Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1940-03-14, Page 7*They re So Convenient Pr BAGS city 9.241.es1 SYNOr'SlS RUTH WOODSON, a pretty, high-spirited girl of 19, in search of woxic, is put off a bus in the little town of Worthville when she runs out of money. A storm is breaking and Ruth seeks refuge in an old stone mansion with a blue door. She faints and is car- ried upstairs by the queer olid housekeeper, BERTHA GIBBS, also Isnown as "PENNY," and by JOHN McNEILL, from next door. Penny believes Ruth to be EL- AINE CHALMERS, whose grand- father built the house. Ruth lets the mistake stand. Elaine, mean- while, at Graycastle College, vows in a sorority meeting to win the love of John McNeill, her first sweetheart. She plans to go to Worthville. Ruth, in love with John, re- solves to stay on a while at the old house, petending to be Elaine. A man known as JOHN SMITH escapes from an institution for the criminally insane, buys a used - car and starts for Worthville where, he assures himself, "Oki Bertha Gibbs will hide me. at the house with the blue door." CHAPTER XIV Ruth was far more happy than she was unhappy. Far more gay than apprehensive. She was in love, and knew it, She moved its that soaring, tremulous state when the mere recalling of a beloved pair of eyes, a beloved voice, sent the pulses pounding. The antici- paitioii of another meeting with John McNeill — another such ren- dezvous as last night's ride—made life a glorious adventure. Her happiness dimmed her fears fer the future, caused her to forget the insecurity of her position, and lulled her pricking conscience its - to comfortable quiescence. In short, Ruth Woodson, becom- ingly clothed in one of the charity. box hand-knit dresses, moved gracefully through the old Hunt- er house:, in and out its roost::, DOOR ai.. © leas NEA Service, inc. up and down its stairs, quite as if she owned the place. Old mir- rors, cleared of dust by her own agile hands, reflected her pres- ence; slim corners .echoed her laughter and the sound of her singing. Penny said feelingly that morn-. ing: "Lor', Miss Elaine, it's good to have you here. You cheer up the place considerable!" In theafternoon mail there ar- rived a check from "IYIiss Gwen." After Penny had pulled the letter from the rusty mail box she stood in the hall handling it with trem- bling fingers. To Ruth passing through the hall, she said importantly, "It's from• your mother, It's the money she send the regularly for takin' care of the house. But seems like I'm gettin' more and more afraid to open 'em. There might come a letter any time now, sayin' I'm pensioned off " Her voice trailed away anxiously. Ruth's anxiety caught fire, too. She realized that the letter in Penny's hands was a sort of bomb which might, in its explosion blow her temporary little world of happiness to atoms. But she said, her voice held steady, "Don't an- ticipate bad news, Penny, and maybe it won't ever tome. Open the letter." Penny obeyed, removing from the creamy, square envelope a check and a folded sheat of pa- per. She said, handing the letter to Ruth, "You read it to me, Miss Elaine. I can't make out pen and ink writin' very good lately." Letter To Bertha Ruth unfolded the paper and ran her eyes down it hastily and anxiously. She thought, "If it Says anything about Elaine—anything that will give me away, I'll skip iit." Presently slhe breathed a"x quick sigh of relief. There was nothing at all in the letter to up- set her own world or poor old Penny's. She read aloud: Mr„ Caffeine -Nerves Gets Erased OFFICE MANAGER: Sorry I lost my temper, Miss Jones ----I don't know why xny nerves are so jittery lately! MR. CAFFEINE -NERVES: This office would drive anybody to the nut -house! SECRETARY: I think 1 know your Trouble—too much tea or coffee ! You've got caffeine - nerves and the thing that will fix that is to drink Possum instead. M.R. CAFFEINE -NERVES Mob up, meddler! , C —stick to your shorthand! OFFICE MANAGER: Miss Jones, you're psychic! I've been drink- ing Posttun for a month and now 1 can't figure out why I was always so upset! 4b Many people can safely drink tea and coffee. Many others --and all children—should never chink them. If you axe one of these, try Postum's 30 -day test. Buy Posture and drink it instead of tea and coffee for one month. Then, if you do not feel better, return the coatainer top to General Foods, Limited, Coboutg, Ott, and we'll gladly refund full purchase price, plus postage. Postum is delicious, economical, easy to prepare, and contains n0 caffeine. posTUM aanni rMMYMFM.(�i1Ma,w.�iNa.