The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-05-19
.MULCAFIEY:: A STORY
ABOUT 20 DOLLARS
(In Two Instalments).

30 men IN the country who knew as
much as Mulcahey did about the labor
movement. Then he said: "The only
trouble is that we've got to have his
article in this coming issue for spe-
cial distribution on the coast. And
he's got to write it before he leaves
town tonight"
80 he'll be here all right" Ling
strom said.
McFee said: "He'd better be if he
doesn't want me on his neck"
McFee took a cigaret from pack
and handed the pack across toward
Lingstrom.
Uptown few blocks on Third Ave-
y nue. was Mulcahey's furnished
room. 1t was where he was stopping
temporarily. His son John was living
with him. 1t was front room three
flights up, near 18th Street. Four
nights ago he had paid a weeks rent
for himself and the boy. Two win
dows looked out on the steel trestle
of the Third Avenue 'I".
The landlady's fancy gilt clock on
the mantle shelf above the unused
fireplace was as silent as the clock
on the shelf in the editorial room
where Mulcahey's unfinished article
lay in the typewriter, where McFee
and Lingstrom sat talking about him.
The fireplace was sheeted up with
metal.
But one of Mulcahey's possessions
was an alarm clock 1t stood on the
small oak veneer table in the center
of the room ticking energetically
There was wash bowl in a corner
fed with one faucet. On the white
enamel handle of the faucet was the
word, "COLD."
On the center table best d e
the alarm clock was small box half
full of crackers. A large brown suit
case lay open in the corner of the
room. In it were the socks, shirts,
underwear and neck-ties of Mulca-
hey and his son John, in addition to
three or four books. And against the
inside wall of the room was the double
bed where the father and son slept
not alone in the sound but in the
presence of the Third Avenue al"
which was only few feet outside
their window.
There was also bureau in the
room. And on the soiled white cloth
on the bureau half of an old white
comb, with a few wisps of gray hair
in it from Mulcahey's head, was a
symbol of grudging recognition of
culture under capitalism.
There was laughter in the hall and
a key turned in the door. John Null
cahey, the son, came in. Behind him
came his friend, Arthur Crome, son
of bargeman.
"-nice and warm in here" Ar
thur said, rubbing his hands, hunch-
ing his shoulders from the effects of
the chill in the air outside
probably nothing to eat
though" John said.
John inspected the cracker box on
the table. He took out a cracker
holding it between his thumb and first
finger, turning it back and forth,
looking at it questioningly. Then he
put it all in his mouth.
want one?" he asked Arthur
He passed the box toward Arthur
who leaned over to look inside. TAX
ing three crackers at one time Arthur
backed away few PAGES to sit down
Crackers aren't bad eating" Ar
thur said, munching.
go better with butter or
cheese" John suggested.
John looked around the room again
with his tongue pushing the softened
cracker out of the groove between
his gums and cheek, where it always
lodged when he ate a whole cracker
at once. Crunching more crackers as
he walked around he looked on the
mantle, on the shelf under the table
in the bureau drawers.
NO." he said, 81 guess not"
John sat down in the rocking chair.
what were you looking for?" Ar
THUR asked.
something more to eat" John
said. II thought maybe there was a
hunk of cheese or butter around
Have some more crackers? Go ahead.
might as well eat them up"
Both boys reached forward for more
crackers without getting out of their
chairs.
Arthur asked John what time his
father said he would be home.
"He didn't say exactly" John said
"but 'twould be about this time. This
clock says 1870"
Il guess that's about the right time
all right" Arthur said.
Two passing 81" trains careening