10
Saturday,
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
August 3, 1940.
BAD INFLUENCE: Continued from page five
(Continued from Pape 5).
"Wait a minute--"she said feebly. "I've got to see it that-that Christine wants anything."
kind of funny to somebody who's nlum, were going across the street knew how precarious were the seats really been around, you know." for a quiet little game of bridge with of the mighty.
"No, I don't know," Audrey anid. the Ramsays, but on this occasion an attitude like that, Geno Walton! house. "And I don't see why you should take Mrs. Reynolds was louth to leave the Why-We've always had a good enough time, haven't we? At least I never heard you panning Medville or our crowd anything?"
or
of her own sex with a member the opposite sex. There was always of some slight risk of misunderstanding. However, the case of Christine Deacon was certainly plain enough. Audrey had gone over tile case, in considerable detail, with Norma Ramsay. These two social autocrats protested. "I was only admitting, in "wasn't panning anything!" he would never betray a contemporary kind of a broad minded way, that to the adult world, but they could we might look kind of small-town to decide, ከዚ n matter of polley for their homebody who" own world, that there were. Indeed, limita
I was precisely this point which W113 beyond the
"No," he said, and looked at her in desperation. "You know darn well who I think is attractive! You know darn well!"
of to forget the existence of the
The overture to the party was not romantic. The evening began, in an innocent and merry way, with a re- hearsal of the new school yell:
Rip, rip, ripi
She found her Impossible guest seated before the dressing table in the guest room, banging her nose with a powder put. Then, to Audrey's armazement, she realized that the sophistlented young person was cry-: ing. The powder puf banged dry`n | tear, then two or three tears, but it they could not halt the gathering, flowing all struck their hands together for stream of tears. the clap-clop-clap,
Rap, tap, tap!
Medville High School-
And then, with enthustusin,
lle faltered over this Audrey was looking so furious. But her tone was controlled. "I suppose that means perception of look small-town-for instance," she
They practiced the yell over and "I'm sorry" Christine stammered. Audrey's parents, who had never really grasped the fact that Audrey Bald. "After Christine!" and her friends looked at life from a people would be so much more attrace. Mr. Reynolds, sitting on
"If you think," she went on, "that over again. They never seemed to "I'm-I'm really having a marvellous be getting at all tired of it, and time at your party, Audrey! Only, chair in I'm-well, I guess I'm homesick, pretty stern and puritanical point of tive in Chicago" view. The trouble was that Audrey's
the kitchen, looked at Mrs. Reynolds that's all parents, in the heyday of their own
in quite pitcous entreaty.
"Well," Audrey said, awkwardly, youth, had belonged to the jazz age,
"Can't we go now?" he demanded. "I guess it's an awful shame you had
io come "Can't we?"
to a little place like and they could not realize that the jazz age had passed into history Audrey was mollified. She per- ti Christine comes.
"Oh, no, Charlest I've got to wait Medville." They could not have belleved that mitted herself a
I've got in "Isn't it cried Christine. small, inscrutable any young girl could be made a social smile. But
She laughed laughed gally. But know what happens.” the conversailon had outenst merely because she
New Bounds came from the living something happened to that laugh. It hinted at the dazzling galetles of her regard to Miss Christine Descon.
had done nothing to modify her views in room-music and the stamping and seemed, in some queer way to crack life in Chicago, They could not have And yet Audrey was not permuming of feet. But above these in the middle. And suddenly Audrey understood that this suggestion
sounds rose the witticisms of the Was listening to the whole story of mild indecorum was not an asset to child. Audrey's mother saw to that. boys and screams of almost raptur Christine Deacon, punctuated, here
there, with painful little zobs. little Christine Deacon-that it was, "I don't think it would hurt you,"
ous appreciation from the girls.
guess I don't foal anybody." as a matter of fact, a very
Then, quite abruptly, there was Christine soid. "I guess you know serious Mrs. Reynolda sald, hopefully, ORC
silence. handicap.
That is to The day, "to
Christine to your party!" ask
there was I'm not homesick! Why, I never had silence. comparative
music Audrey paused, her hand frozen on
I Certainly this was not the jazz age. the dial of the radio.
