Nogales international., 1935-09-28
A LABORING MAN.

see, because the room was so bright
after the dark of the corridor. She,
stood very still for moment with
her eyes wide and blinking. Shei
might have beeM a tiny girl awaken,
| ing from her afternoon nap. Them
she saw a white bed, bed thatl
rose and fell dizzily, because her.
pulses were So unsteady, because
| the tears were crowding to her'
eyes.
In the bed lay Tony, with his,
face white against spotless pillow
and his wide open eyes bluer than
ever, and twisted smile on his face.l
and his arm in sling.
Hello" said Tony weakly.
Hello, Ellen! Pm just rotten
failure-that's all. l can't even pu.
over a good suicide. -"
Ellen stared at him. She didn't
make any answer with words-shel
Inst stared at him. And as she stared
there was something in her gaze!
that burned away every doubt and
every barrier and every moment Of
distress that two silly, cropping
young people had ever known. She
stared at him wordlessly-juSt as al
young Eve must have stared at a.
young Adam when she had first.
awakened in Paradise. And then all
at once she was flying across thet
Iroom, and had dropped on her kneesI
beside the bed. And her lips werel
pressed down hard upon the hands
that lay outside of the coverlet. The,
left hand-the one that wasn't tapedI
down.
That's taking an unfair advan-l
tage," said Tony, weakly, "wheni
you know can't get up. Darling,
|.
Ellen was sitting in the autumn
garden. Her hands were folded, idly.
in her lap. Her eyes, with their
oddly shaped, winglikc brows, were
fixed upon her husbands face.
Tony was sitting beside her in
an old stuffed chair, transplanted
from the living room His legs were
stretched out on bright, chintz-
covered cushions. His face was a
little paler than usual: there was
still hint of brown in it: Only his
arm. in white sling, spoke of what
might have been tragedy.
Its nice out here, said Iony,
"isn't it?"
"Nicer than it ever was before"
said Ellen. She smiled swiftly,
"Nicer than l ever knew it could
be-"
II was afraid" Tony's voice was
serious, "that you'd be unhappy.
: Ellen, coming back this way,
! mean, with me- l was afraid that
, }your mother" he fumbled for
+ r!words. would be just a little too
, close. That you might be lonely
for her"
"Not too close" said Ellen. but
her head was suddenly lowered ,
above her knitting. For among the
flowers she had visioned tall easelI
and a white-haired woman workings
upon a canvas that the easel held.
Lets not talk about my mother,"'
said Ellen, mot just now. lt'si
enough to know that we're here,
and that she knows we are and that.
she understands. We've done enought
going backwards. Tony, let's go'
forward for while"
Perhaps FIVE minutes passed,
Perhaps ten. The cigarette was
thrown away and another cigarette
was lighted. And then Ellen wasI
= conscious of the opening click OF
the garden gate. She struggled to,
her feet and stood waiting and, asi
she waited, she saw an approaching
figure coming toward her down the
garden path. 1t was messenger
boy in the rural idea of uniform
the village had progressed in,
three years! Ellen recognized him
as the youngster who worked
around the postoffice.
ITS letter from the city," She
told Tony as she took square en-
velope from the boys hand. Eag-
erly she slit it open, glanced through
it.
"Its from Claire" she said "and
it's full of news. Nice of Claire.
isn't it, to be writing? She says
r she and Gay are sending me we'd
ding present"
"It's about time somebody did,.
said Tony. He spoke complaccntly.
Ellen went on, ignoring the in-
terruption.
claire says" she told Tony.
that she's taking Dick out for the
weekend to Long Island to meet
her mother didn't know she had
a mother.
Il wonder what that means!" said
Tony.
Ellen moved over. very quietly,
until she could rest her head against
Tony's cushion -propped knee, She
sighed ever SO gently, but Tony.
heard the sigh.
Happy" he asked. Darling"
Ellen answered.
81 wish everybody in the world"
she said-and as she spoke her small,
world, Gay and Sandy and Jane,
and Claire and Dick. were passing
her, in review-"I wish that every.
body were just one-half as happy"
A little leaf, gallant and goldenl
and frail, came floating down from