The daily worker., 1933-07-01
So - EEuBv A SHORT STORY
~ - ~ O By MICHAEL GOLD

Hill, the young husky quarterback
with the large green eyes, seemed
unable TO say word. He scowled
at Blaclde, 1t seemed, and shook his
head.
Whats the matter, HIP" that
worthy queried, with an insolent
grin, "ain't we as good as they boys
who fought to make the world safe
for democracy"
"Aw, shut upl" Hill Jones NUT
tered, you get as talkative as
parrot sometimes!"
I'm an agitator, that's why 7
talk" BlacEie jeered and would have
sal more, but that the EnglishnAn
Brown put his hand on Blackie's
arm. There was a policeman loiter-
ing on the next corner, and for
some strange reason, known only
to ex-prisoners, the inpassive Eng
lishman was suddenly shaken TO
his soul
Lets get some coffee and" he
said, leading them in the door Of a
cheap restaurant shaded by q wide
brown maple tree. The four sat on
stools against a broad counter
loaded with plates of dessert, and
looked into a mirror at their pale
prison faces.
Coffee and crullers", ordered the
Englishman naming the diet Of al
those who wander along the roads
of America, and pick up their food
like the sparrows where they can
find it.
Ham and eggs," said Hill
Ham and eggs and French fried
and coffee" said Blackie.
Ham and eggs said Ramon, ia
muffled voice.
THE restaurant proprietor, a fat.
cheerful man in a white apron
had been counting bills at his cash
register and talking crops with a
young farm hand in overalls He
locked the register with sharp snap
and took their orders leisurely, the
while guessing their status with his
shrewd eyes. He repeated the orders
into the little cubby hole leading to
the kitchen.
Solitary confinement, eh what? ~
Blackie said to the Fnglishman,
pointing at the forlorn, middle-aged
face Of the cook that peered out Of
the cubby hole and repeated the
orders as if in voice from the
tomb.
Neither Brown nor the others an
swered, but waited with grim pa
tience for their food When it
came. they wolfed it down rapidlv
as if someone were watching over
them Blackie could not be still,
however.
This is better than the damn
beans and rotten stew every day az
the other hotel" he muttered
Real ham and eggs! Oh, bowl"
Brown looked at the clock. 1t
was Just noon. "I guess the bows
are having their grub now" he
said Eyes, there goes the whistle.
Gosh. you can hear it all the way
over herep
The Prison Whistle
Yes, it was the prison whistle, the
high whining blast like the cry of
some cruel, hungry beast ~ prey
rising and falling over the little town
and the flat corn-lands, the voice
| of the master Of life, the voice 81
| the god of the corn-lands. The four
prisoners in this restaurant knew
that call we'll; and everyone in the
town and everyone living on the
corn-lands knew 1t as thoroughly
as they did.
Look" said Blackie, pointing
| through a window behind them,
you can Just see the top Of the
prison walls from here. Who would
have thunk you could see 1t so
far?"
The men turned from their food tr
stare gloomily, while the fat pro-
prietor hid a knowing smile behind
his curled moustaches.
1.-Two thousand men in hell, said
Jones quietly. God, is it worth
while? Twenty-Five of our boys still
in there, ninety-six still in Leaven-
worth!
Jim Downey's got fifteen more
years to go; so has Frank Varro-
chek, Harry BLY,, Ralph Snellins
and four more" said John Brown
quietly. piercing with his deep blue
eyes thru all the distance "And
Jack Small has consumption; and
/ George Mulvane is going crazy
Hill, do you think we'll ever get
'em out aliye?"
Ramon suddenly became hyster-
ical.
He stood up with brandished fists
and shook them at the distant pri-
son, quivering with the rage of 5
years of silence. His olive face
darkened with blood, and locks OF
his long raven-black hair fell in
his eyes, so that he could not see.
He famed into sudden Latin elo-
quence.
"Beastsl" he cried, in a choked-
furious voice. robbers of the poor.
murderers of the young; hangmen.
capitalists, patriots; you think you
have punished usi You think we
will be silent now and not speak Of
your crinesl You dirty fools, you
can never silence usl You can t~'
ture us, you can keep, us in prison
for all our lives"
"Oh, Ramon Blackie cried.
pushing him back into his seat, and
patting him soothingly on the
shoulder. Easy easyl We all feel
as sore as you do, Ramon, and we
hate just as hard. BY God. how We
hate them. But easy now. old
timer, easyl"