The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-03-16
He Never Told
a Lie
BY EMILY MARGARET WALSH
g Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

| eyes on the pavement, ploWed
homeward. He was bordering
heavily on the terrifying thing that
had happened to him, and he felt
bewildered and frightened. He had
lost his job.
| When Blake had arrived at sew
en- o'clock and found him staring in
horror at the raging torrent which,
with the rain and thaw, had swept
away the first frail structure of the
bridge, it had been like a night
mare.
IT told you to look out for thisl"
Blake had roared. ''What d'you
think we hire a night Waterman
for? 1 told you all you had to do if
things looked bad was to phone mel
Well! What have you got to say?"
Giuseppe had said in his sketchy
English: 81 fall asleep. I iusta woke
up minute ago."
"You fell asleep" Blake repeat
ed. you're through Come back
tomorrow for your pay. No, I'll
send it; l don't want to see you
again"
Incoherently Giuseppe appealed.
He'd had no sleep for two days. His
wife had pneumonia. Blake left him
talking. Giuseppe gathered his coat
and hat, his lunch box, and left.
He stopped on the corner to wait
for the light to change. His absent
gaze fell on poster. 1t was like the
posters they had last fall at election
time; but Giuseppe didn't think
! there was any election now. He had
been in America less than a year
and there were many things he did
not know. The man in the poster
wore a uniform and had long hair.
Perhaps he was a great soldier:
there was his name beneath. Giu-
seppe sounded it out: George
Washington.
The children, Manuel and Rosa,
bounded to meet him at the door.
mo school today, Papa" little Rosa
shouted in broken English. "You
can sleep today. Manuel and me, we
weel tax care off the mama"
From the bedroom his wife's
voice sounded weakly. cit is nice,
Giuseppe, isn't it? I am much bet
ter today and the children can look
after me-"
He sat by the bed and pressed her
hand. How could he tell her?
why is there no SCHOOL," he
asked tiredly.
'Eet is because eet is the brit day
off the Georgia Washington" little
Rosa pronounced.
"Please-please, Rosa" Giuseppe
said shaking his head YEARLY,
speak in Italian. I am so tired-it
makes me dizzy to listen and I'M
derstand"
Obediently Rosa ratified in their
native tongue. George Washington
was the first president of the United
States. He was called the father of
his country. He fought many battles
and he never told lie," she ended
breathlessly.
Giuseppe laughed shortly. "He
never told a lie. What a fool! He
must have had many troubles"
At five o'clock the children woke
him. Papa, get up. You'll be late
for work"
go away" said Giuseppe who
was never cross. II don't go to
work today" He sat up and looked
duly about. mo-" he said. "I don't
have to. Today is a holiday, isn't
it? They said l don't have to work
tonight"
The children still chartered about
Washington as they prepared his
evening meal. "And look" Manuel
said, what we made yesterday"
! He displayed paper Ratchet and
tree. when George was a little boy
he chopped down his fathers best
tree and when they said who did it
he said: I cannot tell lie, Papa,
did it,"
"And what did the papa say?"
Giuseppe inquired ironically.
He said he would not whip him
because he told the truth"
Giuseppe digested this. "How do
you know this is true?"
Rosa's eyes grew round. "The
teacher read it out of the history
book"
Someone pounded on the door.
Giuseppe raised his voice. "Rosa,
see who. it is"
A man IS VICE said: docs Giu-
seppe Del Costa live here?"
Blake! He had brought the pay
envelope and would give everything
away. Giuseppe hurried to the door.
'Oh, hello, Del Costa" Blake said
before he could be silenced. q
well, l changed my mind"
"Changa you min?'" Giuseppe
shook his head dumbly.
You'd better come to work to-
night. A lot of fellows would have
lied. You see," he grinned, my
kids got to telling me what they
learned about George Washington.
Not telling lies and so on-and-
well, get your things and ride down
with mel"
Food of Sea GullS
Sea gullS are literally hying an