Loading...
The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1942-11-26, Page 7$ 11*THE EXETER. TIMES-ADVOCATE, THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER W8 W £ A $ III “Secrets in Love” *by Phyllis Moore Gallagher “PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH,” said a square white card on the top of every table, the seat of every antique chair and sofa. The contents of this pretentious marble mansion on, Mas­ sachusetts Avenue were to be sold next week at auction, because the owners had come to Washington, had seen and been seen, hut had not, conquered. And now the super-smart mem­ bers of society, who had sniffed at formal invitations from this impos­ ing home, and who had carefully looked the other way when driving past its gleaming facade, were eddy­ ing through the grated floors, halt-; ing, murmuring, flowing this way and that like a river over-running its banks. Margaret Patterson had.been wan­ dering through the mansion, too. Now she lifted a placard off of a blue brocaded sofa and sat down and scrutinized herself in the mirror across the long drawing room. She saw a small girl with eyes as deep, as velvety, as blue-black as old- fashioned pansies; with hair that had a warm brown hue, like an autumn’ leaf with the sun upon it. Rhe was wearing a black* silk dress with a white pique collar and a scarf of kolinsky around her shoul­ ders. There was a bow-knot of kolinsky on her black felt hat, too. and she lifted slim fingers and patted it fondly. “Not bad on $2'0 a week,, Miss Patterson,” said Peg to herself. “Not bad at all.-” Reg was the name by - wliich her friends called her. Why She was Working Then her cheeks colored a little and her eyes smiled through a sort of puzzled, frustration. She wasn’t worth $20 a week to Otto Nelson or anybody else and she knew it. She Was his god-daughter. He had giv­ en her a clerkship in his brokerage firm because her father had been his, best, friend and because she was so dreadfully hard up. /‘Mr. Nelson probably sent me over here this af­ ternoon to get my opinion of the Van Dyke portrait, because he was tired of seeing me act like a stam­ peded buffalo around the office.” Then she -thought, feeling strangely light-headed as she always did when she thought of Hewitt Gill: “But what difference .will that -make when Hewitt and I are married?- After all, working in an office is just a stop­ gap for me and for most girls like me . . .” She didn’t have the slightest doubt now that one day, not too far dis­ tant, Hewitt would ask her to mar­ ry him. Hewitt Gill was a tall young man with eyes that were singularly black, with a slim, tan­ ned, serious face. He looked much more like an athlete than a bond salesman. She had .met him six months ago when she had started to work for Mr, Nelson.- Their eyes had met over Mr. Nelson’s desk; had met and stayed together and something swift and ardent had stirred in her blood, . -like the flowing' of quicksilver. She had been ecstatically miserable and tongue-tied in that moment. The next day she had sat at a lunch counter with a group of girls from the office, wracking her brains to steer the conversation aro.und to Hewitt Gill so she could really find out -something about him. But the talk stayed on hair-dos and what Silly hats women were wearing and had anybody seen Ray Milland’s newest Picture. Finally She had said, keeping her Voice very casual and calm: “Mr. Gill looks something like Ray Milland, don’t you He. didn’t of course. It was ly silly even to say so. * Analyzing Hewitt „ The girls were off then. think?’ perfect­ „ The girls were off then. Hewitt Gill was set Up on that lunch coun­ ter and neatly picked to’ pieces, And- they weren’t very pretty pieces. The girls seebied to think that he was a lick-spittle. That he picked his friends by their rating in Bradstreet and by their addresses. That he wouldn’t be caught dead with any girl who wasn’t Social Register, a * llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll didn’t know anyone in Washington who couldn’t do him some gbod, one wgy or another. As for his friends from High School and Georgetown he had used them all lie could and now he had kicked them out, 1-Ie had come a long- way from the kid who used to live in Foggy Bot­ tom , . , a long, nasty *way. “And demes,” said the girl who handled the office switchboard, “They’re