The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-09-15

"Only two bottles Of beer, your
houor," the woman declared.
The lights at night bother me. |
didn't sec the car"
Worn alibiS, weak excuses, OBJ
icctionS by the defense attorney,
and catch questions by young
Tom Sweeney, the assistant prose
cutor newly assigned to the court
in an effort to check reckless and
dangerous driving.
The woman waived Il jury trial
to be tried by the Judge. Pat
smiled a little. The Judge was
having a hard time trying to give
the case his undivided attention.
She watched his gaze WAIVER over
the court and then focus on the
scene outside. Thinking of pos
Siblc golf game that afternoon
she knew.
Her own eyes followed the line
of the river while the case was
held up for a moment. Not so
many months ago it had been
locked in ice, the ferries, blunt
nosed and putting heavy black
smoke, breaking u path between
the shores. So, too, had her heart
been locked in ice, she thought.
And then Larry had come: Larry
with his eyes like blue, clear ice,
his mouth twisting in that lop-
sided grin, his blond hair like
sunshine. And so, too, had he
broken a path to her heart free
ing it of ice, making it beat with
a new rhythm.
Life had been so empty before
that, she told herself again. Not
that it ha dSccmcd so at tn ctimc.
There had been the happy, care
free years of high school with life
at home casual, comfortable
affair. With Bill and Joe filling
the house with their young
friends, their balls, and bats, BIZ
cycles. books, marbles. With her
mother, easygoing, busy keeping
the house running smoothly and
pleasantly for big Dennis Nc
Graw, an officer in the police de-
partment.
Things had changed swiftly
then; had assumed Kaleidoscope
aspect. Her fathers death in the
line of duty, a rearranged life to
fit widows pension, her own
plans for college changed to a
business course.
Somehow, though, as time went
on. new pattern was formed.
She took job in a lawyers Of
flee. The boys went into high
school. In two more years they
would be finished. Last year she
herself, aided by her fathers old
friends, had secured the position
as court Stcnographer with an OPP
portunitv to make little money
on the side tipping testimony for
attorneys.
Her DAYS had not been drab or
unpleasant. Only she had drifted
along too settled for her years,
too serious, too conscious Of re-
Sponsibilities. Now the burdens
were lightencd, and Larry had
come.
There was nothing about Larry
that she had forgotten. She could
close her eyes now and remember
their first meeting. 1t had been
iust after Christmas on. day
filled with huge, feathery snow
flakes that slipped gently past her
cheeks and chung on her thick
laShcs.
Judge Kelly had asked her to
deliver a paper over to the Para
mount Auto Sales during the af-
tcrnoon. Before going in the big
impressive saleSrooms she had
stood outside in the frosty cold,
pressing her nose against the big
gliStening pane of glass to look at
the limousines, gliStening and
elaborate, at the sporty little road
ster. She Struggled closer in her
coat. pulling the big soft collar up
around her cheeks, holding the
absurdly tiny muff against her
face to stop the wind, wiggling
her toes in the new high-heeled
pumps sensibly protected by the
velvet, fur-topped carriage boots
the boys had given her at Christ
mas.
There was a Christmas tree in
the big salon: modernistic tree
all white and blue. Beside it stood
Larry, his yellow hair shining in
the dim light light like FURNISH
ed can of gold. And then he had
looked at her. at the eager face
pressed against the glass, at the
curling dark hair escaping from
the silly peaked hat that made