Just went went on, but the shuffling and the a good time in Chicago! The Jazz age meant no more to Audrey and her contemporaries than, Mrs. Reynolds repeated, Inboring un-
"I don't think it would hurt you," stomping and the screaming ceased to an awful old girls school, and I Mro. Reynolds, timidly pushing never went to any partice and never knew any boys or anything and Bay, the period of the Restoration, der the mistaken idea that she had the door, turned a listening car to-I thought it would be so wonderful Possibly it meant less, because it had made a favourable Expression. "You words the living room.
to live in a town where you could not yet crept into the high-school see, Audrey, I had quite a little talk Christine Deacon had arrived, "Oh really know people and-that-is textbooks. The mares of that era with Mrs. Deacon this afternoon at I didn't know it was a party," she that would have been quite as absurd to
the club and I could rend between
"Do you mean it was all a line?" Audrey as pocket fiasks and the high the lines. She obviously thinks It's
"Well, it isn't exactly a party," Audrey demanded, incredulously. length waistline. Her grund-parents, very, very strange that her daughter Audrey expinined, hurriedly, It's All that stuff about champagne and Indeed, would have been more able to should be left out of all your little just a kind of a-well, it's just the--and college men?" understand Audrey's point of view. doings"
"Sure it was!" Christine sald, be- hope," she said, coldly.
"Daings!" Audrey protesied thick-
Audrey's mother edged towards a ginning to cry again. The only on't really admire
girl like th
ly.
clearer vision. From the half-open champagne I ever had in my life was Gene answered her as her grand- "Yes," Mr. Reynolds suid. "Do- door of the dining room she could at my sister's wedding, and then father would have answered her ings. Like this little party on Satur- see, all too clearly, just what was only had half a glass and my brother- grandmother-it"
hot in the same day night. Now why shouldn't you happening to Audrey's party. The In-law took it away from me, and the Vernacular:
lar: "Oh, no! None of these ask Christine to that little party?" Deacons' daughter, who had seemed only college men I ever knew I met fust Janes for me," he said.
Audrey's patience had been strained such nice little thing, was spoiling at the wedding and they treated me alghing contentedly, put well-nigh to the breaking point. the party.
as if I were some little brat or some- Chri
Deacon out of her mind. But she maintained an admirable It was the poor girl's m
• manner, thing....
...Oh! I didn't want anybody SHORTLY, Audrey and her escort eulen.
Mrs. Reynolds told herself miserably. out here to know I was so dumb and were following with vast interest the
It antagonised the boys and goaded so itind of unsophisticated. course of one
the girls to
cold and silent wrath. well, you can laugh if you want to" a newsreel and an
The presence of this one girl was Audrey did not want to laugh. animated cartoon. All these offerings
lice ice in the room, blighting all the "Look," she said, gruffly. "Your had become a rather pleasing jumble
laughter and crazy wisecracks, freez eyes are all red. I think you ought in their minds RS they left the
ing party to a
to a stiff formality. to put some cold water an 'em." theatre, and were completely erased from memory by the time they reached Milbank'a drugstore and soda fountain.
improbable dram, one extremely But it simply wouldn't be the note."
Milbank's was the regular place to go after a movie. It was not In the Icast surprising to find Norman Itam- say and Bill Newman seated at one of the shaky little glass-topped tables, and Bingo Cooper having a drink at the fountain. After an exchange of pleasantries, Gene and Audrey took a little glass-topped table of their own, and at that very moment the door swung open. Christine Bencon sauntered into Milbank's.
"Oh hello, Christine," sald..
Audrey
"Well, I'm terribly sorry, Mother,
"Oh," Mrs. Reynolds said. And she said no more. Unfortun- ately. Audrey did not observe the glint of resolution that had come into her mother's eye.
The party of which they had spoken was not to be a party in any formal sense, but merely a Saturday evening roundup at Audrey's intimates. It was only that the living-room rug had to be rolled up, and Mr. Reynolds big chair pushed out into the hull. Several new records, some hot, some sweet, would have been bought for the platter-huge, und several dozen ham and chicken sandwiches, as well as sizable cakes, would await the delectation of Audrey's ravenous friends. · ·
Bald.
crowd."
..Oh.
