The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-06-28
CHAPTER V

Hardly had MT. Ed (WeaseD Wcynowski made his announce ment when he came within an ace not of getting out of the U. s. A., but of shuffling of this mortal coil altogether.
 The Ford had been approaching a sizeable bend in the highway and i MT. Sandman, engrossed in his fascinating conversation with the Weasel, was hogging the road a little. But as roadhogger MT Sandman was just a piker com- pared to MT. Antonio Giuseppe Tarantino, late of the wrong side of the tracks in Genoa, Italy. i MT. Antonio Giuseppe Tarantino ! had charge of truck carrying a consignment of live poultry des- tined for the markets of New York City. All the way from the vii cinity of Troy MT. Tarantino's journey had been uneventful. The result was that he had become careless. His fingers were relaxed on the wheel. His eyes scanned 1 the road ahead but cursorily. And, as he bowled along with i Latin abandon, his powerful voice was raised in his own version of I'll Trovatore," which was acom- panied by occasional symphonic overtones from the fowls in the rear.
 As he approached the bend, MT. Tarantino's rendition of "Il Tro- vatore" was just ending. But he was artist enough to know that a good singer always gives a song the full works on the final notes. Wherefore MT. Tarantino threw back his head, opened his mouth terrifying and grave. I'll Trova- tore" all he had. His truck ca reened around the curve almost in the middle of the road.
 Joe Sandman perceived this Juggernaut roaring down upon him a fraction of second before MT. Tarantino became aware of the danger He sWerved the Ford sharply to the right. A split in stant later Antonio Giuseppe ! Tarantino got wise to himself 'Jl Trovatore,' died unfinished on his lips. A short babbled prayer to his gods replaced it. With quick heave he swung his wheel, alec to the right.
 There followed five separate events of more or less importance. CD The Ford delivery truck oper- ated by MT. Joseph Sandman darted gaily off the road, nuzzled it's front fender agsnst a telegraph pole and stopped. CD The truck piloted doubtfully by MT. Antonio Giusep- De Tarantino, sometime Genoese, did kind of ponderous version of the Big Apple off the other side of the road, crashed against a low 1 stone wall and languished there. (3) Three crates of live chickens of the i Rhode Island Red variety fell off the back of MT Tarantino's truck and broke open. (D Miss Kelly Archer woke up with forgN- able start (5) Ed the Weasel got off one of the finest, most fluent oaths within the memory of man. Then, for a second, there were no sounds on the Albany Post Road save a frenzied clucking from the rear regions of the chicken truck.
 Kelly was the first to speak.
 Mice going" she said. Its a wonder we aren't all dead"
 Ed the Weasel began to fume. He was annoyed at the delay and he cast about to find someone upon whom to put the blame. MT. Joe Sandman appeared as likely prospect as any.
 Now look what you went an done" he said aggrievedly.
 The injustice of this smote Joe.
 "Me?" he calculated. My gosh, but for me you'd be tuning up a harp about now. It was that guys fault. Whoever's driving that truck"
 Over on his side of the road Antonio Giuseppe Tarantino was coming to in the front seat of his truck. Not that MT. Tarantino hao been knocked out. It took more than a little motoring accident to knock out such as MT. Iarantlno. But he had been shocked and dazed. Now, however, what wits he had slowly collected them selves.
 Antonio had not been in Amer lea for very many years. But he had resided long enough to know that the best way to comport ones self after an automobile crash is to howl at the other fel- low first. He climbed down out of his truck with the intention of bowling in big way.
 He had thought to howl all by himself, as howls the lone wolf in the tall timber. But fate had seen fit to provide him with assistance. AS he began picking his way across the road, a strong consign- ment of clucking chickens fol- lowed, doubtless perceiving in him