French Night Life Stories

About this issue

"A Cute Trick!" by Zita Romaine This story concerns Mary Jane Baldwin, a prudish twenty-five-year-old schoolteacher from rural Harmony Hollow who visits her childhood friend Betty D'Aurignac in Versailles. Betty, a vivacious Frenchwoman, transforms the plain, conservatively dressed Mary Jane through a makeover involving bathing and dressing her in black lace pajamas. After Betty departs for a secret rendezvous with a man named Raymonde (not her traveling-salesman husband Henri), Mary Jane falls asleep on the living-room divan. Henri returns home unexpectedly and, in the dim light, mistakes the auburn-haired Mary Jane for his dark-haired wife Betty. Mary Jane, fearing Henri's jealous nature and attempting to protect Betty, impersonates her. The encounter becomes physical—Henri kisses and fondles Mary Jane, removing her pajama top. The narrative ends with Mary Jane, now awakened to sensual desires long suppressed, attempting to delay Henri's advances by suggesting he have a drink, though she appears unlikely to resist further.