Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-02-16

to stand between you and h--l when
you got the law swapping at your
heels for-for smuggling? Who was
fit to run to then? Her whose name
amt fit TO mention? Her? Nav, You
was afraid she'd turn on you. Nav.
not herl Me. Me! I'm the one
whose mouth is too dirty to mention
your old lady's name"
sBy gadl You got to cut that or"
Just the same, who was 1t you
hollered for when you woke up in the
hospital with your back like raw
meat? Who was it you hollered for
then? Her whose name | amt fit to
mention? Nav, it wasn't! Mel Mel
| was good enough then. was good
enough TO smuggle you out of town
overnight when you was lodging the
law, and to sleep in my clothes for two
weeks, ready to give the signal"
That's right dig up. Dig up! You
might forget something"
Il been good enough to give you free
all these years what you wasn't man
enough to pay for. That's what we
women are; we're the free lunch that
men get with glass of beer, and what
the h-l do you care which garbage
pail what's left of us lands in after
you're done with us!"
"Cut that barroom talk around here
if"
Good enough for six years, wasn't
/, to lay down like door-mat for you
to walk on, Ell? Good enough. Good
enough when 1t came to giving up
chunks of my own flesh and blood
when your burns was like fire on your
back and all your old woman could do
to help was throw a swoon every time
she looked at you. Good enough to-"
"Gad! l knew 1t knew it Knew
you'd show your yellow streak"
She fell to moaning in her hands.
'No, no, Max, didn't mean it. You
you just got me so crazy don't know
what I'm saying. Sure, IL made you
take it off me. / wanted EN- to cut 1t
off me to graft on your burns because
tit was like finding new way Of
saying how-how l love you, Max.
Every drop of blood was like--like /
could see for myself how-how l loved
you, Max. f."
"Oh, my Godr" he said, folded his
arms atop the piano. and let his head
fall into them. ooh. my God !"
That's how love you, Max. That's
how you-you're all in the world got.
Max That's why II can't, just can't
let you go, dear. Don't throw me over,
/ Max. Cut the comedy and come down
to earth. You amt had holy spell
| for two years now since the old wom-
an shifted me and wanted TO marry
you off to that cloak-and-suit buyer
with ten thou in the bank and rush
of teeth to the front You remember
how we lated, dearie that night we
seen her at the show? Don't let your
old lady
"Cut that, / tell you.!"
''You'd be swell gink hitting the
altar trail with bunch of white satin,
wouldn't you? At your time of life,
forty and set in your ways, you'd have
swell time landing a young frisky
one and trying to learn one of them
mothers darlings how to rub In your
hair tonic and how to rub your salad
plate with garlic? Gosh golly, l
bust right out laffing when / even
think about it, Come down to earth,
Max. You'd be swell hit welded for
life with a gold band, now, wouldn't
you?"
She was suddenly seized with i'm
moderate laughter not untinctured
with hysteria, loud and full of empti-
ness, as if she were shouting for
echoes in a cave
Like hi you would You tied to
bunch of satin and tending the kids
with the whooping cough. Whoops
la, la !"
Suddenly Max Zincas rose to his
height, regarding her sprawling un-
controlled pose with writhing lips Of
distaste, Strengthened his waistcoat,
cleared his throat twice, and, standing,
drank the last of his wine. But a pal
Tor crept up, riding down the flush.
Funny, amt it?. Laff Laff! But
I'd wait till you hear something fun
nier got to tell you. Funny, amt it?
Laff Laff!"
She looked up with her lips sag
ging from merriment. but the dark
red in her face grew darker.
"Huhr'
His brayado suddenly oozed and the
clock licked roundly into the silence
between them.
"Huh?' she repeated, cooking her
head
you got to know 1t, Mae, and the
sooner | get it out of me the better
But remember, if you wanna drive me
out before I'm finished, If you wanna
get rid of me d--n sight quicker than
any other way. throw Inc some sob
stuff and watch. You-well-I-the
sooner ! get it out of me, the better
Mae"
"Huh?"