Evening star., 1941-04-27

could become cherished friends OF the family perhaps an
unCle-ish sort of way.
So nothing would break up the foursome Everything
would always be lust fine.
That before anyone realized just how profoundly a
named Hitler going to affect the lives of American
young Event piled event. but Pen and Rudy
and graduated and Rudy selling bonds Pen Jason
returning the ~" to study law Henry Mayo was
service manager for Emerton Motors by then
Franny growing oveer and she often had the
three out for meals She could cook we'll Rudys
mother PENS Henrys, they all enthusiastically
declared.
Then the middle October was upon them after that all
the young carried cards
oU might have known that Rudy West wouldn't wait to
be drafted He the first say goodby off join the
corps He had them all dinner at the Emerton House to
tell hem and afterward they drove him the Rudy
was just the type to be aiman dasng adventurous
brave 1t easy picture him wheeling with winged squad
rons against the blue of far Texas sky
Rudy pulled Henry side at the station There's
something want you to do for me- he said Take my
girl while I'm away
Henry having difficult time to keep from blinking
He hated like anything losing friend saying long
time goodby to
But, Sure will, Rudy" he got out
So nights when Pen Jason busy Henry took Franny
all around: MOVIES riding drugstore drifting anything that
Franny wanted to do.
She didn't say anything about something special having
occurred between Rudy West and herself But then you'd
hardly expect girl like Franny discuss such thing before
all their plans we'll laid
They talked about Rudy, though Henry would say: Gosh
Id like to have his moxe ID get dizzy going up But Rudy?
SAY He'll be acct,
To which Franny seemed silently to agree
Then suddenly Pen Jason also saying goodby them
He had Franny and Henry to dinner too Pen off to Wash
ngton where he sad he had the right kind friends The
kind he hoped who could get him into Intelligence Ine-
genCe, said Pen, would be his dish
WELL, it ,od be- thought Henry, who had hazy ideas
founded mostly what he'd in the movies Things like
embassy teas with sleek fured and wedessed
moving casually about Pen could hold up his end He'd
be and smooth and peceptve and keeny adequate
to anything he met
As Rudy had just before the train pulled out Pen pulled
Henry side.
Take of my girl pal" Pen said him. Once again
Henry felt PARKWAY choked up. you bet will Pen" he
managed to say.
And he did. He took of Framy for both of them.
He particular that she had dull lonely
evening. They had to talk about now.
Henry did anyway Franny seemed strangely silent when he
talked of how wonderful it to have friends,
the of the service and the other in Intelligence less
Henry guessed silent because she was trying to
make her mind He knew she the night she turned and
said "You couldn't help any,"
About what, Franny?"
About Rudy and Pen" Franny said
Well, he admitted he really couldn't Neither one had
single fault About halfway through his long recital of their
virtues, Franny left him and went into the house.
You could have blackacked Henry with bown-up paper
bag when the from the draft board arrived Not that
he hadn't expected it sometime But this particular
day, simply because like all his other days. with the
usual tasks to be done.
f1E and they stripped him poked him and
listened the things that made him CO. They jovay told him
he healthy bazes and where and when report again
He to take the down-sate Tuesday morning
for Fort Benjamin Harrison where few hundred young
would be received and sorted out.
On Sunday Rudy West came back 1t wasn't very happy
reunion for Rudy feeling pretty low. He'd missed the
boat with the air His reexes weren't to par He'd
too football didn't know