Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1942)

1/1 ingf' rrwas exanS ^ under little dress «s » r_ the microscope loj.^TO (Test ing L>o., i'"--' .^^— Child's Dress Passes Linit Laundry Test Washed, Linit-Starched, and Ironed 113 Times; Looks Perky and New The child who wears LiNiT-starched clothes looks smart and well-groomed. Her clothes stay clean looking longer. They're easier for Mother to iron. AND they're easier on Mother's clothes budget. For L"lNlT-starched fabrics wear and wear, linit penetrates the fabric, covers tiny fibres with protective coating. Free! The helpful "linit LAUNDRY chart". Write Corn Products Sales Company, 17 Battery Place, New York, N. Y., Dept. LC-10. ALL GROCERS SELL LINIT PENETRATES the FABRIC PROTECTS the FIBRES "How?" Peggy asked eagerly. "By telling them how awful it is in winter — the roof leaks and the heating system doesn't work and — " "Pepper!" Mrs. Young said sharply. "You'll do no such dishonest thing!" "Well, it was worth a try," Pepper said. And they all fell into a morose silence, until Mr. Walters and his prospects left. Mrs. Young didn't know what she would have done, if Curt Bradley hadn't phoned from Chicago that evening. It took something as startling as his unexpected announcement that he was coming to visit them that weekend — and bringing a friend with him, a Miss Nancy Wayne, to pull them out of the depths into which they had sunk. Even Sam, when he finally came back, looking haggard and beaten, reacted almost normally to the news. He knew Nancy Wayne. She was the secretary of the president of the firm for which Curt was working. In fact, she had helped Curt to get his job. That night, when they were alone in their room, Sam reached over in the darkness and took Mrs. Young's hand. "Mary," he said hesitantly, "I've been a lot of trouble, haven't I?" "No, dear," Mrs. Young whispered. "I'm sorry, Mary," he said. He was quiet for a few seconds. "Mary, we mustn't let Curt know we're — we're in difficulties. I don't want to spoil his happiness." "What do you mean, Sam? "Well, now," Sam said and there was just a hint of a smile in his voice, "why do you think he's bringing Miss Wayne down here to meet us— and Biff?" TWO days later, when Curt and Nancy Wayne arrived, Mrs. Young needed only one look at Curt's proud, flushed face to see that Sam had been right. Even Curt seemed to sense that it was unnecessary for him to announce that he and Nancy were going to get married. "When?'' Sam asked, clapping Curt on the back. "This weekend," Curt blustered, suddenly looking years younger. "That's why we came to Elmwood. In the flurry of congratulations, the milling excitement, the shouted ideas and plans, the confusion, trouble lost itself for awhile. Somehow, Mrs. Young was never quite sure how, it was settled that Curt and Nancy were to be married right there in the Young living room. By some miracle, everything was made ready by Sunday afternoon. The living room was a profusion of sweet smelling flowers and the happiness of Curt and Nancy was so contagious that everyone was in high spirits. At least, everyone seemed to be in high spirits. Ever since the preparations had begun, Peggy had held her feelings in check heroically. Every time her own shattered dreams forced themselves into her mind, she pushed them aside resolutely and found something to keep her from thinking. Now, there was nothing more to do. Peggy stood at one side of the living room, her eyes only vaguely aware of Curt and Nancy standing before the minister. She was thinking of another wedding— the one that would never take place. She and Carter would never stand like that and hear those words and respond to them. Never! Suddenly, Peggy felt she couldn't stand it another minute. She couldn't stand there and watch Curt and Nancy Bradley and their happiness. She couldn't bear the thought that others could be so happy, when her happiness was all over — over — over before it had even begun. Her eyes blinded by suddenly welling tears, Peggy stole quietly out of the room. Once outside, she ran, stumbling through the garden to the grape arbor, where she could hide from everyone. She had thought it was all over, that she had stopped missing Carter, that she had got used to the idea that they would never be married. Now, she realized she would never get used to that. She would never stop loving Carter. Helplessly, she sobbed into her hands. "Oh, Carter, Carter. What will I do? What will I do?" "Stop crying, darling." For a moment, Peggy thought she had gone crazy. But when a big, clean, white handkerchief was thrust toward her face and the tears were wiped away gently, but firmly, and she could see again, she knew she was not crazy. She was just coming alive again. It was Carter. Carter as she had last seen him, smiling, in his uniform, his face tan and his dark eyes only for her. He grinned in the way she had always loved so much. The next moment, he had her in his arms and Peggy forgot everything but that he was there. Finally, she caught her breath and pulled away from him. She shook her head and tears sprang to her eyes again. "We — we mustn't. I — I said I'd never marry you — I — " Carter drew her over to a garden bench and made her sit down. He sat beside her and held both her hands, forcing her to look at him, to listen. "That's all over," he said. "I saw my father and mother. They understand now — and they're sorry. "They know how much I love you. They know all about you, now. They're ashamed and they want to make it up to you. They want you to come to Chicago and spend next week-end with them." "But — but my father," Peggy whispered, "hit your father — " Carter grinned. "Maybe that helped my father change his mind. Anyway, that's all forgotten. And I've made all the arrangements. I've got plane reservations for next Friday afternoon and a week-end pass and — and — I love you. Peggy, I love you terribly." He pulled her close again and Peggy clung to him.. It's all right, she thought. Everything is all right. Carter's here. I'm holding him. He loves me. He's mine. And I love him and nothing else matters. And then, far back in her mind, she was hearing her father's voice saying it would never work out and a little shudder passed through her. 60 The passion and impatience of youth are almost enough to make Peggy forget all the objections that have already been raised to her love for Carter — almost, but not quite. Perhaps this invitation to Chicago is not quite the gesture of surrender on the part of the elder Trents that it seems. Be sure to read the final instalment of Pepper Young's Family in next month's Radio Mirror. RADIO AND TELEVISION MIRROR