Evening star., 1940-04-21


afternoon talking with him.
Joe's heart lodged, hot and dry, in
his throat. He had to drive that truck
he next trip. 81 - she'll only be here
few minutes" he said when they
we're halfway across the yard; he
couldn't speak before then. "She Il
got letter and she said she was going
nome for the week end and could only
irop in a few minutes. I'll take the
truck. =" His speech choked off as
ne saw Smitty emerge from the guard
captains office Smitty was the deputy
sheriff who had brought Joe to prison
two years ago.
Hello, Joe," Smitty said. and Joe
realized he'd been staring.
Brought in couple of new Ones
the guard said to Joe. "Smitty did"
Joe Bell remembered that Smitty had
given him a shot of raw whiskey on
the way to the prison two years ago;
and now Joe felt the desire for another
one. He was all right. but that whiskey
would come in handy anyhow.
Joe, honey They were on either
side of the long table, leaning across
to each other. Lilies lips were soft.
and so warm he knew his we're dead
cold. Honey -" They sat little
while on opposite sides of the table,
holding hands over the partition board
running down the center. She had
changed some in the two years. and 1t
always hurt him to realize it. She had
lost some weight. and her coat was
threadbare on the sleeves and collar.
She was paying her money to lawyer
to work for parole Hard little worry
lines were forming on her face.
lHEY talked little, and Joe kept
watching the wall clock They didn't
mention parole any more; it was too
near and too big, now, too tremendous
to be uttered. Lille had spent week
end in Frampton - salesman in the
Office had been going and it didn't cost
anything and everything back home
was just the same You'd hardly know
you'd been away, she said. There were
birds in that nest in the old split tree
by the section corner They'd built
new wing on the church, and cut down
the old poplars in front Of the yelling
place. Florence and Orville Hess had
new baby - that made three now
and it was funny thinking of them as
folks with a family; and Eunice
Knutson was getting married to Don
Seeley. The CCC boys had made a
road out of that old mountain trail
they used to hike. She'd seen her folks
for nice visit, and her father was
wanting to take things easy as soon as
Joe came back to handle the place.
A man would never get rich on that
place; he'd never starve, either. Her
father was getting on now. He had to
hire help for the busy seasons, and on
farm man can't afford to hire cash
help; he's got to trade work around.
He'd had an offer for the place, but he
wanted the land to stay in the family.
He would hang on until Joe and Lille
came to take over :. And as Lille
talked about the old place and the old
town and the old days, the hard little
worry lines went away and her face
was full and fresh like he remembered
it back before he and the State began
marking off the hours together,
Talking with Lille had lifted him
through many of those long dark hours
he had tolled off with the State The
words and the memories and the
promise had been things to clutch at.
for two years is long time to count
hours, and there are some things
man can't think about too much. with
safety; Lille was the shield against
IT'S j FACT...