Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1942)

Ihe movie colony has had an unusual opportunity to see and appreciate how line a job the USO is doing lor our men in the army and navy — through USO clubhouses, camp shows and many other services that make the lite ol service men easier and brighter. Because we know this and believe in it so strongly, all ot us in Hollywood are giving everything we can to support this great undertaking. Won't you join us? Whatever you can give will help. Pepper Young's Family Continued jrom page 41 Send your contribution to your local USO chairman or to National Headquarters, USO, Empire State Building, New York City. 58 Sam was describing the Trent home and he did it so vividly that Mrs. Young could almost see the driveway that seemed to wind for miles through landscaped gardens and rolling lawns up to a mansion so huge it could easily have been a hotel. "A beautiful place," Sam said, "but cold — like a museum — as if no one lived there." Then he had met the Trents and found them as cold and formal as their house. He had done his best to break through the ice of their austerity. He had talked about Carter and how much they all liked him and how happy they were about the engagement. Then, just as he was beginning to feel at ease, Mr. Trent had stopped him. "Come on, Mr. Young," Mr. Trent had said abruptly, "Let's cut out the fancy dressing. How much do you want?" "For a minute," Sam explained, "I didn't know what he was talking about. Then I understood. And I got mad. I don't mean I just lost my temper. I got boiling mad. And I did the only thing you can do with such people. I hit him, good and hard, right on the chin!" Peggy gasped and Pepper said exultantly, "Good!" "I know it's hard to listen to advice, now, Pegs," Sam said. "But believe me, it's much better this way. You could never live their kind of life. You'd be smothered— lost and miserable. And no matter how much you loved Carter in the beginning — no matter how much he loved you — that would be killed, too, in that atmosphere. You couldn't stop it." "I know," Peggy said calmly, resignedly. "I guess I've known all the time that it couldn't ever be the way I wanted it. I — I told Mr. Trent's lawyer I'd never marry Carter, now." "Lawyer?" Sam Young asked, flushing with anger. They had to tell him everything that had happened since he went away. And the more they talked, the more convinced Sam Young was that he had done the right thing. SOMEHOW they all managed to drift back into their usual routine, except Peggy, who didn't go to school that day. She busied herself about the house, staying close to her mother, as though she found strength in that. It was almost four in the afternoon, when Peggy came running into the kitchen, her face very pale. "Mother! It's Carter. He just drove up. I don't want to see him. I can't!" "You'll have to tell him, dear," Mrs. Young said. "Yes, yes, I know," Peggy cried. The doorbell rang. "I'll see him — sometime — later. But not now, not yet. Mother, I'm afraid. I've got to get used to the idea that we can't get married. I — I'm afraid he'll talk me out of it. I'm afraid he'll ask me if I love him and — and — I couldn't lie to him. Please!" And she escaped through the back door and ran into the garden. So it was left to Mrs. Young to talk to Carter. She found it extraordinarily difficult to do, too. It was hard to tell the boy what his parents had done. It was even harder to see the pain in his face. "I hope Peggy doesn't think I had anything to do with this," Carter said. "No," Mrs. Young said. "But it's done, Carter, and I'm afraid it's started Peggy thinking. And it's started Mr. Young and myself thinking, too. Carter— maybe your family is right. You've got certain responsibilities and I'm not at all sure that Peggy could face them with you. Mr. Young and I are afraid of what might happen to your marriage, if — well, if Peggy found it too hard to adjust herself to your way of life — " "But I don't want to live like that, Mrs. Young," Carter said. "I hate it. I've hated it all my life." "That's the way you feel, now," Mrs. Young said. "But if you were to give it up, the day might come when you'd regret it. You'd begin to look at Peggy differently. You'd begin to see her as the person who cost you your fortune, everything. What would happen to your love then?" "That would never happen," Carter said, so surely that Mrs. Young's heart ached for him. She couldn't help thinking how very much he was just the kind of boy she had always hoped Peggy would marry someday, but realities had to be faced. "Carter," she said. "I know how you feel. "You're hurt and upset. So is Peggy. I don't think either of you is in any condition to think clearly, or make decisions, now. Give yourselves a little time, please." "But there isn't any time," Carter said a bit frantically. "My regiment in the army's going away on maneuvers. We may be gone for months. I've got to tell Peggy I love her and that none of this matters and that I'll never give her up! I can't just go away like this. Don't you see?" "Yes, I see," Mrs. Young said. "But ■ — I'm afraid Peggy won't see you. She ran out of the house, just now, when she saw you coming. Please try to understand, Carter. She's afraid of everything, you, herself. She can't figure things out, now. And I'm not sure you can, either. I'll tell her what you said. But I want you to think it all over, too — and be very careful that you know what you're doing, before you take any step." Carter looked at her for a long time in silence. "All right," he said finally. "I'll give Peggy a chance to get over it. But nothing's going to change my mind. I — I can write to her, can't I?" Mrs. Young nodded. Carter left then, although he sat in his car for a long time before he drove away. Mrs. Young had counted on time to help Peggy. But she realized very soon, that Peggy was not arriving at any clarity, at all. Peggy would seem fine, for awhile. She would be calm and natural. She would even talk sensibly about Carter. She would seem to have made up her mind that she could never marry him, because she loved him too much to take a chance on causing trouble with his family. It all sounded very practical. Then Peggy would get a letter from Carter and all her fine resolves, all her seemingly clear thinking, would vanish into the air. For hours, for days sometimes, Peggy would wander about the house, her eyes on some faraway dream. RADIO AND TELEVISION MIRROH