nuts about him just the same, You ought to gee how many times I plug-in honey-sweet voices on his line. But it's that Thalia Polk, who’s in Europe now, who really counts with Om-The-Make- Gill. She’s got so much dough she probably has to hire help in thinking of ways to spend it.” Peg had bitten a finger-nail, real­ ized that she was doing it and had promptly laughed, sound very nice,” brightly. “It’s He had terribly, she • had him but Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ He hud crushed her in his arms and- had kissed her tenderly at first and then not tenderly at all. held her top long, too breathlessly close, and pushed him away, trembling, “Hewitt—don’t . • She had shrunk away from then, 4 not wanting to really, doing it just the same. Hewitt had lit a cigarette promptly, thwarted and puzzled. In the flare of the match she knew he had seen the hurt in her misty eyes, the trem­ bling, frightened -mouth, He had bit his lip, “I’m sorry, Peg. really something -— cheap, sweet ... I love for that. One of will be different, tion to do what I She had said simply, “I Hewitt.” Arid she did know. Things fpe diffent when Mr. Nelson Hewitt that partnership. Washingtonia thrillers. And will you. please tell me just how I skull live in Washing­ ton? Can you picture me leaving mother and. dad and home?” But she was in Washington, thought Peg with her heart thump­ ing in her chest. Dark shadows? “Oh, deny. God, could there ever be any darker shadows than I have already known?” swinging drunkenly into and a little sedan hurled over an embankment. , mother’ and dad crushed beneath the ones A truck the road backward it . do and broken and lifeless A Stranger you do?” thoughts cut a voice said, off sharply, at the. young He was Bride- Smithson Thomas, Mr. and “He doesn't she had said, a wonder women would chase a man like that.” “Women will chase anything in pants. Hadn’t you heard?” But they were* all wrong about Hewitt, Peg had* learned in that next month. He was ruthless and ambitious, as what young man Shouldn’t be these days; and he didn’t pay the slightest personal at­ tention to any of the girls in the office, which explained their opin­ ion of him. One night working late to. have dinner with been, she felt, just self-conscious and ecstatically mis­ erable as during their first meet­ ing. Still he had asked her again, and presently they were spending many evenings together, Plaris for Hewitt .. ’ when Hewitt she had. - been had asked her him. She had as stupid and* That won't happen again. I don’t want to turn this into You’re too you far too much these days things I’ll be in a posi- o ■ know, want to do would gave "How evenly. Peg’s She looked up quickly man who stood before her. tall and slim and charming, groomy in spats and cutaway adorn­ ed with the indigenous gardenia, with new silk hat. in his right hand and pew gray gloves and a walking stick in his left. By way of replying without re­ plying,. Peg allowed her curly lash­ es to rest on her cheeks long enough for . any one who did not wish'to stay to go. -But the young man did not go. Peg glanced up again. He was regardin, brow cocked He said, touch sign: you or the part- that •close “It takes a load off my It was Hewitt’s desire of a nership in Mr. Nelson’s firm really had drawn them very together, mind to talk about it with someone,” Hewitt had told her. It seemed that Mr. Nelson who was nearly, 70, had reached the point of prosperity where he .^enjoyed being stubborn about decisions. He had given Hewitt in the four years had had been working there more -money, more responsibility and was forever dangling before his eyes the chance ■of a partnership-. - And then, as if taking a ’ perverse delight in his power, he would yank away all the responsibility. One minute he would call Hewitt the boy wonder and mean it; but in the next Hewitt was a damned young upstart who want­ ed to run everything around t him. Hewitt never really knew quite where he stood; nor what to expect next. “Peg,” Hewitt would say,. with his eyes dark and desperately serious, “I’ve got to have that partnership. It means everything to me. Nelson can’t let me down now. It isn’t as if I don’t deserve it. I’ve like twenty field hands for it. You know that. I’ve brought in busi­ ness.