and cabbage First Requisite II If one cant can't enjoy his own company com com- pany he is doomed to many un- un unhappy unhappy happy days George Washington was famous but imagine the magnitude of at his fame if there had bee been newspapers like those today When we w e practice good principles principles ples it is extremely grat gratifying ing to tous tous us as well as to others grocery a small brick bank with n a Colonial facade The village Jim surmised served as a base of supplies for the outly outly- outlyIng lug Ing estates A post office painted olive green a tailor shop a bakery The latest movies anyway The store drug occupied a prominent prominent nent corner comer location Jin entered grateful at once for the dim light after the glare of the street The soda fountain looked pleasantly cool He seated himself and re- re removed removed moved his hat Food md and something cold to Lord drink he was hungry A head appeared at the level with the counter a head foaming with yellow curls bound by a band of narrow ribbon It hovered there for fora fora a moment and Jim heard from the obscure region behind the fountain a vexed exclamation Presently a face appeared and then the slight rounded figure of a girl in a tea tea- tearoom tea room uniform of crisp yellow and blue She had flax blue eyes and atlle a atIl tIl e- e enose nose and she looked across the counter with so cross an expression expression sion that Jim was amused Hello he said and smiled Jims Jim's smile was very engaging The girl behind the counter re- re responded responded to it at once Her Ups lips curved in a friendly grin Hello she said Sorry to keep you waiting all rIght What Were you doing saying your prayers Chasing lemons and oranges Her Iier apron he be saw was filled with them She began to arrange the fruit in a pyramid on the counter The darn things topple over a dozen times a day She breathed a sigh of exasperation But we must be decorated The boss has fancy Ideas Jim felt his depression lilting lifting The girl behind the fountain topped the pyramid with a bright I i iI ij ia il iI I j a l I y l lr ll r l s Lu 1 Sorry to Keep You Waiting green lime smoothed her apron and turned to Jim What will you have she asked A chocolate mIlk and a sand sand- sandwich sandwich Ham Cheese Or- Or Both he answered promptly Hungry Starving She smiled Okay In a jiffy She busied hers herself ell behind the counter Jim watched her deft manipulation ma- ma manipulation of a knife e with a razor razor- edge blade Cute he thought friend friend- friendly friendly ly amusing tier Her curls were syn- syn synthetically synthetically blonde of course No haIr he was sure in its natural state was quite so gold gold- golden golden en Her lashes were stiff wIth mas- mas mascara mascara cara and her mouth was a work of art sketched in raspberry salve lip of an especially virulent shade Apparently unaware of his scrutiny scrutiny ny she glanced at him a knife knUe poised over open jars Her eyes narrowed and crinkled As one blonde to another r she asked mustard or mayonnaise Jim laughed It was he reflected the first natural laugh hed he'd enjoyed since last Friday at noon The at- at atmosphere atmosphere at the had been strained Hed He'd spent the week week- weekend weekend end smiling stiffly at Myras Myra's acid pleasantries making loud noises of appreciation far beyond their merit mer- mer merit it in response to Dicks Dick's tepid jokes Singing for l his s supper Well Vell Im sorry Jim apologized Mustard or mayonnaise That's an important decision isn't It Ill I'll compromise A little of both if you please his reply seemed to amuse her She returned to her task humming just audibly a gay familiar tune Funny kid Jim thought Kid Well eighteen or nineteen perhaps What was her name Gladys Gertrude Geraldine Not that it mattered Nothing mattered especially Hed He'd give his rIght arm to be interested in something again Anything Anything-a girl a job a dog dogfight L Life e without vital interests wasn't much fun One might as well be a turnip turnip- There must be something that he could do He was confident in spite of repeated discouragements of his ability to get on In the world lie He had had an expensive education and anda a fair amount of Intelligence He made friends easily People usually liked him He was healthy enough Hed He'd been voted during his last year at college the member of his class most likely to succeed That was a laugh laughl Hell liell he be muttered hall half aloud a loud The girl placing a platter before him glanced up Everything all right I beg your pardon pardon-Oh fine Jim assured her He contemplated the platter The sandwiches are beautifuL That's a tasty arrange arrange- arrangement arrangement ment of pickles and hard boiled egg I thought thought- she hesitated You looked sort of sunk Im an actor Jim said Do ing Hamlet That was a prIvate rehearsal Honest Her eyes opened wide then narrowed and crinkled Its Mr Barrymore she exclaimed Fancy my embarrassment Can you forgive me Im I'm a little near near- nearsighted nearsighted sighted without my opera glasses Jim laughed a deep pleasant laugh of genuine amusement Sur- Sur Surprisingly Surprisingly he felt almost cheerful He applied himself to the sand sand- sandwiches sandwiches Anything else elie Jim glanced up from the remain remain- remaining ing segments of sandwich She had made things tidy behind the coun- coun counter counter ter and seemed about to disappear The idea was depressing To detain de- de detain tain her he asked though he had at present no practical use for the information Can you tell me how to reach the Vaughn place T IL H Vaughn Meadowbrook The question caught and held her attention It was obvious at once that she too was impressed by bythe bythe the name The girl behind the fountain sup sup- supplied supplied plied detailed instructions South Valley road she said her in Jim deepening percept percept- bly Turn left here at the corner and again at the road crossroad just past the first stretch of woods You cant can't miss the place Its It's a white whitehouse whitehouse house on a hill Sort of old old-fash- but pretty she conceded Theres a brook through the mead mead- meadow meadow ow I assumed there would be n a brook JIm said and one mead mead- meadow meadow ow at least Oh sure That was silly wasn't it She had apparently abandoned any idea of disappearing The Vaughn estate seemed to be an absorbing topic of conversation She perched on a stool behind the foun- foun fountain fountain tain and regarded Jim attentively her eyes ees glinting with secret amusement amuse amuse- amusement ment Youre a friend of Cecily's I 1 suppose Jim was unable to make an 10 In- In Intelligent Intelligent reply Who the devil was Cecily He had let himself in for ex- ex explanations Why had he asked the question The girl however expected no reply re- re reply ply That he and Cecily were friends was an established fact Jim decided so far as she was concerned con con- concerned I know somebody who wont won't set oft ocr fire works because youve you've conic come she added with an air of lively enjoyment Do you Jim asked slightly startled not a pleasant pl prospect said You needn't worry she encouragingly You can handle him Jim felt that she was meas- meas measuring measuring the ample breadth of his shoulders appraising with admira- admira admiration admiration tion which she made no attempt to conceal his six feet and an odd inch or so of flexible muscles and lean hard flesh What in blazes Who was him A potential rival per per- perhaps perhaps haps Jim was intrigued Are Are you sure he asked smil smiling ing TO CONTINUED |