Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 30 May 1936 — Page 20

- them.”

Today's Short Story

THE CROSS

By Granville Fortescue

OF SERVICE

She saw his old war days captain pin

NN KELLEY handed the official A- envelope to her husband. ~ “Prom the Veterans’ Bureau,” said

Don, tearing at the flap. “Now you |

sed what I've been telling you for six months is right.”

“It's nearly a year—and God knows we’ve needed the money.”

“Yes, but we get back compensation——" Don began reading.

From: Board of Appeals, U. 8. -Veterans’ Bureau, Washington, D. C.

To: Donald A. Kelley, formerly corporal, 169th Infantry. Dear Sir: Your appeal has been duly considered by this board, and after examination of all evidence submitted, it is disallowed——" “So that's that,” said Ann. “It’s - only what I expected. Anyway, we're no worse off.” “I-I can't understand. Why, the captain signed up for me saying how I was shell-shocked. And . Lane, and Doyle, and Rice of my squad all sent in affidavits, and when I took my medical examination the docs all said how my nerves was shot to hell.”

" n ”

NN saw her husband's knees begin to jump. That always happened when he grew tired or anything upset him now. He had been that way ever since his return from France. “We can go on reief,” Ann said. “What!” . The knees jerked more violently. “Me go on relief after, after—" Don paused. He twisted his lips. He reread the curt, official letter. “Can you beat that! And me recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross!” Ann laughed bitterly. “That cross wouldn't get us a pound of tea at the grocer’s.” She stood with questioning eyes on her husband. Yet she knew the answer even before she spoke. . “We might go back to the country, Don. Some work must be—" “Nix, Ann. Everybody knows the only jobs are in the city these days. .I've got a line on a job right now.” : A lump came into Ann's throat as she noted the desperate look iri*her -. husband’s eyes. “There, Don boy, don’t worry, I've got Mrs. Feldstein's wash to do today. I'll be going now.”

# 2 =»

: A NN KELLEY left the Secondav tenement. She walked up -68th-st. She glanced up at the ‘budding maple leaves on the trees ‘planted along the curb. At least, the terrible winter was over. The drew a long breath. The spring sun warmed her. Its rays, the scent of newly opened buds, the spring breeze sifting past her Cheek, all stirred.her deeply with longing . for the country. If only for the sake of Alice and May. ... No, Don, man-like, was wedded to the dirty city streets, the sordid buildings, the racketing elevator trains. . . . Still Don had worked in the country before the war. Outside the police station, Ann met Sergt. Larry Flynn. He had deen in Don's regiment. Now, in addition to patrol duty, he supervised relief food distribution. “Good morning, Mrs. Kelley,” he smiled. “I've a few odd cans I'll be leaving for you this evening.” “Thanks, Larry. We're in need of

The police sergeant continued smiling. “And tell Don by no means to . fail to turn out for parade tomorIOW. . . « Memorial Day.”

NN nodded, hurrying on. She 3. could not trust her voice. Memorial Day. Mockery. Would the "few cans of groceries Larry might leave her, the $3.50 from Mrs. Feldstein’s wash, feed Alice, May, as well as Don and herself the rest of that week? A cloud hid the sun. The first drops of a drizzling spring rain felt bitter in her lips. When Ann returned to the tenement that evening, spent and armweary, her elder daughter met her. “May fainted in school today. Teacher sent us home.” - “May fainted! Where's the child now?” Ann's lips went bloodless. * “Lying down. Teacher said May shouldn't come back to school for a while. She gave me this letter for you.” The younger daughter lay on a faded couch. Ann caught the thin face in her hands. “What is it, baby?” she asked.

= . “No, not really sick, mother. Only tired, awful tired.” ~ “Teacher said she should have a beefsteak, and lots and lots of milk. She sald May was terrible weak,” seported Alice.

Pon» = 2 2 NN, KELLEY caught her child ; a in her arms, Fockes her back forth, comforting her. She sasnaged 10 | Sen He Jetta, - “Dear . ey: ave been | | watching your daughter May for a week now, and do not think she is

butcher’s and get a steak, and buy some milk and vegetables. I think there's bread and butter in the kitchen.” Don Kelley arrived in time for supper. “Steak! And onions! Say, it's so long since I've et steak I don’t know how to begin.” “I bought that steak for May. She's run down.” Ann saw no need for telling what had happened in school but Alice blurted out: ‘May fainted in classroom.” “Why the poor kid. We sure got to do something about that. Wait till I land me a job. I nearly did today. A delivery job. I was to deliver bundles of patterns all around the city. The man asked me a lot of questions about Brooklyn, Harlem, the Bronx, even Staten Island; streets and how you got there. He couldn’t stick me. Pretty good for an ex-country kid, eh?”

” ” 2 “ ELL?” asked Ann patiently. “Oh, I gets excited, answering all those questions. It's like a game, see, and me legs gets to jumping and the first thing I know the man’s watchin’, and I can’t stop

’em. He asks me a few more questions, then he says he don’t think what with ridin’ in subways, makin’ transfers, carryin’ heavy bundles of patterns, I could make it .. . Tough.” Ann got up, walked round the table, pressed her cheek to Don's in sympathy. She spoke no word. She dared not again mention the country. It would only excite him. The Kelleys finished supper. Alice did her home work while Ann put May to bed and read to her. She heard Don calling: “Ma, where’s my uniform?” “Your uniform?” “Yeah. I go to have it sponged and pressed apd new service and wound stripes sewed on to wear tomorrow.” “I can do that, if you get the stripes—" : “Ah, don’t you bother. Gatti, the tailor, says he’ll do the whole job for 50 cents.” “Why, Don, I can do sponging and pressing every bit as well as Gatti, and as for sewing—-" “No. I want it done right. a good reason.” “Fifty cents, Don—-" “Ah, what’s a half a buck when I want to look extra good?” “Why, Don?” ‘Well, it's a surprise. tomorrow.”

