The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-01-09

used to run around before he met
YOU"
Bills voice brought her back
to the little blue breskfast nook
and the reality Of the present.
"Quit dawdling. Martha. Paul
and must'hasten to present our
selves, give our pedigree, all
for the glory Of the cause"
They trooped out Of the apart
ment as the part-time maid came
In. She was . dover old Woman
who sent Paul q sharp glance.
"You stay here overnight" she
asked. "Have I got to make up
that living room couch?"
Relax" said Paul, slipping
her the dollar she'd expected.
"Just extra breakfast dishes"
Bill started Peg, amid the
usual thunder, and they drove
of jerkily. IF could afford q
new car"
"When you're in the army,
darling, earning $21 . month,
we'll buy q Rolls"
"Say, you don't really think
they might take me?" Bill ask
ed, in mock alarm.
"Sure they might! With . self
supporting wife, and Q job
where you're not even useful
in defense. What on earth has a
credit manager to do with de-
fense?"
Assistant credit Manager"
said Bill. Gosh, I bet they do
draft me, after ALL"
They were to remember that,
later, when the QUESTIONABLE
came. Because Bill Marshalrs
serial number had been among
the first drawn in the nstional
lottery in Washington.
"They won't take you," Mar
tina said. you're q married
man. 1t was just-chance-that
they drew your number"
Paul laughed when he heard
about it. "Hi, General!"
But he didn't think they'd
take Bill, either. It was only
when Bill was ordered to report
for physical examination that
they became uneasy. "And I'm
so damn healthy!"
wait" Paul comforted. what
till they get a load of your knock
knees"
"Tll have you understand"
Martha informed him primly,
my Bill has beautiful knees"
She wished, unhappily, they
weren't quite so beautiful when
Bill returned to tell her: "Tm in
Glass l."
ooh, Bill, no! You're married.
You can't be drafted"
"But I can. You can hardly be
classed as a dependent, earning
almost twice as much as I do.
You got along all right before
we were married"-there was
no bitterness in his voice-"and,
I hate to admit, you contribute
more to the support of the house
hold than do"
But, Bill, you'll be credit
manager in no time. And can
quit my Job" They had discus
sed all this before they married.
But the army won't wait. !
couldn't lie about it, Martha. !
had to admit the facts. You don't
need me. I'm physically At. My
work is not important to defense.
Besides, it's our duty-my duty,
anyway"
But, somehow, Martha was
sure they wouldn't call him.
They simply had to take all the
single men first. There were
others eager to volunteer. There
was need for only a small per-
centage of the men available.
Yet each morning - they
passed the mailboxes in the YES
tibule, Bills eyes looked for a
letter. And each evening, Mar
tina sighed with relief when they
found the box empty.
One morning, while they were
still at breakfast, the telephone
rang. Bill answered. "The desk
clerk" he said, replacing the
telephone. Probably wants to
know when we're going to pay
the rent. Be right back"
He returned before she had
finished her coffee. There was
a long white envelope in his
hand.
All at once the table, the walls
were swimming dizzily. Then
Bill was beside her, his arms en-
folding her, tenderly. And In
his fingersNthat white envelope.
Martha" he said tightly,
Martha, this is it! Induction or
dor T'x,n hoou drof<nSvS