Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1942)

Tears of happiness came to Peggy's eyes as he put the ring on her finger. It was sweet to be young and in love, heedless of tomorrow's heartache was in love with him and she knew he loved her. And — she knew who he was, now. Oddly, Peggy had been less excited and thrilled and delighted over the knowledge than her friends. Edie, Peggy's best friend, had promptly gone off into nights of imagination, picturing Peggy floating through vast drawing rooms and acting like a queen and scattering hundred dollar bills as if they were confetti. Actually, Peggy had been a little confused, when she learned that this simple, unassuming young Army private was the only son and heir of the prominent and extremely wealthy Trents of Chicago. Her first feeling was one of relief, because she had worried a little about his spending so much money on her. Her next reaction was one of doubt and perplexity. She had felt at a loss, almost timid with Carter, afraid she would seem gauche and provincial beside the people he had always known. But Carter had made he" see that it was precisely because she was not like his friends that he had been attracted to her. Edie's voice cracked and someone snickered. Peggy looked up with a start. After glaring defiantly at the class, Edie resumed her dramatic reading and Peggy quickly turned the pages of her book until she found the place. But she couldn't keep her mind on the tribulations of the young lovers in the play. Her own concerns were too pressing. It was only Monday, but Peggy's thoughts ran ahead to the weekend. It was going to be terribly important, perhaps the most important two days in her life. For, on Friday, she and Carter were flying to Chicago and she was going to meet his family. Peggy wondered how it would be. She felt a little shaky with anticipation. She hoped they would like her and she tried very hard to believe what Carter had said. "I know they'll love you, just as much as I do." She hoped they would — that they would understand she loved Carter for himself, not for his money, or position, or anything like that. At the same time, she wondered whether she would have a chance to let them know her, whether, in so short a time, she could bridge the difference between her kind of life and theirs. CHE frowned slightly, thinking of her wardrobe. She knew it was silly to worry about such things, but she wanted everything to be just right. She didn't want to have to be self-conscious about her clothes and possibly, because of that, look awkward and out of place. For the hundredth time, she wished she could get a new dinner dress. What she meant, really, she admitted to herself, was that she wished she could get a dinner dress. She had never dressed up for dinner in her life. The school bell clanged and brought Peggy back to the moment. She stuffed her books and notes into her briefcase and, soon, she and Edie were on their way to their lockers for their coats. It was a lovely, warm day in spring. The lawns around Elmwood High School were delicately green and, down by the entrance to the driveway, the two forsythia bushes were a splash of brightness. Arm in arm, Peggy and Edie strolled toward the street. As they rounded a curve in the path, Edie whispered, "Peggy! There's Carter—" Peggy looked down the path, desperately trying to still the sudden pounding of her heart. For a second, she was afraid he had come to tell her the weekend was off, that something was wrong. But, when she saw him smiling, his dark eyes steady on her, she was reassured. As always, looking at him, Peggy felt a rush of happiness and pride. It still seemed miraculous to her that they had found each other. Carter came to meet them. "Hello, Peggy," he said, smiling down into her eyes and shutting the rest of the world away for a long moment. Then he grinned at Edie. "Hello." "I didn't expect to see you today," Peggy said. "I got through with my work and got a pass," Carter said. "Peggy — I — I'd like to talk to you. Can you come for a drive?" BELOVED DRAMA TOLD AS A HEART WARMING STORY