The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-06-14
Coward Christian Soldiers"
By ALBERT MALTZ

yelling at the top of her lungs. +,
"Sh," the fat man said with a
scared look coming over his face
and his head jerking around to see
if anyone was watching, Ssh, shut
up. shut up"
Don't you try t'shut me up"
she yelled back at him. II know
what the hell you're after"
The fat man grabbed her, clapped
his hand over her mouth and pull
led her over to the curb. He
started talking fast with his |
mouth down close to her ear. Aft
er a while she stopped making a |
fuss and he let go of her. She
Strengthened up and held out her
hand. He took out his wallet and
handed her a bill. She grabbed it,
folded it carefully and pushed it
down the front of her dress. Then
she patted her breasts, looked up
at him and started to laugh. He
turned her around and gave her a
little shove to start her moving.
She went off down the street
webbing from side to side and
laughing like hell.
l looked back at the kid. His
head was against the wall and he
was holding the cigarette butt be-
tween his teeth with his lips
stretched open so he shouldn't get
them burned. He looked as tho
he hadn't seen a thing.
The fat man came back, looking
up and down the street.
From the next corner / could hear
the Salvation Army spiel going on.
Just about now the 81 usta be a
rum-hound and sinner" would be
telling the crowd how he got all
his sins and impure vices washed
clean by the blood of Jesus Christ
and free board and flop from the
Salvation Army. I knew if l went
down there he'd have whiskeN
nose and broken teeth and he'd bt
hopping around like he had to e
somewhere.
The fat man lit another cigar
: cite. He looked all excited. He
leaned over the boy. GA womal
like that always disgusts me-" h
said. His voice was a it'll
hoarse.
The boy didn't answer him. H
' just raised his hand slowly and
Y picked the butt out from betwee,
e his teeth. He moved like he wa
S half-asleep.
e "a boy like you ought to sta
away from women" the fat ma
said. women like that are di
d seased."
d The boy didn't answer. The ma
y touched his arm with the gol
head Of his cane. "a boy lik
you ought to have job" 3
d paused for a moment. 81 think
< might be able to get one for you
e he suggested.
The boy looked at him.
d "How about it," the fat MAJ
asked.
a The boy waited for while. The
II he spoke. It was for the first
a time and his voice was so low
could hardly hear it. "All right
N he said.
d The man put his arm around Il
8 boys shoulder and started to ia
in a hurry. Listen" he said, Nv
N will go up to my apartment. T.
s. got some stuff to drink and "
IN can have bath and get some d
IN cent clothes. How about it,"
is The boy didn't answer for
ne while. He was staring at Il
ground. When he looked up at t
10 man he was shivering. "Can
q get something to eat ?" he aske
60 "Why of course you can," t
40 fat man replied, call you want.
!, The boy was silent again, loo
ing down at the ground. "You G
- another cigarette ?" he asked hi
~ In the light of the match
% looked hard at the kid. His ia
=, was white and he was crying a
he could hardly hold onto the Ct
arctic.
They walked off down the sire
- the kid walked slow with the
man helping him. to.
4e 1 could hear the Salvation An
,or band on the next corner playi
Onward Christian Soldiers"
=" looked at Ed and he looked at 7
. a I felt like hell. I felt like runni