п
Reluctantly Mrs. Reynolds COD- A few minutes later Audrey lod sented to accompany an irascible Mr. Christine back into the living room. Reynolds to the Ramsaya. She was They had decided what Christine leaving her child to social disaster, should say. and she felt very guilty about it. "Bingo!! Christine sold "Did Audrey, meanwhile, was having you say something about a dance? Or her troubles. As a matter of fact, did you say something about she was very nearly in a panic. dance?" Nobody, it seemed. wanted
emo, dance any more and no-body even tiously, began to grin. Audrey, mean- to Bingo hesitated and then, cou- wanted to talk. Audrey, the harried while, was explaining something to but tactful hostess, backed Bingo Norman in such a loud voice that Cooper into a corner.
everyone else could hear.
"You've got to dance with she hissed. "You've got to?"
"Oh, no I don't," Bingo said. don't want to."
her's
"My goodness, Christine's so crazy!" she said fondly. "She can't any more "I smoke than a cat-why, it made her
cry"
Well, that's not a very nice way Norma's mouth dropped open In for you to act, Bingo Cooper! Because pure astonishment. But she closed it She can't just go on standing all by mindful of the way one of her lower new somebody's got to do something, promptly, because she was always
herself by, that phonographs.
teeth stuck out. And Bill was asking "Well, all right,” said Bingo, "But her to dance. I don't want to.'
giving due weight to the I
home,
of a bountiful feast were strewn on
But modest as this affair might be, It loomed large on the social horizon, Audrey and Norma spent hours of their time discussing what they would "Hello," said Christine,
wear, and debating earnestly a Her eyes rested briefly on Audrey way for Norma to do her hair, and Gene, on Norma and Bill, and, Norma's hair being her major pro- even more briefly and disparagingly, blen In life. un Bingo Cooper.
Then, turning from these more in- have
à chocolate Ice cream finate matters, they would check over
came Audrey's parents He stalked across the room and shortly, from their bridge game, and sodu," she informed the clerk.
1 the fuc
jucst list. suppose I might as well-while I'm emotional factors inherent in that list.
Christine with suspicion.
found Audrey's most successful party to dance?" he said. waiting for them to my father's They had, for example, to consider
don't
know I hadn't full swing. The meagre remains prescription."
several of their friends who were not "That's okay."
thought about said the clerk, speaking to each other at
It," said Christine. time at the
She turned "You-don't-need-to explain to me." but who would, presumably be
Lover one of the records the dining-room table. One of the
• hot-recordsTM was on and some-of-the- Bingo eyed Christine in a rather speaking to each other by Saturday and gave a little start of recognition, young people were dancing. Audrey Interested way, Bingo Couper did night. Of the complexities of Au Naylor and the Boys! I've heard that in a huddle by the phonograph, their "Why" she said. "That's Skippy and Gene, Christine and Bingo were not look his best to-night, for he was drey's social life Audrey's mother wearing a very
arms wound around one another's startling orange was allowed to know little or nothing. orchestra in Chicago striped sweater and a pair of very Gives more insight, she might have "What about it?"
"Well, what about it?" Bingo sald. necks. They seemed to be singing. dirty old gray pants. "Nevertheless, abandoned, e'er it was too late, the
Audrey's parents stood by the door he was a respectable boy. There was Machiavellan little plan
"Well, nothing about it." Christine and stared. When the song was over, no need for Christine Beacon to act come into her mind.
siniled in amusement. Only it's Audrey's arm was still flung over as if he were someone palpably Audrey was waiting for her guests. funny to find good old Skippy Christine's shoulder. Christine look- aflicted with a medieval plague. She had decided, ut last, on the dress Naylor on phonograph recorded so shy, and at the same time so **I go for chocolate sudas myself," with the blue cornflowers, and she about a million miles from nowhere." blissful that Mrs. Reynolds, as Bingo said. "I guess I'll have maybe had put on her new slippers with
"Look-" Audrey interrupted, sheepishly confessed to her husband, two or three more."
the
very
"Aren't you going to play had a lump in her throat the size of high heels. She kept wildly. Christine smiled faintly. "I myself wantiering about the room, occasion that record? Isn't anybody going to doorknob. don't care for them very much.
"Is that a fact?" said Bingo, folds of her skirt flashed around her to, we've got to in
ally twirling about to see how the dance?"
"Well," Bingo said, "if we've got "And I still don't understand it," straightening his tie. "What do you slender legs. She had played
one of
our crude she added. usually go for? Champagne?" This the new records exactly seventeen Medville way. But not the way they. They had retired, discreetly, to the was a line for a laugh and Bingo times and she was about to play it do in Chiengo, of course. Because in kitchen. Charles Reynolds brought glanced at Audrey to see if she got again when Mrs. Reynolds, return. Chicage they probably all dance on out a bottle of ginger alc. "No," he
. But Audrey. Ike the others, was ing from some
said. "What d'you suppose happen- mysterious errand, their ear." pretending to have lost her hearing, carne into the room to
id?** "As a matter of fact," Christine was astounding announcement. saying, coolly, "I do like champagne.
