Florine found herself cut out of many a Good Time
because the Chaperon for the Occasion chanced to be related to some
one who had been in the Liquor Business.
Florine was up against it ever so Hard. She had to go out in the Grape
Arbor when she wanted to chew Gum, and she kept her Reading Matter
under the Mattress. Nearly every high-speed Bachelor in Town had been
forbidden the Premises because of the Stories that were going around.
The kind that Mother approved were of the Lilac Division with White
Puff Ties and their Hair glued down. They talked about Choir Practice
and sometimes, when they were sufficiently wrought up, they played
Charades.
The only Chance that Florine had to mingle with the Popular Boys was
to go down Town in the Afternoon and just happen to meet one of them
at the Ice-Cream Parlor. Florine learned to be quite a Happener. But
on the way home she would have to fix up a few Jules Vernes for the
Old Lady in the Watch Tower. Mother knew that it didn't take 4 Hours
to be measured for a Shirt Waist.
"Wait until I get Married," Florine would say. "I'll make that 20-hour
Flyer look like a Steam-Roller. If Mother doesn't let up on me, I'll
learn to smoke Cigarettes."
At times she was so Desperate that she was ready to join a Troupe or
elope with a Drummer. She wanted to get out among the Bright Lights
and hear the Band play. And she knew that she couldn't turn Flip-Flops
and break Furniture and play Rag-Time along after Midnight until
she had become a Respectable.
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