+Mn�yp,yr MR. CAFFEINE -NERVES: I'm always erased when they switch to Payson I "Dear ertba: I' ain sorry to be a week or two late with your cheek but I have been . in Franco and )have just gotten home. I hope you have not been inconvenienced. Please see that the leaks in the' slate roof are attended Go, also the guttering, and whatever other repairs are needed. have the bills sent to Mr. Deal's secretary, as usual. I don't want the old house to go to pieces. "I hope you are keeping 'well and that your eyesight is improv- ing, Do get new glasses,'That oft- 'en ft'en helps. Call on me if you need! extra funds of course, Affoctiione ately, Gwendolyn Hunter Deal." "There!" said Ruth, handing it back. "I don't believe they've any idea of pensioning you off, Pen- ny. Quit worrying!" Penny was nodding 'her head in relief. "I'll take the check right down to the bank," she said. "I haven't been down town for about three months, I've got to lay in some staples at the grocery store. I'd be obliged if you'd keep house. for me while I'm gone?" "Of course I will," Ruth assur- ed her. `/Give Inc that cloth and let me' finish dusting. Then you can get ready and go right away" • When Penny came down a bit later, hatted and coated for the occasion and wearing overshoes and an anxious expression, it was evident that this trip "to town" teas an important event in her life. Actually she left th,e house only four times a year, and that was for the purpose of banking her quarterly check. Pausing be- fore she went out the door, she said to Ruth earnestly, "I won't be gone more'n an hour and a half, all told. If anybody comes here askin' for me—askin' for me by name, I mean—will you have 'em come in and wait?" "Why, yes," Ruth answered, "of course, Can you manage all right at the street crossings, Penny?" Bertha nodded. "I'm careful, and I use my umbrella for a cane. I never have any trouble that way." * * >* A Puncture On a highway leading from a southerly direction a small, un- noticeable automobile had just picked up a nail and blown a tire. The car, traveling rapidly at the time, was thrown smartly a- cross the road and was partially wedged between a tree and a fence. The driver, its sole occupant, recovering from the shock of the impact lifted himself from the steering wheel and rubbed his chest. His prodding hand found a sore rib that made hip wince with pain. From a cut on his palm blood was trickling. He was the man who, some time before, had escaped from a place where the criminally insane are detained. Climbing cautiously from the car, John Smith inspected the damage done. He could, lie decid- ed, extricate his car without help if the engine still ran, But first he must change the tire which had blown out. This he proceeded to do, getting the tools from the place he knew them to be, and applying the jack with fumbling, unaccustomed fingers. It took him all of an hour to do this. At last, weary from his exertions, he sat on the running board and smok- ed a cigaret while his mind wrest- led with his problems. Vaguely Familiar His hand had started to bleed again. He wrapped the blood- soaked handkerchief tighter and frowned. He contemplated looking for a doctor in the next town, then decided against it, He could not afford to have any one recog- nize his picture, should it be pub- lished in the interest of his cap- ture. No, better push on to Worth- ville, Better put himself in the old woman's hands. "The old house •is like a fort," he thought. "I could clig in there and stay indefinitely—" A car was coning to a halt be- side him, Brakes . ground, tires skidded, and from the window of a gleaming coupe a tanned, hatless young man leaned out and called pleasantly. "Can I help you?" "Thanks, no," John Smith re- plied in a gruff voice, not his own. His hat was pulled low, over his eyes. He partially concealed his mouth and chin by manipulating his cigaret with his • uninjured hand. "It was a blow-out." Then he added, lying, "I was going the other way. Car turned complete - l" around!" "What you know about that!" exclaimed the young mare with surprised interest. "Well, you're lucky you didn't crash that tree." "Yeah," replied John Smith. He was narrowly eying!' the nonchal- ant, clear-cut young man whose gaze was so direct and who want- ed to be helpful. He wondered why the young than looked vague- ly familiar to hits. After all, he, "John Smith," hadn't been in this vicinity for 10 years, And 10 years ago that young chap mut have been only 14 or 15 years old. The young man lifted his hand in salute shifted gears and shrove on. Toward Woitlivillc, An salver - tieing cover on his spare tire eaiti Tf//S SWELL MEN /S BETTER FOR ME MAN MFD/C/JVF a 4': "I couldn't make up my mind which, was worse — to endure constipation or try to cure it with harsh purgatives. Now I do neither..1 prevent it by eating Kellogg's All -Bran, It's a lack ofintes- tinal bulk that causes this common type of con- stipation. All -Bran supplies the needed bulk and also the intestinal tonic vitamin Bt. I eat it as a cereal or in delicious muffins. It's great to be `regular' again." You can get All -Bran from any grocer. Made by Kellogg's in London, Canada. ALL. 60, 1 krki iL o Day's Popular Design By Caro'1 Aines - 695 EMBROIDERED APRON It is possible to look dainty as well as domestic in this pretty ten apron of bias -bound organdy. Rainbow -hued panels form the sides of the skirt and their delicate colors are echoed in the floral garlands that appear on both skirt and bib. The pattern includes tissue pattern and cutting chart, transfer of em- broidery motifs, stitch and color keys, material requirements, and all necessary instructions for finishing. To