Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1950)

going to put on down at the Lake. Finally the plans got shaved down to a big delegation of welcome to meet the train that was bringing the writers from the city. Old Miss Marcella Purdy, from the high school, she told Ma that they were going to put on a parade with a band and have the prettiest gals dressed up like drum majors, twirling batons, and Ma got so unhappy over that that she did something about it. I don't know what. I suspect she kind of made a chance to have a little talk, informal-like, with Mayor Ross and sort of talked him out of it. Ma appears to keep pretty quiet as a rule, but she can sure get around when there's something she wants to get done! Whatever she did, it got done thorough. There weren't going to be any drum major or majorettes or much of a committee either. Just enough to make the newcomers feel welcome to Rushville Center, and help them find their way around. You see, in her quiet way I don't know of another single person that's got as much influence in Rushville Center as Ma Perkins. She don't always use it, in fact I don't know as she knows how much of it she really has, but there are times when she feels so strong about the town or somebody in it that she just naturally puts forth her hand to help it come out right. Never saw the time when it wasn't the right thing that she tried to get done, either. Folks m Rushville Center, they're likely to listen to what Ma has to say, and I guess Mayor Ross lent an ear that time. But there was one person I should've known you couldn't keep down, and that was Mathilda Pendleton. I never will forget the day I got that letter in the mail at the rooming house. I had to tear through about six envelopes and then it finally fell out, and I turned it all around and even then it looked so strange to me I barged right on down to the Lumber Yard without even stopping for breakfast. "Say, Ma," I said to her almost before I was really in. "Ma, look here — did you get one of these too? What in tarnation is it?" "Why, it's an invitation, Shuffle dear." Ma glanced at it and nodded. I got one this morning too. It's what's called a formal note of invitation, Fay tells me." Then, because she can't help being just plain nice-natured, she added, "I expect it'll be a fine party, or reception or whatever. I believe I'll get me a nice new dress for the occasion." "Just like a woman," I snorted "For gosh sakes, Ma, this sounds like Mathilda Pendleton is going to do just what we hoped she wouldn't— have one of them parties with finger bowls and all." (i "I don't know, Shuffle," Ma said. 'Seems to me it might've been so much worse, with the Water Carnival and all . . . Fay tells me this Mr. Sinclair is a famous writer. Wrote some books about the war. She's all excited about meeting him." "Fay ought to know," I said grudgingly. "She reads more'n anybody I know. She wants to meet him, eh?" I folded the card and put it away in my pocket. Ma was right, I guessed. If Mathilda Pendleton didn't go off the deep end with it, just a plain party might be as good a way as any to have them meet Rushville Center folks. Just then Willy walked in, so I took the occasion to ask him something that was bothering at the back of my mind. "Assuming you got one of these here invites too, Willy," I began, and Willy nodded and said yes, they'd got one that morning. "Well," I said, "you figuring— that is, you aim to do anything about getting yourself a new suit for this affair?" I'd begun to wonder, what with the printed-up invitation and all, if I had anything grand enough to wear to this tony set-up. '.'Why, I didn't figure on it, Shuffle," Willy said sadly. "I don't think the budget runs to it, right now, what with Evey going to have to get herself decked out like royalty. Nope, I'll just brush up the old blue gabardine." "Well, I'll join you, son," I said. Fact was, I was relieved to hear he wasn't getting a new suit. "I'll stick to the old faithful serge I got. I'm too old and ugly to be setting myself off in a tailcoat." Ma laughed in her comfortable way. "Now Shuffle, you know the Pendletons don't expect anyone coming in a tailcoat. Land o'goshen, old friend they're just Augustus and Mathilda,' same's they were way before this Alfred Sinclair or this Miss Morrison was thought of. We'll all go together and have a fine time — like always. And it'll be interesting to see what these folks make of Rushville Center, now won't it? That's the big thing, Shuffle. What they 11 be writing about us, and the pictures they'll be taking— I believe it's this Miss Anne Morrison who takes the pictures. We got to see they get the true impression of our town." It was a good thing the night of the party finally came round, because I don't believe anyone could've stood another minute of suspense and waiting. Like it says in the Bible, I arrayed myself splendid that night, laying on liberally with the bay rum. Felt pretty nice, getting spruced up for a change. Felt even better when I got over to 7<^e £(je of a $ttUH*>i<xt4, TVomatt IQefront&if 94 Listen to "Wendy Warren and the News" Monday through Friday CBS Stations Check Paper for Time Read the news of women today in reported by Wendy Warren each month in TRUE EXPERIENCES magazine now at newsstands. Ma's and she said, "My, Shuffle, you look awful nice!" I took up her hand and patted it. Tell you something, Ma Perkins, you look pretty nice yourself. Nice as any lady there is going to look." Ma twinkled at me. "You know, Shuffle, ' she said. "No matter how old a woman gets, come the time she's going out to a big affair like this, she feels real bad if somebody don't tell her she's looking pretty. Thank you, old friend." Brought a lump to my throat, that did. I d like to see the day when Ma Perkins couldn't look grander than anybody just by looking like herself. To cover up my feelings, I looked around at everybody— Fay in a long something, with her shiny hair pretty as a picture, and Evey, brushing off the shoulders of Willy's snappy gabardine suit and fussing over everything the way she does. She had on a few too many frills it looked to me, but it'll be a sad day for the ladies when they have to come to Shuffle Shober for stylish advice, so maybe I'm wrong. And Joseph looking bashful, like always, but real handsome in his good suit. I said to Ma, "Well, we've done the best we could. Let's hope this big city bunch thinks we're good enough." "Shuffle dear," Ma said reprovingly. "Let's go in the right spirit. If this Mr. Sinclair is as good a writer as Fay says, he must be a real smart man. And if he is, don't you think he'll be able to see what Rushville Center's really like? Even if there are a few who try to make it look like a bigger, fancier, richer place than it really is— don't you think he might be able to see what life here is really like?" "I deserve that, Ma," I told her. "I surely do. I just wish it was you entertaining these folks, then I wouldn't give it a thought. But as it is," I finished gloomily, "with that gilt-edged invitation and all, I keep worrying about the finger-bowls. What on earth do you do with them anyway — supposing they have 'em?" Willy exploded in a guffaw. "Drink out of them, Shuffle!" He slapped me on the shoulder and laughed. "Drink out of them, that's what." Everybody laughed, and we started off, me in a happier frame of mind than I'd been. This lasted till about when we got there, and then, when I saw the Pendleton house, I began worrying all over again. Couldn't help it. You should've seen what they'd done to it. First off, they had a new fancy iron gate down at the end of the path, and in the yard — pardon me, on the grounds — they'd stuck a couple of lights on poles, looking like street lights. I guess they were meant to look like an old mansion-house in England, or something. Then, if you please, when we got up to the door and rang and it opened, there was this maid in uniform. Well, at the Pendleton house that's not so strange. What was comical was noticing behind her as she took our hats and things, there were two other maids going about their business. Two, making three altogether, and in these fancy uniforms that looked like something off the stage. Willy breathed in my ear, "Gee. Get that, Shuffle." Then Evey gave him a twitch on the elbow and kind of dragged him forward, and I followed with Ma. When we got to the living room door we came face to face with the Big Wheels themselves — the Pendletons, I mean, and two people I figured were Alfred Sinclair and Anne Morrison. Well, Mathilda Pendleton was in red,