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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1943)
JVext Time Try the Train . <Continued from page sixJ manner, with both eyebrows and grin. “Next time you practice wav ing at the parachute troops or go in for the more violent type of tear-jerking. . . he began. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” I breathed unconvincingly, thinking how wonderful “Lydia and Lynn” would sound together. “Penny Graham is my name. . . . It's really Penelope, but I’ve never felt like Penelope. “Nor looked it,” he commented. “Lydia's over there,” I an nounced, hoping that he’d look «ack on the day and remember ly portentious words. “Lydia?” he mused, grinning again. “Lydia . . . Used to have an old maid aunt named Lydia once. She collected china skunks and named them after the men who kissed her off. . . . Finally got to be around thirteen, so she began collecting rabbit foots. I giggled, “Well, Lydia doesn’t collect skunk, forsooth. Just take a look.” Lynn looked, disinterestedly. Then he twitched the Gable eye brow again and yawned. Thinking it might be a wolf ish indication, I congratulated myself blissfully as we walked back toward Lydia. Lydia was smoking “Gebs” and began discoursing learnedly, as we sat down, on the subject red-tipped cigarettes, their ef ^rect on morale, and “How Our Attitude Toward Material Things Will Prove the Downfall of Civil ization As We Know It.” “My, how you talk,” was Lynn's dry comment. With a realization that all was MHOSAUI THE HARDWAY' ♦ DENNIS MORGAN ♦ IDA LUPINO 'Truck Busters' RICHARD TRAVIS definitely not well, I stemmed the tide of Lydia's flow of verbosity with a violent nudge under the table, and they sat there glaring at one another while I attempted to sparkle. Lynn answered in monosyllables, and Lydia inter jected a few sarcastic “Oh’s.” Things eventually simmered down until Lynn was rattling along amicably, and Lydia wore a slight smile behind her pan cake makeup and curtain of smoke. The upshot of the deal was that Lynn, who was on a 13-day leave, and staying with some relatives in town, decided to come over that evening and play tennis. Since Lydia didn't seem properly enthusiastic, I waxed effusive. rjVHE scene was set. There was Lydia in a candy-stripe pair of shorts, with bows to match, and Lynn, looking almost dis gustingly good looking, playing one of the hottest, dirtiest sets of tennis I’ve ever witnessed Lynn’s jaw was set, and Lydia looked about ready to explode. The score so far was 6-5, 5-6, 6-5, and Lydia is a tennis expert in red capitals. “What’s the trouble, bubble . . . , . . . ’bout to burst?” I called out gaily, which was a hor rible faux pas. She was, and she did . . . gll over the tennis court. Lydia’s racked slammed down, and slithered out of her hand to the other side of the net. Lynn began whistling, “Got No Strings . . .” I didn’t give up or lose hope at any time during those harrow ing thirteen days, but sometimes I began to wonder if Guadalcanal were half as tough. That evening ended, as did ev ery other evening of the whole thirteen days, with me as chief arbitrator, and the Lydia-Lynn combo in a state of sullen si lence of parrying one another's strictly sarcastic running com mentary. It was beyond me. . . . I knew that people who were in love often played hard to get, but Lydia and Lynn were carrying it just a shade too far. No mat ter how much I tried to find subtle situations in which they could be alone and discover how absolutely “meant for each oth er” they were, they always ended up smoldering at a distance. ■I bombarded Lydia with the perfections of Lynn. I raved to Lynn about the accomplishments of Lydia. They both listened po litely enough, but with obvious distaste. “Awk,” commented Lydia. “Hell,” said Lynn. gO it, went, gorgeous, golden carefree days, . . . full of shows, dancing, ping-pong . . . . (no more tennis) and gay chat ter (alternating monologues by me on things in general, and by Lydia on the subject of “How Our Attitude Toward Material Things Will Prove the Downfall of Civilization As We Know It.” Lydia and Lynn always seemed to want me with them every mo ment. I was flattered but puz zled. Matters came to a climax on the afternoon of the 13th day wrhen we'd all gone swimming down below the rapids past Sut ter’s point. Next to those two tall, lithe swimmers I felt like a little pink balloon—round and buoyant. Lynn, like a blond demi-god, I thought, was reclining on the bank, pulling up new, green grass by the roots. Lydia and I were paddling . . . that is, I was pad dling, while she was slithering through the water in a very pro fessional-appearing crawl. I don’t know whatever happened . . . Guess I must have followed Lydia out too far when she began gulp ing water and threshing franti cally at the same time. The last. I remember was seeing a terrified look on Lydia's face and think ing that now was Lynn's big chance, as the water closed blackly over my face again. “Darling, speak to me. please , . Lynn was saying to some one nearby. I thought quite smugly, that my scheming had at last achieved its purpose. Lynn and Lydia, the two perfect specimens, had at last realized what they meant to each other. I ventured to peep out from be tween lowered lids at the touch ing tableau. . . . Something was the matter. Lydia was sitting on the edge of the dock swinging her legs and sputtering angrily, while Lynn was leaning over me. “Why, Lynn. . .” I began uncer tainly. “Don’t talk,” -he said softly, bending down to kiss me. I didn’t, and it was a perfect silence. » « a Now that we’re married, and everything has been straightened out, Lynn and I have Lydia have Lydia down for weekends quite frequently. He still laughs when I try to find her a perfect speci men, but he’s beginning to enjoy listening to “How Our Attitude Toward Material Things Will Prove the Downfall of Civiliza tion As We Know It.” gg Alum Gets Ensign Rank In Reserves Graduating from the United' States naval air training- center at Corpus Christ!, Texas on April ", Richard Arthur Patrick Jr., former University student, was commissioned an ensign in the United States naval reserve. Ensign Patrick was a student at the Modesto junior college be fore he came to the University. He volunteered for flight train ing last July and received pre liminary flight instruction at the Oakland, California, naval air sta tion. His specialized training at Cor pus Christi consisted in instruc tion in flying the navy's dive bombers. Ensign Patrick is from Modes to, California. Mencken the Divine (Continued from paiic six) At the time Mencken quit the YMCA because he loathed physi cal exercise, that now revered or ganization incurred his wrath by having religious discussion. It later g*ot back in his favor when he learned that the Berlin branch served beer. Mencken’s boisterous reminis cences ahe well worth delving into by anyone who abhors phy sical exertion, prohibition, cats, opera, and warm beer. There are also some passages that reflect constructive criticism but they are delightfully tempered with cynical spice.—Ted Goodwin. Niissen to Present Northwest Concerts Oregon's Sigurd Niissen, Iw.ss baritone and professor of voice, will present three concerts in Washington and eastern Oregon next week. Ke will sing a group of old English and Amei :an songs in Walla Walla, Wash., May 6. On the following evening he will present a program of Ger man. French. Norwegian, .ml .English songs there. Professor Nilsson will repeat the second program in Pendleton Stint'.1 ay, May 9. 1 LOSING MONEY? Lock up this month's al lowance in a handsome inexpensive bill i o 1 d from Bristow's. JEWELRY STORE ('20 Willamette x 1 ■ 1 .-'-1 Lost Something? TRY AN Emerald Classified and get results! 2c Word for First Insertion 1c Word Succeeding Insertions Call 3300 Local 354 and ask for LOIS CLAUSE Classified Manager