Evening Star Newspaper, May 21, 1937, Page 32

By Leo Shapiro. PRING was in the ‘air. The birds were singing, FE the trees were com- ing into bloom, the air was delightfully heavy with the strange fragrance that comes with May. Nature had taken off its over- coat and donned a colorful, breezy dress of leafy things. Richard (Ricky) Prince sat on a park bench and observed these changes with a baleful eye. The beauties of nature tackled a tough proposition when they tried to put Joy in the heart of address, which he recognized as be- ing in the most aristocratic dis- trict of the city. « s e HAL! an hour later Ricky was seated on one side of a small polished mahogany table listening to the mos* beautiful girl he had ever seen explain what she wanted written to her flance who had left: the eve- ning before for Mexico.. The let- ter must not sound romantic, Yvette explained, because R Joseph was a very serious young man with no ear for the & young man be- «:Oh, Joseph, you are so smart’” light and carefree. tween whom and destitution stood $4.80. Ricky had mneither a job nor a prospect of one. He had only a suit of clothes in fair condition and a bright young man's conviction that sooner or later he would find his niche. Ricky wanted to write. Had any one asked him what his business was he ‘would have unhesitatingly said that he was an author, and the statement would have been misleading only so far as it | implied that he had written anything. Ricky had writing ability, but he was determined that that ability would not be wasted. Before he wrote a line he wanted to be sure that the line would be paid for. As the young man sat dejectedly on the bench, jingling the change in his pocket from time to time, & young couple strolled through the park arm in arm. As they passed near Richard he heard the young man say, “But my dear! Of course, you must write to me. We're engaged you know. I shall be most anxious to hear from you.” * ok Kk % CERTAINLY not very enthusiastic = for a flance, Rickey thought. Then the girl said, with a French accent, “But Joseph, I cannot write in the English. I can speak it, yes, but I cannot write it. I will try so hard to learn, Joseph, but it will be weeks before you could know what I say.” “Well, Yvette,” the man replied, “if you don't want your uncle to write me for you, you could try one of these regular letter writers. Look in the Chronicle tomorrow morning. Some- times they have ads in there for such things.” “Oh, Joseph,” the girl replied laugh- ngly, “you are so smart. That I will do, right away tomorrow morning.” Ricky didn’t pay much attention to the man. He saw that he was a very plain sort; average height, regular features, pale blue eyes, straight sandy hair, rather a strong chin not much to Ricky’s liking. But the girl was gorgeous. He knew she would be from the sound of her voice. He knew that she would be small, would have big, dark eyes and a sweet, small mouth. She did have these things, and she was smartly dressed and childishly excited with her father’s ddea. Ricky also liked the man's idea. It seemed like & heaven-sent solution to his immediate problem. * K ok % TH’E next morning's Chronicle had 8 $2 ad that described in flowing terms the remarkable letter-writing ability of one Richard Prince. It ex- plained that Mr. Prince could be reached at a certain telephone number. It didn't mention that the given number was that of a drug store pay &tation across the street from the park. Three persons called Ricky in re- #ponse to the ad. The first one wanted to know if he would be interested in buyirg a new model typewriter. The second tried to sell him a shipment of fine quality bond paper. The third caller was a young lady. “I want to send a letter to a young man, Mr. Prince,” she said, her musi- cal voice and funny little accent send- ing thrills through the soul of the young scrivener. “Do I have to go to your office for that or would you call at my house?” “Well,” said Ricky condescendingly, “I think T could get away for an hour or so. What is your name?” ‘‘Yvette Antoinne,” the lady replied. “And I live at 708 Center court. Will you come right away, Mr. Prince?” “Be right there,” Ricky replied, startled into abruptness by the W She warted to tell him that she was well, that her uncle and aunt were well, that she hoped he would be successful in his engineer- ing job at the new mine and that she loved him very dearly, of course. Yvette thought that Mr. Prince was very stupid, the way he kept asking her to repeat what she had told him two or three times before. She | frowned as she watched him fumbling with his pen. She wondered why he didn’'t write the letter quickly instead of looking at her, peering into her eyes until she had to look away. Then she began to smile. Mr. Prince was very nice looking. She liked the way he laughed, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners, the way he talked in short, funny sentences. After he had been there an hour