The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-23
GOING EAST
Novel of PrOIetariGn Life
BY DANIEL WITT

you. did they2 An what right YOU
got TO talk about them like that?
Maybe they're lookin' for work. An
don't fret, Ed. There amt nothin'
to steal" she yelled, waving her
skinny hands.
CLIFF found a defender in the old
v woman. There was chance to
stay over night if he could quiet
the old guy. He thought Of telling
a hardluck story, maybe that would
work.
IF I'd get somethin' to do, I'd
feel lucky" he said.
For day or two" Pop snarled.
1t didn't matter to him whether
Cliff wanted to work He was lust
sore because the young fellow lied
and the old lady stuck up for him.
IF could get job, Mister Ed,
1 sure would stick to it. Been kick
IN aroun' since I was a kid tryin,
to make Twin.
He stopped, thinking what else to
say. The old woman stood shaking
her gray head. pityingly. ,4
He continued: Things are pretty
slow now. It's darned hard to pick
up a job. I couldn't get a thing in
home town. People said that down
East there is a lot Of work. We'll.
I'm goin' there. Meanwhile I try to
nick up Somethin' to 90 to make nv
expenses. Gee! If could get some
thin to do. Do you know Of any
thin'?"
There was silence. Cliffs story
sounded true to Pop. It was STRAIGHT
from the shoulder stuff. He knew
lots Of fellows that we're out Of
work. There was talk going on that
there might be lay-off in his shop.
too. He was likely to be in the same
boots as this fellow, having to hunt
for job He began to think diff
ferently about this lad. He Ioosened
up.
We'll" he said, putting at his
pipe, Il don't know where you can
get a job now. Don't know If they'd
put anybody on at the Macks. where
I work But maybe Burk could use
a boy some place. Wen go UP in
the mornin' an see"
That1l be fine. 1t sure would be
big lift for me if could get on
there" Cliff said.
IT GOT dark. Pop lit the lamp.
The old woman was busting
about. bringing In old coats and
spreading them on two wooden
benches, making a bed for the lad.
Cliffs bones ached. He lay down.
He thought he was lucky to meet
this woman. She bothered about
him as if he were her own son. He
liked her. 1t seemed to him that
she ives like his mother. He be-
gan to think about her. Where
could she be now? What was she
doing? He hadn't seen her since he
ran away from home.
He had become tired Of hanging
around the small town, being an err
rand boy for Greenfleld's Real Es-
tate Corporation. He wanted to go
on the road and see things. He
told his ma that he wanted to go to
big city and get somewheres in
the world Ma wouldn't let him. He
was too young to go by himself.
ONLY fifteen. she said. But Cliff
had been on his own since his old
man died. He didn't listen to her.
With two bits in his pocket he set
out to satisfy his urge for adYen-
ture. Ma yelled and cried.
From the thought Of his mother
he began to think Of the four years
that he had been tramping. He
had combed the roads, riding
freights, speeding by widening
fields. dotted with some stacks:
glowing steel mills; mine tipples;
large pasturing f1ocks of the great
Texas steppes. He had been in
cities large and small. He had
lodged bulls and once spent three
months in pen. He bad slept in
many q fiophouse and boxcar, and
under the bare sky on cold ground.
When he thought of the cold
night shiver passed through him.
If not for the old woman he might
have had to spend another night
in the street. and the wind outside
bowling with moan. He was glad
that he was under a roof With a
feeling Of contentment, he sank into
sleep. TO be Continued)