Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-02-02


into afternoon.
The dusk of the city V ia SC
Immediately peppered with lights
came gradually to press against the
drawn oIinds. On the very crest Of
her unrest, as if her mental travail
had stimulated d cocaine courage, Mae
MunEoe kicked aside the rug from her
feet: rose and advanced to the wall
telephone; unlocked the receiver;
hooked it up again; unlocked it this
time with resolution that frightened
and whitened her lips and sent the
color high into her face; placed her
mouth close to the transmitter.
Broad three-siX.' And tapped with
one foot as she stood.
"Zincas Importing company? l want
TO speak to Mr.. Max Zncas"
Wrinkles crawled about her uncer-
tain lips.
This is his-his mother Yes, Mrs.
Zincas."
She closed her eyes as she waited.
Hello, Max? That you, MAXI
She grasped at the snout OF the in
strument, tip-toeing up to it.
ITS me, dear. Butt had to get
you to phone somehow. II No,
no, don't hang up, Max. Don't hang
up, dear. II got to tell you some
thing; | got to, dear"
She raised herself closer to the
mouthpiece for tighter clutch Of 1t.
I'm sick, dearie. I'm dog sick,
dearie. Amt been about in week
The limp is bad and I'm sick all over
| am, dear. Come up to supper to-
night, dearie. You amt been near for
for week. | got to see you about
something, Just a quiet talk dearie
Il just got to see you, Max I'm
sick, dog sick"
Her voice slipped and away for the
moment, and she crammed her lacy
fribbe of handkerchief tight against
her lips, tiptoeng closer to the trans
mittcr.
no, no, Max. | swear to God !
wont! just quiet and no rough stuff.
For my sake come home to supper to-
night, dcarie! swear. It's my thigh.
and | got a fever. dparie. that's eating
me What? Eight! No, that amt too
late. Any time YOU can come amt too
late. I'll wait. Sure? Good-by. dearie.
At eight sharp. Good-by, dearie."
When she replaced the receiver on
its hook, points of light had come out
in her eyes like water lilies opening
on "A lake The ashen sheaf of anxiety
folded back from her, color ran up into
her face, and she flung open the door,
calling down the length of hallway.
LOO. Oh, Loo"
"IIuh?'
Put couple of bottles of every
thing on ice before you 20, dearie; or
der IA double pOrterhOuse; open a can
of them imported sausages he sent up
last month, and peel some sweet po-
tatOeS. Hurry, Loo, | wanna candy
'em myself. Hurry, dearie!'
From her window and over the
waves of intervening roofs Mae Mum
roe cuppcd her hands bIinkcr fashion
about her eyes. MotionIcss she stood
there, bare-neckcd and hare-armed.
against the cold window pane, inclosed
from behind with lace curtains, and
watching with large-pupiled eyes a
steamer slip along into the night.
At five minutes past eight Max Yin
cas- fitted his key into the door and
entered Immediately into the front
room. On that first click of the lock
Mae Munroe stepped out from between
the lace curtains, her face carefully
powdered and bleached of all its morn
ing inaccuracies. her lips thrust up
ward and forward.
Max
"Whew ~
He tossed his black derby hat to the
red velvet couch and dropped down be-
side it, his knees far apart and strain
ing his well-prcsSed trousers to ca
pacity; placed a hand on each we'll
spread knee, then ran five fingers
through his thinning hair; thrust his
head well forward. foreshortening his
face, and regarded her.
well, girl" he said here | am"
IL"
Lied to me, eh? Pretty spry for a
sick one, eh? Pretty slick! l knew
you was lying, girl"
II been sick as dog, Max. Loo
can tell YOU"
whats got you? Thigh?"
God! | dunno! | dun'no'!"
a.,
room, her lips trembling and the light
from the chandelier raining full upon
her. High-hipped and full-busted as
Titan loved to paint them, she stood
there in Il black lace gown draped
loosely over tight foundation of
white silk, and trying to compose her
lips and her throat which arched and
tieXcd, revealing the heartbeats of her
and the Shortness of her breath.
us this the way to say hello TOTO
your Maizie, Man? Is is this the
Way Then she crossed and leaned
To him. printing kiss On his brow
between the eyes 81 been sick as a
dog Max. Amt YOU, going Toto kiss
me?"
Come, come. now. I'm tired. girl,
and got 10 stop off at Lenox avenue
tonight after leave here. Where's
your clock around here. anyway. so a
fellow knows where he's at?"
There il is under the pillow next
In YOU. Max. | Smothered il because
1t gets on my nerves all day Tick
took, tick-tock textbook right into my