The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-12-01

take. Now, stamping out of
frost of the East Side dusk,
last straw.
He never had loved Molly. BY
her actions that afternoon she had
shown how little she cared for
him. He scowled to himself as he
realized that he had been put out
of his own home.
It was all their parents fault,
anyway. He and Molly had known
each other since they were chill
dren. They had been friendly, af-
fsctionate even, but they hadn't
loved each other.
Their parents, overlooking that
angle of it entirely, had hammered
relentlessly at the pair of them for
years; in their set, foreign way,
they wanted to see their children
married. 1t was the dream Of their
lives.
Molly didn't love him any more
than he loved her; she was pretty
and attractive, and could have had
her pick of any of the boys in the
neighborhood. But she had mar
ried him.
LOST JOB
Well, this would be the end Of
it. Things had gone along fairly
well until three weeks before, when
he lost his job. Their slender saw
ings gone, it was a struggle to
make both ends meet. Molly
wanted him to go to GrosSman, a
friend of her fathers, who had a
big produce market.
GroSsman always had liked Nat,
and, through Molly's father, had
offered him a fine job as manager
OF his market when he learned
that Nat was out of work. Molly
argued-and rightly, even Nat was
forced to admit to himself-that
1t was a fine opportunity.
But Nat stubbornly refused to
see Grossman and refused to give
Molly a reason for it. To himself
he confessed that was only be-
cause her father had paved the
way.
That afternoon had brought the
climax. He had come home tired
from his morning round Of job
hunting, tired and discouraged.
Then Molly had begun her nag
ging, insisting that he get out of
the house, that he go down to
see GroSsman.
"Of course, if you prefer living
on your folks or mine instead of
working, that's your affair."" she
had said. But, if / were a man
and knew there was job waiting
for me, I know I couldn't sit in
the house and do nothing about it.
How can you sit here? The house
is no place for man during the
day-Why don't you get out?"
She had been so naggingly in
sistent about that that Nat final
ly got up, damned his hat on
his head and stalked into the
street.
He felt none of the carly win
ter cold as he marched angrily to
Cheeseman's place; there -7as too
much rage within him. He plan
ned a scathing refusal of Gross
mans terms when he reached his
office above the huge market.
FINE CHANCE
But Grossman was much too
cordial for that. And Cheeseman's
offer was so good that he couldn't
possibly refuse it; it was the
chance of a lifetime-a salary
that fairly staggered Nat, and a
share in the profits besides.
But we will talk no more about
business now," said GrosSman. He
reached into his desk and drew
out a bottle and two glasses. 1T
is getting dark and the darkness
is the beginning of Chanukah, or
Festival of the Candles.
I'VE will have a little drink to
start the holiday right, Ell? And,
as my Chanukah present to you,
there is this job. You will start on
Monday. And now we will drink. "
Grossman voiced the toast, May
we see your sons following you in
this business. And a blessing on
your wife"
The phrase rang in Mats ears as
he made his way home. Thought
of Molly brought a sudden sus-
picion.
His suspicious, apparently, were
confirmed when he got home. It
was dark there. The apartment
was deserted. A flash of jealousy
stabbed through him. That was
why she wanted him out of the
house-so he wouldn't know that
she was going to meet some one.
Probably one of the boys she had
seen before she married him. He
laughed bitterly; Chanukah-like
Christmas, a joyful, festive season.
But not for him; with faithless
wife who didn't love him, there
wasn't even a meal waiting for
him.
In disgust, he turned from the
living room without even bother.
ing. to switch on the lights. He
went into the bedroom and YEARLY
flung himself across the bed.
Soon the fatigue of his brisk
walk and the liquor he had drunk
at Grossman's took their effect
and he drowsed. He was awakened
by voices from the next room
after a door slammed shut.
I'm so glad Nat isn't home yet.
Molly said. II was only next door
hut I mag dn1ound and didn't