Evening star., 1934-07-29

a
other beer. Carrie :.
nut in the Calumet the whistles of the
~ mills rumbled hoarsely through coke-oven
smoke and fiue dust for the end of the day
turn. Steve Bratich shambled his raw-boned
hulk homeward.
On his way he stopped in at Mike Hrbacek's
pool hall for a shot of alky He downed three
before he shambled on. Steve printing
himself for a showdown with Carrie Haubert
tonight. He had stood for her monkeyshines
too long
But there was no Carrie at the boarding
house. There was only Mother Haubert,
screaming in fury.
For the girl from the Calumet and the
from the Menominac a dream breathed on.
Five hours drifted by for them like five
bubbles of gold. From the restaurant to the
beach, and then two hours in awning chairs
at the waters edge, where the sand was wet
and cool The lake lifted breeze at last that
chilled the sultry heat into thin fog, dim
and refreshing.
Pigs Ears snoozed In Mr.. LauritSens arms
for spell, then awakened with squeal for
his mother, and in her lap he slept again.
Pete Lauritsen felt a rare urge for speech,
for communion. He talked.
Pete talked of what he knew and tfeas-
ured most Of the Menominac, its lush Sum-
mer grass the groves of oaks and naples, the
clover, the cows the little white cheese fac
tories at the roadside; of his place in the
backwoodS, the pine woods, his shack on
the green bank of a swift creek.
Supper at sunset, in a German kind of place.
A table right above the lake. Wonders to be-
hold The spiderweb of the sky-ride cables
above the lagoon. Airships overhead.
But the spectacle was mainly dim for Carrie
She kept seeing that far-of cottage and creek
and smelling the balsams in the wind. Half
the time she would shut her eyes Then her
at he olv
of Pete Lauritsen losing its ugliness as Pete
and Pigs Ears beamed at each other. Pete was
feeding the kid, awkwardly and sloppily, but
Pigs Ears cared not a hoot for that SO long
he fed.
BY yee he don't get skeered from me yeti"
Pete boasted at least a dozen times. He act
yust like vas his-huh-uncle you bat you"
Now and again doubt would cloud tie
dream for Carrie. Prob'y he's a married man.
Probly he's homesick for his own kids maybe
Just handing me stall. Aw, nuts, forget it,
and have good time while you got the chance
nEEP twilight, and a storm of illumination
- over the Fair Grounds Carrie and Pete
and Pigs Ears were taking it in from strip
of beach between a model house and the lake
In the house they had used lot Of time. There
Pete had talked again, about something he
knew The house was all lumber, the natural
beauty Of the wood unmarried by paint. One
room was paneled in unpainted white pine that
was spotted handsomely with knots.
My shack is fixed like that inside" Pete
boaSted. ''Yesiree, ma'am, yust like that I
feel so guide to see this harl"
Carrie felt good with him Gee it was a
day. Wasn't it something though? Oh boy
"a tired and biSsful sigh as the lights blazed
on. All over. She had to go back-she had to
go back
Hey. Carrie" said Pete anxiously -Ain't
you crying? Watts the matter, hey Carrier"
You wouldn't get it. Pete. It'd just spoil
everything if I told you"
But she told him. 1t was the first chance
she'd ever had to get 1t all of her chest. her
hate for the black hellhole of sand and cinders,
smoke and steel
That's how it is" said Carrie DULY But
there I'm stuck No other place for Pigs
Ears and me- Not these times. ] could stand