Our Town

One cold afternoon last week a pale, dark-haired young woman, supported by a nurse and a detective, entered a Manhattan court, staggered to a chair and slumped back with her head against the wall. The corridor and waiting rooms outside the justice's chambers were crowded. A group of reporters stood in the corner. At a long mahogany table facing the Supreme Court Justice's desk sat the young lady's parents. Across the table from them sat a young man with a belligerently cheerful smile. With him was his lawyer. "It's real love," the lawyer told the reporters.

Hopefully the reporters put it all down. For days they had been following the dewy-eyed romance of George Lowther 3rd, 30, Yaleman. insurance broker, cafe socialite, and Eileen Herrick, 20, only daughter of stern Walter R. Herrick, onetime Park Commissioner of New York City. George wanted to marry Eileen. The Herricks did not want Eileen to marry George. Eileen could not be reached to find out what she wanted. So, George, claiming that the Herricks were holding Eileen a prisoner against her will, got from Justice Wasservogel a writ of habeas corpus demanding that the father produce the girl in court. Reporters had interviewed Mr. Herrick and found him the classic figure of the outraged parent trying to keep his girl home: "If I put my foot down," he stormed, "it'll stay down." And they noted that he wore a 9 1/2 shoe.

The reporters wrote of romance, the conflict of generations, elopement. It was Romeo and Juliet, it was Our Town laid in the big city, it was as sentimental as Barrie, it was young love blossoming among the nightclubs. True, Mr. Lowther was getting pretty well along in years to be called, as his lawyer called him, "the kid." True, Eileen and George had been photographed together in nightclubs, and had been seen together for some time, nor was the illusion aided when the Hat Style News Bureau released a picture showing Mr. Lowther modeling one of John-Frederics' new creations.

"Miss Herrick," asked Justice Wasservogel, "you understand what these proceedings are?"

"I do."

"How long," asked George's lawyer, "have you known George?"

"Mr. Lowther," said Justice Wasservogel. "Don't be so familiar."

"And it is true," continued George's lawyer, "you have discussed marriage together?"

"Yes," said Miss Herrick. "And you still say you would marry him?"

"Oh, yes."

"And if you had your liberty would you marry him right now?" "I would, yes, sir."

Justice Wasservogel pondered: She is past the age of consent. If she wants to marry this man, she has a right to do so. "Of course," he said to glowering Mr. Herrick, "she ought to listen to your advice. You may have very good reasons for opposing your daughter's marriage to him."

"I have a great many reasons. Would you like to hear them?" "No."

But Mrs. Herrick gave her reasons at length. Meanwhile, reporters found the proceedings less sweet and less sentimental, Our Town getting more and more like the Big City. One noted that Miss Herrick winked at a friend as she slumped back against the wall. One learned that George had many feminine admirers. One discovered an intimate friend of Miss Herrick's, unearthed a long, involved story about Miss Herrick leaving home, getting a job at a big perfumer's, going back home, popping into the friend's house at night and morning in tears. Determinedly, Mrs. Herrick told Justice Wasservogel: "Eileen said, 'Mother, I don't want you to criticize George behind his back; I would like you to criticize him to his face,' and I said, 'Eileen, I would much prefer doing that, and if George will come to my house, I will be very glad to. . . .' I don't approve of some of the places that George has taken her to. I don't think you would either, Justice Wasservogel."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, he has taken her to a beach club. ... It is a place where kept women go. There are no respectable girls down there. . . . Then, we had another little unfortunate incident. Would you like to hear it?"

Hastily Justice Wasservogel said: "I don't think it will be necessary at all," worked out an agreement: 1) that Mr. Lowther would not attempt to see Miss Herrick for ten days; 2) that, after this period of abstinence, the parents would interpose no obstacle to their courtship and marriage. When defeated Mr. Herrick tried to make one last angry statement, Justice Wasservogel shut him off, pronounced the dread sentence that the fathers of daughters everywhere fear most to hear: "This man," said he, "may become your son-in-law, and you want to be on the best of terms with him. . . ."

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