order this design, write your name and address on a piece of paper and send with 15 cents in coin or stamps to Carol Aimes, Room 421, 73 West Adelaide St., Toronto, f.. "McNeill. Pumps make hard water unnecessary!" * Things Look Bright John Smith lifted an eyebrow. So that was it. The McNeill boy, grown up. He was glad he'd keit his own face covered. The inter- view caused hits to reconsider his plans. It was possible, even prob- able, that the McNeill family still lived next door to the old Hunter place. This boy /night recognize him after the roadside meeting. Certainly he would recognize the injured man. John Smith decided to abandon the ear and continue on foot until ,oveataken by a bus. The bus would carry hits to Worth- ville. Here he would alight at some busy intersection, and from there would saunter, perhaps un- der cover of falling darkness, to the old house. The Refrigerator that's Almost All Food Storage Space. An Extra Sheaf — at No Extra Cost. SEE THE NEW NORGE AT YOUR LOCAL DEALER'S John McNeill, already forgetful of the incident just past, skilfully lighted his pipe without reducing speed. He'd signed up the dealer he wanted in Akron—the third such achievement in a month -- and things looked bright for Mc- Neill Pumps. ' he factory would soon be running full time again, if this sort of thing kept up. "Dad would be proud as all get- out, if he could see me carrying on," he thought contentedly. "1 guess I'ni going to be a fair to middlin' salesman after all," Then persistently, through these pleasant meditations recurred the image of the wiry. titin -faced, slouching figure on the running board back there, "Where've I seen that guy before?" he asked himself. The question was unans- werable. He thought he had dis- missed it, but the . subconsciious mind never dismisses the unsolv- ed. Back, back through the years went the trail of his subconscious thoughts while his. conscious mind took up a happier theme. I Want Her Anyway "Elaine!" he said aloud, and laughed in the wind. "Lord!" he said, "I believe I'm in love with her. I believe I'd rather have her for my wire than any girl on earth!" He imagined her in lois arms, iii his house, in his life. Belonging in. those places, Happy to be there. His pulses pounded harder and his eyes narrowed in determination. "I'm going to let myself go," he decided. "I'm going to make love to her. I'm going to try to win her. Sonie hunch tells me I could!" Then he thought of his mother, whom he loved and whose opin- ions he respected. He could im- agine her playing in her sane, gentle way, `lAn unsuitable match, Sohn'. It would end in trouble. Maybe divorce --r' "But I want her anyway," Sohn McNeill thought unreasonably. And that was how he knew that he loved- her. - (To Be Continued) Lapel g ls;ets, shoulder puts and pocket Otnnmeets are featur- ed in coei tone jewelry. " eminiri ity Is Blouse Keynote Trend to Shirtwaist Models of Last Century Seen Borrowing grandmother's balloon sleeve blouses and slaughter's full swing skirts, Spring fashions give us the newest version of the shirt- waist hirtwaist trend. Sheer fabrics and ex- quisite hand -work further that oId- fashioned beauty of many of these shirtwaists, and the new soft lens give give extra swing and supple beauty to the skirts. Tiny little -girl collars, amusing baby yokes, be -ruffled bibs and leg - o -mutton sleeves are all as new as new to -day! Gay -ninety stripes and bow -ties look very amusing when worn with wide leather belts and plain dark skirts, print blouses sub scribe to the quaint calico and the chintz -type prints that are also bor- rowed from the last century. NAVY -AND -WHITE POPULAR! Following this same trend to the shirtwaist modes of the last cen- tury, navy skirts with white blous- es are again popular. Or navy is combined with gay real -and white striped shirtwaist, or prim little= boy blouses of white pique, k:very thing is very very tailored,.. bat all the blouses have some charming de. tail that gives them the air of fem- ininity essential to thio Spring. Say She Doesn't Need A Divorce A white man's court. at Leth- bridge, Alta., last week dismissed the divorce application of Lily Big Sorrel Horse, squaw oi: the Blood reservation, Although Lily claimed she was. married to Big Sorrel Horse in 1919 according to Indian rites and customs, Mr. Justice T. M. Tweedie found the procedure con- trary to the solemnization of Mar- riage Act and ruled the union could not he recognized. A secondary action in which Lily sought an accounti:tg art a herd of cattle: rhe tutned ctvrr itr thee management of Big Sorrel Horse when she went to Iiee /with him eves set over until April ,i:.'. Liader: .por. cnacnes, athletes and trainers advise nays entering the realm of snort to eat Crown Brand daily For that extra pep and eneily whitN help to win, bond tot )ruaii strand 'Boole of Toddles". Bonk it hiatcia and Irieks" Books al H ekoy, 1'ootbriit, Baseball. AMhletie- alao •olonred ()Toter Tirana Motto ALT i MT, •;c:rd a Crmcr irand /bet .a aaeh item Address r'hr ';nnadn stare oomiirn t onitmd. inept. B,49 Willington St t:., Toronto ISSUE Zai . x t -- 40 0