I got

You'll see

2 2 » “QERGT. DON KELLEY, front and center march!” So this was the surprise. Ann Kelley stood on the curb on Lex-ington-av, behind the armory, watching Don’s Legion post assembled in ranks. She saw Don step forward, grimly trying to keep the smile from his face, saw his old war days captain pin something glittering on Don’s chest. She heard the captain speaking— “For unusual bravery and inspiring courage in the face of the enemy . .. Distinguished Service Cross.” The captain was smiling, shaking Don's hand. “Congratulations, Sergt. Better late than never.” The crowd on the curb raised a cheer. The ranks broke. The veterans in their shoddy uniforms crowded around Don, all talking, slapping him on the back. ’ Ann Kelley watched the scene grimly. Pride laced with the bitter acid of resentment filled her heart. She thought of Don’t shattered nerves, their child ill, her empty purse—the price of this bauble. 8 ” » VOICE broke in on her thoughts. It was Don's wartime captain. \ “Congratulations to you too, Mrs. Kelley. It's only what Don deserved, a long time coming. That's the war Department.” He paused. Ann was conscious of her shabby dress, scuffed shoes. “By the way, I like to have my boys about me. Would Don take a job as caretaker on my place on Long Island—-" “Fall in! Fall in!” Voices shouted. Bugles blew. The veterans sprang to ranks with old-time fervor. Drums beat, the band burst into the “Stars and Stripes Forever.” The shuffle of marching feet under waving flags. Don was smiling back at her. Ann felt this was to be a day of memory forever.

: ‘(THE END.) Copyright 1038 by News Syndicate Co., Inc.

‘KEEP YOUR BRATS OFF STREET,’ DRIVER CRIES Hit-Run Pilot Strikes Girl, 2; Legs

Are Broken. By United Press

OUR BOARDING HOUSE

YOU SALVAGED THIS OLD WILL © 7 AND DEED IN YOUR BACK YARD,EHZ 7 / 1 WELL WELL MY OLD UNCLE FILBERT, X74 WHO HAD A WOBBLE TIRE IN HIS 9) BALANCE WHEEL, DRILLED PAPER XY DOLLS IN THAT HUT FOR YEARS EVIDENTLY HE ISN'T THE ONLY BOLT { WITH A LOOSE NUT THATS LIVED THERE 3 THESE PAPERS J WILL SAVE ME A LITIGATION FEE, MAJOR, AND 1 WANT #77 TO REWARD Youlf \

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FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS—

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WASHINGTON TUBBS II

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HAR-R-RUMF wr 78 ACCEPT MONEY 2 V/ 1 WOULDN'T THINK OF IT, ALDERMAN / ER-AH BUT SOMETIME, IF THERE - SAN OFFICE BEFITTING MY ABILITY, 1 WOULD / APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION —

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OUT OUR WAY,

SOMETHIN't? I BEEN HERE TEN YEARS, AND I DON'T KNOW, VET, WHETHER TRH' COMPANY SHOULD EXPECT US TO READ THEM BULLETINS ON

OUR TIME, OR WE SHOULD

EXPECT THE COMPANY TO LET US READ EM

ON THEIR TIME ~ YOURE

KIND OF A SHOP

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Jill

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—By Williams

WELL’, OF COURSE, THAT DEPENDS ~~IF THE BULLETIN 1S FOR TH' COMPANY'S THEN WE SHOULD 'EM ON TH COMPANY'S TIME ~~ AND IF FOR BENEFIT, READ EM ON OUR TIME ~AN' WHEN THER'S NO BENEFIT, YOU GOT TO READ ‘EM TO FIND Ze OuT~1IM STUCK, THERE!

ssn, BR ———] /

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THE BULLETIN

HAVE TO EAT TOO MUCH! POODLES GOT INTO THE ICE BOX AND GRABBED: EVERYTHING HE CouLD

v THE WAY Loy BELLE, WHEN YOU FOUND) STILL IN) EFF PICKET, AFTER HE'D BEEN SLUGGED THEIR AND ROBBED, WHERE WERE HIS PISTOLS?

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BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES

EVERYTHING, SIEPREN 2

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TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD MEN

DO You WAGE JF ALL EXCEPT WE | TREASURE , CONFOUND TT

(NOW; MY STRANGE DINOSAUR- RIDIN”

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BOARD

—By Blosser

WHY, MOTHER, I'VE NEVER HEARD YOU USE SUICH SLANG?

—By Crane

NDS IF SO, THE OTHER BLOW NABL WERE STRUCK WHILE Ne WAS | UNCONSCIOUS, PROVING THAT/ ROBBER IS A HE WAS DELIBERATELY EVEN A

MURDERED

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PROMINENT CITIZEN —OR RELATIVE OF PICKET!

(HMM -SAY, OOOLA - > WE MUST BE A AH -MY LONG WAYS 4+ FRIENDS, THEN FROM MOO ("YOU MUST BE MY| [~,___ THEY? IVE NEVER | GUESTS -COME, WELL MOUNT / DINOSAURS ? : OUR STEEDS | WHAD YA MEAN, AND } DINOSAURS ?

TH DINOSAURS) THEY'RE GONE? WHERE ARE. s |

TAIL OFF'N THAT SKATE J

—By Hamlin

BY THIS TIME YOUR STEED HAS PROBABLY CEASED TO EXIST. TH LAST 1 SAW OF ‘EM; OL

NNY WAS RUNNIN TH’ QF YOURS!

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