The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-29

WIFI
VI.
CLIFF was thinking hard about
Edna. She stuck in his mind no
matter what he was doing. Never
felt that way before about a girl, :"
he said to himself. Lentz's talk Of
her being stuck up made him feel
a bit uneasy. At any rate, he'd have
to dress up nicely and try not to be
tough.
He didn't pay for his board, Dor
rowed four dollars from Lentz and
bought a suit. 1t wasn't a new
enc, but looked good on him.
When he went to meet her he
thought of buying box of candy,
but had only one dollar and that
he might have to spend for show.
He felt rotten about it.
He was trying to think of some
interesting stories to tell her. He
thought of this and that No, none
Of them would do. No hobo stories
would do. Well, when the time
came something would come up,
He paced back and forth near
her house for some time. His heart
jerked. If she didn't show up
An hour passed. He didn't know
what to do. Go inside the house?
She might not like It. Finally
Edna came out
Gee, I thought you wouldn't
come. I been around here, gee. I
don't know how long been around
here"
"You came way ahead of time"
Edna laughed.
'cNo kiddin'? That's one on me-"
Cliff said, blushing.
They walked off to see a show.
1t was funny picture and they
both chuckled. Cliff felt good hold
ing her white hand. He didn't try
to kiss her. He made up his mind to
be nice.
WHEN they got outside, the dark
W pavements were covered with a
white blanket. They stood watching
the small fakes of snow, sparkling
silvery in the blinking electric
lights. But the streets soon became
deserted and the lights were put
out. They walked back home.
Cliff began telling her stories. He
cracked jokes and Edna laughed.
you're pretty good talker,
boy" Edna commented.
well, if a fellow meets people, he
hears lots of things. and knows
what to talk about" Cliff felt proud
and fiattered.
"You amt any of the town boys,
are your"
mo, I come from out West. I
Just came here to visit my aunt. I
kind of like this town so I got a
pretty good job at the Macs and
might stay"
who is your aunt?P Edna cut in.
God. why did I say that?" Cliff
thought. "Oh, I don't think you
know her"
There amt nobody I don't know
in this town." she said.
Cliff didn't know whom to name.
The landlady was the only one he
knew.
Mrs. Person." he said, and
abruptly switched the conversation
to the town and the weather.
They sat on the porch joking and
talking. They also kissed and pet
ted. she combing his blond hair
with her fingers. They were both
happy.
Cliff met her two and sometimes
thy>e times week. The other
nights she'd be busy at her fathers
store.
He'd take her to the movies or to
a dance, but he had little money to
spend and felt pretty bad that he
couldn't buy her the things that he
wanted to.
CLIFF began to look around for a
v job that paid more money. He
thought if only he could get a bet
ter job he could talk to Edna about
getting married. He asked some of
the boarders if they knew of any
thing. They said there we're hun
dreds of men walking the streets
and there was no chance of getting
any work. Cliff tried to find some
thing at the Macs that paid more
money. There was nothing doing.
Instead there was lay off.
Many men were discharged. Cliff
got away with it. He was shifted to
q new job as an assistant fireman.
George, the new foreman, told him
that if fellow puts his noodle to
the work. he could learn to take
care Of the boilers himself, which
would earn him a lot more money
than being an apprentice. Cliff was
happy. He thought he'd got a
break. But when his new chief ex-
planned ell the intricacies of the
controlling valves and the AMOUNT
of coal he'd have to shovel into the