The Washington times., 1938-02-14

crowded that there was scarcely
room, or time, for decent heart
break. There were just days fol
Rosa. Days and babies and jot
in . factory and weeks. Anc
babies again To say nothing
Of a scraggly tan puppy which
Rosa had not the courage tt
drown.
Or so Rosa told herself. She
said she had not the courage tt
get rid Of a puppy. Could it have
been, rather, that Rosa was toe
hurt, too Inundated, to admit the
real reason? Rosa would have
perished before she would admit
that the pup remained-its greedy
mouth always begging-because
Mario had brought it home. And
what Mario brought
But Mario had stopped bring
ing anything home. Even him
self. Mario was gone; where
Rosa did not know. She knew
only that she was husbandless
that Mario no longer loved her,
that the world held only misery
Misery-and her babies.
STRAYED BUT ONCE
What if the babies were
Mario's? Who cared that little
Dinini, his black eyes wise be.
yond his six short years, was
what the American neighbors
called "the spittin' image of his
father? What difference that
Tony's chin-s u bborn an d
dtmpled-threatened always to
bring unbidden tears to Rosa's
eyes because of another chin that
had been dimpled and stubborn
and kissable? Could Totos club.
bineSS or the new bambino's help
lesSness Danish the emptiness of
lonely woman'S heart?
At first Rosa told herself they
could. But that was at first !;
that was when Mario had stormed
out of the house; when she had
thought he would return.
Now Rosa knew better. She
knew, too, that losing Mario had
been her fault. If only she had
not nagged! II only she had
laughed, and maybe Scolded good,
naturedly,as wise Mrs. O'Rafferty
did when Mr.. O'Rafferty drank
too much! If only she had not
called Mario names!
Miserably now Rosa looked
about the small kitchen. Right
there, leaning drunkenly against
the red'checkered table, Mario hac
stood. She had noticed his eyes
first; had felt her throat contract
1t had been like staring down 6
stranger. How could he? How
could Mario, who for seven years
had been the dearest husband in
the world, have got drunk and
gambled away $12 of their week.
" $18! How were they to live
until next payday? Suppose one
Of the children should be sick
and need a doctor. A fine father
her children had. .Mario-drunk!
"AND I STAY OUT"
IF I am bum and a loafer,' u
he had cried, his voice cracking
with rage, Il get out. And I stay!
ALI the years I do no play, I give
to you everything, and once-onIy
once-because I spin a wheel to
make you maybe a beautiful
dress"
Rosa looked at the clock. Nine
O'Clock. The little kitchen was
in order, and the last baby asleep
In the morning she must be up
at S o'clock. 1t took time to wash
dishes and straighten four rooms
and dress three babies before she
took them to Mrs. O'Rafferty, who
would keep them until the day
at the factory would be ended.
And then would come another
night. Like this one. Alone She
looked at the doing puppy, curlec
snail-like on the rug before the OF
stove. A thread of steam rosC
from the pan Of water atop the
stove as her eyes moved to a cal
endar on the wall. February 14tt
She lifted the red paper hear
which lay in her lap, and laid i
against her cheek. Dear littlt
Dimini; he had not forgotten her
She re-read the childish, crayonec
scrawl =.
Be My Valentine. Embellishec
by flowers and an arrow and ;
blob which Rosa knew was sup
posed to be a bow-knot. Be M,
Valentine!
BUT SIX TINES
Once-no, six times-Mario hat
said those words. italians revel
ance Valentines Day. Mario hat
told her what the day meant; hoy
it had begun. He said there wer
two saints, one a priest and tn
other bishop. whose festivals ia,
on February 14th. Mario had eve
known that the saints lived in tn
third century, and died on tn
same day. And Mario said ths
one Of the saints used to go fror
house to house, leaving food o
the doorsteps of the poor. Ths
was why you weren't supposed
know where a valentine cam
from. February 14th was a ds
for lovers, Mario had said.
Anger gripped Rosa. Anger an
resentment and restlessness. ST.
had been seated only a few mi