* Lots of it. Contacts I've made at the country clubs and in gadding around with people like Senator Polk, who have all the mon­ ey in the world/but who bore me stiff.” Always during their dates they would fall to talking about Peg’s willing part in helping. Oh, he blusters with you, but he’s really nuts about you. You have real in­ fluence with him.” «• Lush Nights But their dates weren’t all of partnerships by any means, summer had promised an idyll and had kept its promise. Lush nights, green leaves against dark skies, tall clouds building- into castles, unfurl­ ing like banners over the world; soft nights, fragrant with honeysuckle, sharp with stars and little breezes. All the world at is perfection and all theirs to wander in. And they had wandered in it. Driving far into the country, find­ ing a secluded pretty place, where they parked the car and sat listen­ ing to the noises in the woods and of the night. Last night she and Hewitt had driven, out into Virginia. Hewitt had* burned the car little road that led to >. It worked talk The The ertowd was thickening around Peg now and her mind came back to the present. People were sitting, despite the .warning signs, on the Louis XIV chairs which the newly’ rich lady had bought in vain. They were tramping over the Beshir- Bo- kara rugs, all myriad shades of red, where she had paced in an agony of humiliation because Washington would not take her to its social bo­ som. - ■ • • Peg had seen the first day of her life in her great-great-grandmother’s cradle;, she. had lived the whole of her 19 years in an ancestral home in Richmond facing the proud flow­ ing sweep of-the James. Last year, when her father and mother ‘ had died so tragically in an automobile accident, she had sacrificed every­ thing to pay debt. Afterward noth­ ing remained but $1.0.00 for her and another thousand for her bro­ ther, . Duncan, who was an army lieutenant stationed at the .muni­ tions Building in Washington to handle publicity for the Air Corps. She had come to Washington im­ mediately to live with Aunt- Mehalie Keith because it seemed there was nothing else she could do. Not that there was anything wrong about that. . Aunt Mehalie was a quaint, proud, diminutive little spin- stei’ who lived mostly in the past when the Keith home had been a bright Georgian dwelling, ,gay with dinners and cotillions and hansoms rolling up to the. widO fanned door. Aunt Mehalie’s home was still gay in an antiqueish sort-of way, quite like Aunt Mehalie herself. Col­ onial Dames met "there and sipped tea from pink luster cups and sat, rather prim and stiff, on Empire chairs. Cave-dwellers, those Wash­ ingtonians of ancient lineage who had once looked with disdain upon the political and diplomatic invad­ ers, and even upon the White House .itself, came and wondered what Washington was coming to, socially. “There was a time when money didn't mean a blessed thing here,” they said to one another. “Indeed, when the change of an Administra­ tion affected real Washington so­ ciety .-not at all.” But it was all different now. They didn’t approve they were horrified. There was too much social looseness everywhere, •too many barriers down. - Prophecy Fulfilled Suddenly Peg sat upright on the blue brocaded sofa, remembering. “Why, I’m actually in Washington,” she thought. It seemed strange and completely amazing that she was. Not until this minute had she re­ membered that day at the Rich­ mond carnival when she and a group friends'* had surged into tent. The palmist had fiery way, “You won’t anything I tell you, will And she had assured g her solemnly, one quizzically. indicating the do-not- “Does that sign meqn blue brocaded affair you’re sitting on?” Spontaneously they smiled at. each other and Peg thought what lovely teeth he had. She always noticed teeth, and eyes, and hair. His eyes were slate gray, with little laugh crinkles in the corners; his hair was just, the kind, she liked—sandy with a not-too-damaging wave. “Look here,” he said, “I could say, ‘Haven’t we.met before?’ or ‘Well, Mary Brown, fancy finding you here!’ or something equally as' trite. But I’m not a bit good at that sort of thing.. I haven’t even, a smidgen of the smasher’s blood in my veins.” . ‘ 0 “Not even a smidgen?” said Peg, and.her smile was quite gone now. This young man, she thought, is trying to pick hei* up. She said, not very civilly: “Are you sure of that? Are you sure you didn’t rig yourself up, definitely plush-horse, with the sole purpose of knocking some simple-minded, easily duped little girl into a tizzy?” .She want­ ed to turn away, but somehow she couldn’t. He held her with his eyes. What seempd minutes later, he said: “This isn’t niy ‘simple-minded- easily-duped-little-girls’ costume. I wear a long red opera cape and a pair of blue galoshes on those occa­ sions. I’m dressed up so snazzily today because I’ve been best man at a wedding.” (To be Continued) WINCHELSEA Mrs, S. Miller, of Cromarty, spent one day last week with Mrs, W. F« Batten. The ’ members of the W.M.S. of BUmvilJe held their regular’ month­ ly meeting on Wednesday of last week at the home of Mrs. W, F. Batten with a good attendance. An election of officers was also held. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ford, of Elimville, Misses Winnie and Joy Whitlock, of St. visited on Sunday With Mrs. Freeman Hoyne. Mr. and Mrs, Roy Brock and Shirley, of Kirkton, spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brock, '‘Mr, and Mrs, John Prance spent a tew days. during the past week with friends at Greenway and Thed­ ford- Mr. Clarence Prance, of Chatham, spent the week-end with hife par­ ents, Mr. and Mrs. John Prance, Miss Audrey Fletcher spent a few days last week with her sister, Mrs. Murray Gibson, of Denfield. Corporal Hagerman, O.B., of Grand Bernd, Sto.2 J. E. Pope, of Galt, spent the week-end at the home of 'Mr. R. E. PQoley, The local nimrods have returned from the north after spending a week deer hunting. The party included R. E. Pooley, W. F. Batten, P. Hern, and. his was gun is recovering nicely. giri wno wasn u boci&i xvegxBver, a.iivnc debutante or a Senator’s daughter, j banks of the Potomac. He had reached the point where he isolated, C l’ T' Suddenly off into a the high Was still, darkly enchanted there. Start to Sneeze Nose Starts to Run Then cotnes the Cold which, if Hot attended to immediately, shortly Works down into the bronchial tubes, and the cough starts.- , * > On the first sign of a cold or cough go to any drug counter and get ft bottle of Dr. Wood’s Norway Pine Syrup. You will find it to be a prompt, pleasant and reliable remedy to help you get rid of your trouble. of her girl a palmist’s said in her brood about you, Miss?” her that she Wasn’t the brooding .type- The palmist had told her then that she would - live in Washington. “You’ll know great happiness there, Miss and yet too. I see your palm . Afterward cited. Ihgton! ^“Diplomats in gold braid! probably marry “Champagne all around you! “Spies?” Peg gfeat misery. Danger, dark shadows across the girls had been ex- Oh, Peg—just think! a title.” flowing anti. Town Paper Looks Good C. Camm, each bringing home quota of game. Mr. P. Hern less fortunate, having got a pellet in his left thumb, but he SHI FKA and Mrs. Borden Schroeder, their home two weeks' of Mr. L. _____j________ It has been on the market for timpast 48‘years. "Don’t experiment with a substitute and be disappointed—got “Dr Wood s «_________________a Brice 35c a bottle; the large family size, about 3 times as much, 60c. Look for the trade mark “3 Pino Trees.” The T« Milbutn Co., liimitcd, Toronto, Ont. had been incredu lous, "How Sillyl We\aren*t at War? “Why, Peg Patterson, don’t tell me you don’t »know that Washington is just jammed with spies. Hundreds of ’em, things, papers ton is .Peg “Plwoey! all been reading Mr* Oppenheim’s Many of us have a son, a brother, a husband or a friend at one of the army, navy or air force camps throughout Can­ ada or other pai’ts of the world. Chances are that he is kind of lonesome for some news about the “goin’s on” back home and there isn't a better way to let him in on them than send­ ing him a weekly copy of The Times-Advocate. Letters from men in the service show that they appreciate The Times-Advocate more now than ever before. They read it from cover to cover. HARPLEY Mrs. William Hayter, of Grand Bend, ’has moved down to the home of her son, Mr. Newton,. Hayter, to live. Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Hartle have moved to Mr. Harold Pollock’s home near Greenway. Miss Donna and Master Glen Hay­ ter spent Sunday with Miss Shirley Eagleson, of Cedar Swamp-. Miss Maud and Mr. Mansell Hod­ gins visited with Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hodgins, of Petrolia on Sunday. Mrs. Maurice Murray spent day evening with Mrs. Fred Linchey. Mr. and Mrs. J. Wilson and Grieves, of. Grand Thursday evening at Mr. Mansell Hodgins. Mr. and Mrs. Herb Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hickey. • Mr week-end with Mr. and Mrs. McLinchey. Mr. Dick Doodley, Who has the summer with Mr., Mansell gins, has taken a position at St. Pauls Mr. of Windsor, returned to on Sunday last after a holiday at the home Schroeder. The Y.P.S. met in Tuesday evening and will hold an­ other meeting next Tuesday. The Sunday School ’Christmas concert will be held Monday even­ ing, December 21, at the church, The regular meeting of the La­ dies’ Aid will be held Thursday af­ ternoon, December 3, at the home of Mrs. Milton Ratz. Election of officers for 1943 will be ‘held. Mr. and Mrs. - William Sweitzer have returned 'home after spending a pleasant, few weeks with relatives in Detroit, Milwaukee and Racine, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. don, spent the „_____ JBL _ latter’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fi­ rn er Pickering. ■Presentation and Address Neighbors and friends number­ ing about 6'0' gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Ratz last Thursday evening to honor them ■before leaving for their new home in Crediton. Following a social time Mr. and Mrs. Ratz were pre­ sented with a pair of woollen blan­ kets, and Miss Dorothy Ratz with a fancy umbrella. An address was read by Mrs. Albert Gaiser and ithe presentations ■ were made by Arthur Finkbemer and Gordon Ratz. Mr. and Mrs. Ratz and Dorothy all re- expressing thanks for the All joined in singing “For Fellows”. thg church W. Lattie, of Lon- week-end with the plied, gifts. __ . They Are Jolly-" Good Lunch was served. S un­ Me­ Mrs. Bend, spent ■the home of Harlton spent William Hayter .spent the Fred spent Hod- You’ll spies Wash- * "• . ;; snooping around, finding out Goodness, you can’t read the and not know that Washing- a ‘veritable web of spies.” had laughed at them, she had said. “You’ve EL X MAIN, veteran railroad man With nation wide experience, who has been promoted to- the post of General Superintendent of Trans­ portation, Canadian Pacific Rail­ way Company, With headquarters at Montreal, succeeding George T. Coleman, retired under the pension regulations after 49 years of service. Let us look after the mailing and the wrapping. We'll pay the postage, too, at no extra cost to you. Regulations restrict the sending of papers overseas by individuals but the men in the armed forces may receive the paper regularly if ’mailed to them directly, from the publisher’s as a regular if mailed to them directly from the publishers as a regular subscriber. You can't spend $2.00 in any way that will provide him with greater happiness. Just like a letter from home Join the Ranks of Many who are Sending Their Boys The Exeter Times-Advocate MOUNT CARMEL Miss Mary McCann, R.N., is spending some time with her par­ ents, Mr. -and Mrs. A. McCann. Miss Winnig Madden, of Toronto, spent a few days with her sister, Bernie. Mr. and. Mrs. — ------- Sunday with Mr,' and Mrs. Joseph Wilds. We welcome Mr Miss Kate Madden to the village. They have moved in with Miss Ber­ nie Madden. Mrs. Joseph Mahoney and Clar­ ence spent a few days in London. Mr. and Mrs. N. Geromette, of Goderich, spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. A. Desjardine. Congratulations to the pupils who took part in the speaking contest last Tuesday evening. (Continued from page 2) Against Change , in Home’ Status By a recorded vote of 2'0 to 7 Huron County Council decided - to make no change in the status of the administration of the County Home, thereby defeating a motion that the Council appoint a four-man commit­ tee on the same principle as the road, commission, to meet monthly, and to dispense with the services of an inspector. Many reeves' rose to pretest any change, arguing they could- see no reason for it. Others in favour of the motion maintained that a com­ mittee so constituted would be in closer touch with the home than at present. Inspector George 'F'eagan of the County Home stated there are at . present 98 inmates. G. F. Tuttle, deputy minister welfare, advised in a letter County. Clerk N. Miller -that he had had enquiries from mothers’ allow­ ance beneficiaries regarding fuel al­ lowances. The expenditure for fuel to t’he recipients by the municipali­ ties will be reimbursed one hundred per cent, effective December 16, 1942. Mr. McCoyne, who C. Beacom1 as public tor for South Huron, council briefly. In a discussion on of salvage, Warden Armstrong Ex­ plained the county organization. He said that reeves are not sup­ posed to drive around to make the canvass but are supposed to appoint a. r i H. Miller spent Jack Madden and Sense and Nonsense An egg laid 3 OsO years ago was dis­ covered recently in the ruins of Old Ft. Ste. Marie, Ontario—the egg was found eight feet 'underground and was said to be perfectly preserved. < w Henry—'“My loan, I really don’t believe you can ever teach that dog to obey you.” Mrs. Peck—• “Nonsense, darling. Just remem­ ber how obstinate you were when we were first married.” * ♦ * “Why have you no speedometer on your car?” “I don’t need one.. At 3'0 miles an hour the headlamps clatter; at 40 the windows rattle; at 50 the whole car shakes; and if I-go faster ter,” than that my teeth chat ft * *and bandaged» the hp* appealing for a separa- "My life ain’t safe, She’s bin throw- Tattered lieant was Hon order sir,” he pleaded Ing things at me ever since we got married.” “And only now, after twenty years, are you seeking the court's protection,” said the mag­ istrate skeptically. “Well, sir, her aim’s getting good!” of ;to succeeded E. school inspec- addressed the the collection committee of 15 or 20. Book Circulation Increasing S. Hr Whitmore gave a re- the County Library Asso-. The circulation of books the various libraries is in- and this is of particular libraries which afford to purchase new Mr, Whitmore is the couh- Reeve port of elation, amongst creasing, Value to smaller cannot books, ty’s representative in the associa­ tion, and his name was authorized to be placed on the pay list. The necessary the business of passed. Warden ed the members tioh, and expressed the hope all would be back in next year’s coun­ cil, The session closed With the National Anthem and three cheers and a tiger for the warden. Gifts Made to Warden •by-laws • covering the session were Armstrong thank- tor their coopera- ' Warden George Armstrong tertained at a highly successful largely attended banquet at British Exchange Hotel on Thurs­ day night. His guests were the members and officials/ past and present, of Huron County Council, and many other friends, the , guests numbering 90 In all, In appreciation of his services a handsome easy chair was present­ ed to Mr. Armstrong, the gift of his colleagues, the presentation being made by ex-Warden R. J. Bowman, and the address read by ex-Warden R. E. Turner. In order that the “comfort” of the warden might .be further as­ sured, three other presentations were made, comprising a cane by Reeve Roland Grain which he said was his own make, a warm pair of slippers, by Reeve S. H. Livermore and a corncob pipe by Reeve Shad­ dick. Humorous -speeches accom­ panied the “gifts”. Reeve Percy Passmore, Usborne, was toastmaster. The speeches were short and in lighter vein and were given by Judge T. M.' Costello, L. E. Cardiff, M.P., -J. F. Gillespie, ex-Wardens N. W. Trewartha, John Eckert, Hugh .Hill, R. E. Turner, Wilmot Haacke, George Feagan; Reeves Raymond Redmond, J. H. Scott, Roland Grain and Councillor Houck .of Hay Township. Armstrong, 17-year-old son warden, who has carried work of the farm in his absence on county business, presented. The warden replied fittingly to the felicitations showered upon him. Violin solos were rendered by Reev­ es Alex McDonald and Raymond Red­ mond; a vocal solo by J. F. Gill­ espie and a mouth organ-banjo duo were given. Miss Eileen Bogie was the accompanist. Harry of the on the father’s was CREDITON EAST Mrs.’ Emma Edwards and daugh­ ter Vera and Mr. Gordon Thompson, all of Ingersoll, spent the week-end with Mrs. Job Sims and. other re­ latives. Messrs*. Gordon Merner and Mur­ ray Neil, of Windsor, spent the week­ end at their homes here. Mrs. Murray Neil and daughter Beverley, have returned, home after visiting in Stratford with her sis­ ter for ten days. Mr. spoilt Harry Barry, lr Mrs. Bend here. Mr. Children,.of Grand Bend, spent Bun* day with Mr. and Mrs. Sam Sims, Alex Hamilton, of Grand Bend •Sufiday with Mr. and Lewis. Mrs. Hamilton who spent a few days parents, returning home. David Baird, of Grand spent Friday with relatives •Mrs. and with and Mrs. 'Thomas Baird and.