Star-dust in Hollywood (1930)

Los ^Angeles — -from an Empty House conventional platitudes into her ear, asking what she thought of Los Angeles and California, had to compose a new lecture to replace the one which we usually gave in alternate spasms. The dismal feast, enlivened by nothing stronger than ginger ale, dragged out its length. Around us the members of the Women's Athletic Club valiantly tried to cut beefsteak with the backs of their forks, probably holding us to be uncouth vandals because we persisted in plying knife and fork with right and left. During Jo's lecture I struggled with the snapped-off handle of the eyebrow-brush. The beauty shop had further provided a corn-knife and a nail-file : with the former I whittled the handle, made of compressed milk, to a point ; with the latter I rubbed it smooth, producing at last something, uncouth enough considered as a fine musical implement, yet one that would serve. After the talk we played Spanish peasant music on laud and guitar. The members of the Women's Athletic Club rushed up to shake our hands while they were, so to speak, still hot from the music. " Marvellous ! " they cried to Jo. " How can you, so fraillooking a woman, go through such trials? But then, of course, you have your great husky husband behind you. How we would love to do as you do, but then we have never enough time or money." When the rush had calmed the doctor drew Jo aside and murmured in her ear : " I don't like the look of your husband at all. He's too grey." " Nor do I," said Jo, " and he was so breathless this evening that he couldn't speak." "Whatever made you go to that camping-ground? " said the doctor. "We didn't know of any other place," replied Jo, " and the advertisements told such splendid lies about it." " Look here," said the doctor's wife, " the children are b [17]