Monson Academy - Pharetra Yearbook (Monson, ME)

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singing birds and a tumbling brook, that they could neither see nor locate Helen Ranta 'Sh She Never Had a Chance Leslie stepped off the train at Grand Central Station She was a picture of forlorness A girl just turned fifteen, with blue grey eyes already carrying the look of despair, lines around her eyes and mouth, a drag in her step Should she have come to New York? It is the wish of almost every girl to be part of the excitement and bright lights of the big city', and Leslie was no excqnnon She had been an only child, and her parents were killed just two weeks before in a plane crash It was then that the farm born Leslie decided to start out on her own, with 3200 and a few bedraggled hopes Now here she was, in New York, with people and noise bust ling about her everywhere She had no idea where to go or what to do Her first thought was to find some place to rest her weary body She needed to do some clear thinking, and to do that she needed to be alone She found a cheap room not far from the station It wasn't much, but it would have to do for now After a good night's sleep she would feel much better, and things would look more hope ful, she was sure She awoke the next morning, and looked around her She couldn't remember where she was, but finally she realized she was in New York, her new home hurried cup of coffee, she bought a paper and went back to her room She scanned the want ads and spotted one that read, 'Chorus girl needed at the Havana Club' She read the address, grabbed her hat and coat, and started for the club She approached the office for the interview, she was almost in tears She would have to lie about her age, and she hoped she could look eighteen When the receptionist finally told her that Mr Barnes would see her, she took a fleeting glance at her self in the mirror, and was scared Mr Barnes proved to be a rather hard looking character in his middle forties But after they were introduced, he put Leslie very much at ease, with smooth talk Surely this should have been a warning signal, but Leslie just let it pass as sincere kindness 'You should understand, Miss Cooper, that your work will be strenuous until you get the hang of it It 1sn't easy to become a chorus girl, and you can't make yourself perfect over night' Leslie said she understood very well, and after a few more words with Mr Barnes, she was dismissed, and went joyously back to her room She sat and thought of her good luck on her first day in the 'big city' 'Maybe New York will have something for me after all', she thought aloud 'The ringing of the telephone startled her out of her day dreams a few hours later She looked at the clock Just six Then she reached for the telephone A voice asked, 'Is this Miss Cooper?' n I ' - . 0 ! Leslie dressed quickly and went out for breakfast. After a