The times-news., 1936-10-27
SALUTE TO ZOzhe
BY Rsehl Msek
O ~ MA Ss-s<~ -

night was bright with moonlight.
ITS lust what last night should
have been, and wasn't" Kate said
wistfully. Ii was her first alluSlon
to her party'S miserable failure.
She wanted Morgan to reassure
her. To tell her it wasn't as bad
as she thought. did you ever
know such mess as last night
was?"
"Um-m," he said, lighting a Gig
aret and shielding the match.
Tho things happen
Kate swallowed. Some of you
went to the Elwclls' afterward'
didn't you?"
"Yes. Eve said they had some
Georgia watermelons on ice. so
we dropped by to sample EN-.
Listen, Kate. there's something we
ought to talk about
"Yes?" anxiously.
"We've been practically engag-
ed for over year. something
ought 20 be done about it. I've
been thinking it over
"Oh, Morgan Then caution
seemed to walk toward her, finger
on lip. Maybe he was trying to-
end il! Go slow, Kate. Save your
pride Eyes, Morgan?" she said,
quietly and attentively.
He spoke bluntly, "We could
get married any time if you would
do something conclusive about the
situation at home.'
AT whose home?" Kate asked
blankly. What situation, Nor
gan"
Your family, mean. You
couldn't expect young man just
getting started to shoulder bur-
den like that, you know
Nv hat is there to shoulder, Nor
GAM" !
your grandfather" he replied
impatiently. And Caroline. And
the negro family
Kate was bewildered. She sought |
to set him right. They'd have
nothing to do with our marriage,
Morgan. Id 20 to you. They'd
stay ut home. where they are
i've thought it out" he re-
marked in a court room voice.
They'd be living on us in no
time"
Kate's face famed in the dark |
ness. Her pride was smarting, yet,
because she loved the person who
was wounding her, she humbled
herself to reason with him. Gran
dad has his SpaniSh-American pen
sion, Morgan. And the little
house and 20 acres of land. Why
should he and Caroline and Zeke |
and Althy want to come and live
with u.s."
They'll find the pension barely
keeps them. How'll he pay his
taxes and the repairs?"
"He expects to raise small to-
bacco crop next year
Hell not succeed" Morgan
said harShly. Hes always been
i failure. You might as well face
it. And there's Caroline. Trained
to do nothing, and as helpless as
q child. As for Xeke and Althy,
their working days are about over.
They're going to be a dead weight
on somebody's hands soon. The lit
tie one ought to be sent packing,
too"
"Rutherford's got mean step
father" Kate said apolegetically.
"He hasn't any place to 60" She
could not summon courage to de-
fend the others. She asked, like
person hypnotized, What is it
you want done with them all,
Morgan"
81 want you to send Heke and
Althy away. The boy, too. | want
YOU to see that Caroline takes n
short vocational course of some
kind and gets a job. Preferably not
too close TO home. The farther
away she gets, the more backbone
she'll develop. And | want to see
your grandfather settled in some
good home for old veterans"
You'd scatter US, Morgan. Like
war; Kate sat quietly, not able
to think very clearly because he
had put his arm around her. Then,
"You don't know what you're ask
ing, 1t would break their hearts.
1t would crush Gran'dad's pride
and spirit and heart. listen. dear,
pleadingly, "we're all he has left
to love. No matter how comfort
able the home was, he'd eat his
heart out for his own roof and his
own flesh and blood. You can't
uproot old people, Morgan"
Sometimes it's necessary he
answered stubbornlv. "lf you and
| get together, Wen have to clear
the way" He was thinking in
eyasperation, "Why do | care
whether | get her or not? be-
lieve | could have Eve. Why in
the devil do | find this one the
more attractive Of the two?" 1t
was the only thing in his success
full. selfishly planned young life
that failed to conform.