Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-12-31
Daily Short Story
Until Midnight
Nv RALPH CoNISToN


TO HIS more intimate friends
and on New Years Eve that IN
cluded everyone in his party al
least Perry Vain explained that
this was triple celebration
To begin with m was New
Years Eve. In The second pace.
Just one year AGO Perry and Gale.
his wife. Rad come 10 Tho part
Inc Of the ways. Just as nc Ne"
Year had been born, them romance
had dIed-no had met violent
death. And the scene had been
this same Club Randor. which
Perry asserted. VAS showing by .fS
revelry tonight that INC aUnNor-
sary Of such IN event was an or-
caSion for celebration.
And laSt-"At the hour OF mid
night, starting the New Year
right. I'll he free man Perry
announced triunphart.N ANXIOUS
j 10 please their host. ms guests
greeted his words with applause
and cheers-aN except sam Col
ter.
When the noise had died down
q little. Sam leaned over and
asked. DO YOU mean you'l he
divorced l thought that Gale got
her decree months ago"
1T WAS TEMPORARY
cit was only a temporary de-
cree. Sam. m'lAd. InterlocutorN,
they call II. The laW doesn't ad-
init that people like us have
sense enough 10 realize when
we're through; 81 II provides
that II they don't get together
again before certain time
Z: they're divorced. And tonight's
the night. Have n drink"
81 don't mind " do said
/ lovely voice in back Of him. TO
nights the night for celebration,
1 Isn't it,
I Gale" Perry exclaimed. ris-
| Ing 10 tower over her fragile.
1 blond charm. II didn't expect
TO see Won" His glance went
/ beyond her to her escort. Greg
I Milford. whom he greeted with
the hareSt- nod. a-Hed- So slight
that one had 10 he watching
I closely 10 catch II al all.
why not ." Gale demanded. |
"Why shouldn't I he here:
= have as much reason to cele-
brste rs YOU. In fact. more.
7 You see. Greg and are getting t
married In the morning"
!. well. con ratuIs ions"
o doomed Perry. "Congratula lions
and best wishes. Your let us
: help you celebrate, OF course,
won't you"
HERE WITH PARTY
c "Only for minute" said
: Gale. her blue eyes smiling
''We,re here with n party, and
9 we have TO reioin them as soon
G ~ we have this one drink for the
: sake Of old times"
"Don't say for the sake Of old
Z times" Perry remarked. "Say
: for the sake Of new times. Say |
for the sake of better DAYS 10 |
~ come. That's what you really /
) mean. isn't II:
let ID 90 at that, Perry" she
answered. "You always were
> marvellous at telling me what l
really meant" She raised the
: glass which the waiter had just
put in her hand. ITO better days
= To come she toasted: and |
: Perry. looking at her intently.
echoed. ITO tetter days TO.
GOMEZ
She put her glass down empty.
y "Well, darling, ! hate TO leave
\ you while you're still my hus-
o band. But you understand how
= II Is"
), "Yes. 7 understand how II Is. |
And you're not leaving me for
long-not long while you're still
" my wife"
= NO" she smiled. "Just until
midnight. Signing of: Yours
= truly, your wife until midnight"
4 ROUNDS OF DRINKS
4 New Years Eve parties are al
ways merry. and Perry insisted
that his be the merriest Round
after round of drinks came and
c went. and those al the table be-
~carne boisterous-all except two
= Sam Golfer drank sparingly. And
" Perry put his drinks inside one
7 after the other-without showing
the slightest effect.
81 Sam watched him with a
SAuN>u AARA