In Chicago I've had a whole lot of
that had
took a cigarette out of a leather box!
she
make her Christine's colour was very high.
"Well, don't bother about dancing, Mrs. Reynolds smiled at him: "I'm with me" she said. "As a matter ofafraid, we'll never, never know." "Darling" she began, in a very fact think I'll have a cigaretie." it. But I don't suppose that sounds innocent fushion. "I stopped in at the There was a dead silence. Christine possible in 4 place like Medville." Deacons on my way home just now
"Yeah?" Bingo said, truculently, and while I was there I hope you on the table, found a match andį "What's the matter with Medville?" really won't mind-I asked little struck it, and then she it the.
Christine did not answer him. She Christine to come over this evening, cigarette merely shrugged her shoulders dell- I told her you'd be telephoning right ostentatious pleasure that might have cately. Bingo Cooper was annoyed, awny. And now you aren't really brought reminiscent smiles to
suppose," he said, with seeming going to be unreasonable about it, Audrey's parents. Irrelevance, "the men you know, are you?"
and smoked with Dr
They stared at Christine, and all the boys stared at her too.
But the young girls in Medville wouldn't be hanging around in drug- She was a little alarmed, In spite did not smoke. It was not, in this stores having a mere atteen-cent drink of her feigned innocence. Audrey, particular era, the accepted thing. for themselves. I suppose they'd be who had been staring at her, dropped all the time having this champagne suddenly into a chair and remained and cah-vlar. I suppose, this time of silent-her hands over her eyes, her Well, I hope I'm not shocking you day, they'd be wearing Ültile monkey toes up,
or anything, Christine said brightly. suits!"
It was her hostess who
Anally This was another laugh line, but "Audrey! Thla is being perfectly
a feeble simile. “Oh, no. managed Christine quenched it as before.
After all-Only That's perfly all right," said Audrey. ridiculous, dear! "As a matter of fact," she said, one more girl-nnd you told me
Christine coughed suddenly and have "the men I know happen to be college yourself Bingo Cooper wouldn't
explosively. She had swallowed men and they do happen to have any girl end-and so naturally”
some, of
the smoke. Water filled her dinner coats if that's what you
doesn't lice Christine!"
eyes and blinded them. menn, I hardly see why It's of any cried Audrey in anguish.
"Bingo. "Oh-Oh, excuse mel" she said. particular interest to you.
hates her! He didn't at first and he And she fled from the room. This was, so to speak, her curtain even kind af made a play for her- "Look, Audrey Norma' whis- line. She left little group, tem- but she was so awful about it. And porarily rendered speechless. She everybody else hates her! Just hates pered, with the condor of old friend- paused by the drug counter and then her!" "kauntered out of the place, swinging
her plaid skirt a little,
"Bingo
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ship. "Don't you think we'd all better go home? This party is being Reynolds, much of 0 flop-don't you talk about boting a poor little think?" Norma Ramsay caught Audrey's thing like that! I'm ashamed of you, Audrey bit her up. The comment eye. Norma casually lifted one first Audrey. Now you go right over had hurt. She saw her wholo and sent her thumb in' a brief there and telephone that girl?" prestige-as pretty important person but definite movement downward. There was, of course, more argu- around Medville High-being simply Audrey nodded, in emphatic assent. ment before Audrey went at last swept away with the tide. She But it so happened that Gene with no more than a shall's agility would find it hard to live down the Walton was in one of his infrequent to the telephone, "But I suppose story that would follow this night. tolerant moods as he drove Audrey you realize you've spolted every- It would no longer be considered THE GREATEST OF ALL TONICS FOR home.
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over town that Audrey. encouraged line that girl has, but I've been trying: Mrs. Reynolds was not prepared to her friends to smoke cigarettes-and to see this thing from her point of admit anything of the kind. But she goodness knew what. Audrey was view. Because maybe the way we was, secretly, a little apprehensive, chewing her lip by this time. Some- run things in Medville does seem The Reynoldses, to escape pandemo- how, in spite of her tender years, the
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