and still hadn't finished her letter she was begin- ning to get used to his looking at her. She even found herself siaring at him more than she should. * ® x X W’HBN the letter was finally finished Ricky read it to Yvette. She thought it sounded rather cold and abrupt, but he insisted that it was in very good English and very much as it should be. As he slowly folded the letter and slipped it into an envelope he asked Yvette how long she had been in Amecira snd she told him she had come only a month ago. Her mother had died and she had come to live with her uncle, the president of a large publishing house. She wanted Joseph, whom she had met in Paris several years ago and met again when she came to America, to accept the very good job her uncle had offered him, but Joseph had refused. Joseph was the only young man she knew in this country, she said—except Mr. Prince. “We always call people by their first names in this country, Yvette,” said Ricky very seriously. “You may call me Ricky. “Very well, Ricky,” laughed Yvette. “I like that very much. My uncle didn’t tell me about that custom.” Ricky took his hat and coat and unwillingly prepared to leave. He stood looking at Yvette for fully a minute, watching her laugh at him and thinking how beautiful she was, how deliciously different from any girl he had ever known. Then Yvette reached out and shook his arm. “Ricky,” she said, stamping her foot playfully, ‘“you mustn’t stare at me like that. Or is that an American custom, t00?” “No,” said Ricky, “that isn’t. But this is,”.and he took Yvette's hands and pulled her toward him and with his heart pounding at his own bold- ness he kissed her very firmly upon the mouth. “Oh!” Yvette gasped, jumping back from him. “Ricky! Oh, you are ter- rible! Go, go away from me!” Tears were in her eyes and she trembled violently, stamping her tiny feet and shaking her little fists. Ricky turned as he opened the door. “I love you, Yvette,” he said. “Good- by.” Then he closed the door and walked lightly down the winding drive. As he reached the street he turned and looked back and after a moment's hesitation retraced his steps. Yvette met him at the door. “Ricky,” she said, drying her eyes between sobs, “the letter——" “Yes, Yvette,” Ricky replied, that's what I came back for. I'll mail it for you if you want.” ‘No, R-Ricky,” she sobbed, starting to cry all over again. “I t-tore it up.” (Copyright. 1837.) 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Complete __ Tee Toy Storz, Fourtr FLooR, Swim, Slack Suits Mat-letex Swim Suits, an entirely new creation by Hollywood. The cotton prints dry in a jiffy, cling without bind- ing, do not run. Sizes, small for girls 410 10, $3.95; medium for girls, juniors 12 to 16 $6'95 California Slack Suits in gay muslin with Mexican pocket motifs. in sizes 10 to 16 Two styles $3 GIRLS’ AND JUNIORS' SPORTSWEAR, FOURTH FLOOR. House Coats —are practically all-pur- pose. Wear them as robes for beach or bedroom, or around the cottage. Cot- ton prints, sizes 2 to 16, $2 to $3.95; 11 $5.95. chintz 53 $3 to Flowered shown GTRLS' AND JUNIOR Misses’ FURNISHINGS, FOURTH FLOOR. Sandals for All A. Barefoot sandals, white or tan elk. Sizes 5 to 8, $2.75; 81> to3 to 12, $3; 122 $3.50 B. Junior Street Sandal in multi-colored suede or linen, white linen, or tan- trimmed beige linen. Sizes 372 $3.95 CHILDREN’S SHOES, FoURTH FLOOR. tolt il P Y AN Young Panamas 3D Classic styles for juniors, with varied brims and bands. Sizes 21 to 222, All with hygienic “try-on’ sweat- bands. GIRLS’ AND JUNIORS' HATS, FOURTH FLOOR. Regardless of Age— Boys’ Wear Play Clothes Smaller boys, 4 to 10, have a wealth of styles in sun suits from which to choose. e model shown in broadcloth has a boat $| motif with “free-flying"’ sail Shorts for older boys, in tubbable cotton, plain or patterned. Sizes 8 $|.25 to 18 __ Polo Shirt, Talon or button -fastened, solid shades or stripes. All short sleeves. Sizes $| 8to18 Srorz, Fourtr FLOOR. Cottons Take Care of a Girls' Holiday A. ‘Teen-ager’s white pique with contrasting navy or brown polka-dot piping and $3 matching hat. Sizes 12 to 16 Others, printed and plain, $2 to §7.95 B. Girls’ sports frock in linen, braid-trimmed, with colored flower pocket motif. Sizes $3 Others, sizes 7 to 14 GIRLS’ AND 'TEEN-AGERS' APPAREL, FOURTH FLOOR. Juniors—Be Dressed to Enjoy a Gala Day A new frock does make a difference in the good time you will have. The style shown A, alpaca-weave rayon, is tailored with double-tiered front pockets. Dotted $7.95 Ascot The “‘two-piecer,” B, will be grand all Sum- mer. Dark Bemberg (rayon) sheer $5.95 print dress, white rayon jacket Both in sizes 11 to 17. JUNIOR MIsses’ APPAREL, FOURTH FLOOR. Picnic Basket Wherever you go on the 30th, whether to beach or woods, you should have this grand handy companion. Sturdy basket with two metal roast- ing ‘“'sticks,’” all-in- one can opener, corkscrew, bottle opener, olive fork, and salt and $ pepper I shakers ____ Fourtr FLOOR.