Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1942)

u^pety/cuMdi "People don't do things like this!" That was Mrs. Young's first thought as she stared unbelievingly at the lawyer, knowing her daughter's happiness was at stake MARY YOUNG never thought of herself as a particularly important person. She was only a small-town housewife, who had borne and raised two children and had stuck with one man through riches and poverty, exactly as she had promised to do when first she married him. Yet, if a family is the vital part of American civilization, Mrs. Young was extremely important in the scheme of things — because it was always around her that the Young family, revolved, like a wheel around its axle. It was Mrs. Young, for instance, who was her daughter Peggy's most reliable confidante when Peggy fell in love with Carter Trent, who before his induction into the Army had been chiefly famous as the sole heir of the fabulous Trent millions. It was Mrs. Young who was always on hand to greet Pepper, her son, when he came home from his work at the air field; Mrs. Young who brought Biff Bradley in to live with the family until his own father could support him again; Mrs. Young who planned successfully to send Sam, her husband, to Chicago on a visit to his old friend Curt Bradley when she saw that Sam's business reverses had filled him with the unhappy conviction that he'd never again be the prosperous man he had once been. And it was Mrs. Young who knew, alone of all the family, that the house they had lived in for years might be sold out from under them unless they could find the money to buy it themselves. Peggy's youthful love affair was perhaps Mrs. Young's biggest worry. For Carter and Peggy had become engaged, planning to keep the affair a secret, but through a mistake [ on the part of Pepper the newspapers got hold of the story. All the Youngs knew Carter's father well enough by reputation to be sure he wouldn't welcome this publicity about his son and a girl he'd never met. Then, while Sam Young was still in Chicago, came what appeared to be good news. Mr. Trent's OCTOBER. 1942 secretary called Peggy on long distance, and in her brief, excited conversation with him she was led to believe the Trents were coming to see her. Yet, the next day, it was not Mr. and Mrs. Trent who arrived, but a cold-faced man who announced that he was their attorney. ]\JRS. YOUNG led the lawyer toward the living room. As they passed through the hall, she thought of Peggy, upstairs, getting ready to meet Mr. and Mrs. Trent. She walked uncertainly to the center of the living room. The sunlight was streaming in through the windows yet she felt cold. She realized that her hands were clenched and forced herself to relax them before she faced the lawyer. "Mr. Taylor," she said quietly, "you've come to tell me that Mr. Trent objects to Carter's engagement to my daughter, haven't you?" "Yes," Mr. Taylor said. She had not expected him to answer so bluntly. "Would you mind telling me why?" she asked. For the first time an expression flickered in the man's eyes, a look of surprise mingled with amusement. "Oh, come now, Mrs. Young," hesaid. "Isn't it rather obvious?" The lawyer's tone was infuriating. Mrs. Young bit her lip. She flushed and felt anger growing in her — an anger she knew she must control. "I can understand Mr. Trent's being surprised and angry," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "But I thought Carter had explained to his father that all the publicity was an accident." "Accident? My dear lady, that was a stroke of genius. Nothing could have forced Mr. Trent to come to terms so quickly." Mrs. Young didn't reply, yet she knew she had heard correctly. "Suppose we drop the pretense, Mrs. Young," the lawyer went on, coldly. "Mr. Trent is very aware of the fact that Carter — or rather his money — is a tempting catch. He is not as surprised as you might think. And he is just as anxious to avoid any unpleasantness as you might be. Mr. Trent has authorized me to say that he will pay any reasonable amount for Carter's release from this engagement." Mrs. Young had expected all sorts of objections to marriage for Carter and Peggy, but she had not expected anything like this. She no longer tried to control her temper. Her words tumbled out, cutting and angry. "I had no idea," she said bitingly, "that people still did things like this." She was glad to see Mr. Taylor's face go red with embarrassment. "Not that it matters, but Carter and Peggy were in love with each other long before Carter ever told us who he was." Mr. Taylor had recovered his composure. His eyes were speculative. "Mrs. Young," he said, "I'm not sure whether you're very clever, or really naive, but I warn you that playing at injured innocence will not get you one cent more." Mrs. Young wanted to slap him. "I don't think we have any more to say to each other," she said. "I think you had better leave now." "No, Mother!" Mrs. Young turned to the door ln exciting fiction form by Madeline Thompson, read the adventures of Pepper Young's Family adapted from the radio serial by Elaine Carrington, heard daily at 3:30 P.M., EWT, over the NBC network and at 2:45 P.M.. EWT, over CBS, sponsored by Procter,. 4 Gamble.