Radio Mirror (Nov 1936-Apr 1937)

GIVING YOU THE NEW HELEN HAYES AIR SERIAL IN FICTION FORM— TAKEN FROM THE NOVEL BY MARJORIE BENTON COOKE PREPOSTEROUS!" fumed Professor James Parkhurst, stalking down the tree-shaded New England street on his way to his nine o'clock class at Banbury's School for Boys. For the professor's customary academic calm — he lived a life made almost secure from interference by the cool certainties of trigonometry and calculus— had just been shattered by a breakfast-table conversation with his daughter Bambi. Bambi. She had started out as Francesca Witherspoon Parkhurst; that had somehow become Bambina; and Bambina had been shortened to Bambi before she was out of rompers. And now here she was, before he'd even realized she was grown up, talking nonsense about marriage — and money — and supporting some man. It had started out innocently enough, that morning. Bambi, looking amazingly pretty — even to a parental and professorial eye — over a bunch of sun-drenched marigolds, had said something about wishing she knew how to earn a living. When he pointed out that she didn't have to, she said that sometime, maybe, she might — for instance, she might have a husband who couldn't support her. "I'm twenty-four, going on twenty-five," she said calmly. "Practically an old maid. Anyway, it's high time I found myself a husband." "Look here, Bambi," said the professor, growing suspicious. "That's the second time the word husband has come into this discussion. Have you someone in mind?" "I have. I've had him in mind for years. I decided on him when I was sixteen and he first came here to teach." "Well, bless my soul, one of my teachers, eh?" the professor said, still innocent of the utterly absurd idea his only child was about to produce. "And now I suppose he's proposed." "No," Bambi admitted, "he doesn't even know I exist half the time. In fact, he's nearly as absent-minded as you are." As ab"sent-minded — The horrible truth began to dawn on Professor Parkhurst. There was only one man that description could fit. "Bambi," he said, "you don't mean — it isn't — " "It is," Bambi said firmly. "Jarvis Trent." And all his logical arguments — that Jarvis Trent was only a tutor, not a full-fledged teacher; that he often started to write one of those fool plays of his, and forgot For Professor Parkhurst there was only one comfort in this haphazard marriage — Bambi's radiantly happy face. For Helen Hayes' Santa program see p. 52. IF YOU HAVE MISSED ANY OF that he had any other work at all to do; that he'd never make enough money to support himself, let alone a wife — none of these had shaken Bambi's calm assertion that he was the man she meant to marry. "Of all the young men who've cluttered up my front porch," the professor sputtered, "I do believe you've chosen the most ineligible." "Geniuses are always ineligible, Professor. They need someone to take care of them — as you do." At which, as if to prove her point, Bambi hustled her father out of the house on his way to the class he had completely forgotten. "Preposterous!" mumbled the professor once more as he turned at the gate to the school. But he was less vehement than he'd been at first. After all, even Bambi was going to find it difficult to marry a man who often didn't realize she was alive. If he could have seen what was going on at home, the professor's mind wouldn't have had that crumb of comfort. Ardelia, the Parkhursts' cook, acknowledged no superiors 34