Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-18
'6R,igl4s,
Side
by DAMON
RUNYON
JOE TTRP -.
WRITES FROM
BROOKLYN

while she was making the
supper and she looked as If
she had been crying and |
SIS sweets | stopped IN at
Schultzes Just now and they
told me your pal old man
Allen is no more.
SIS is that why You feel
bad'
Ethel ses yes Joe. | was
there.
| took him some soup aud
was sitting by his bed talking
TO him at the time.
| SEES do you mean TO tell
me YOU were there all alonei
She ses why yes Joe.
Hardly anybody else ever
went 10 see him any more ex-
cept sometimes my mons and
nv pops and once IN a great
while Mister Schultz and now
and then some old soldier ne
knew a long long time ago.
But those old soldiers he
knew got even feebler than
Mister Allen and couldn't get
around much Joe.
I SEES | know Ethel and |
am terribly sorry you had to
be there all by yourself.
I SEES guess you mist
have been badly frightened
and she ses why no Joe.
There was nothing to be
frightened about. / was just
sad. Ny mons always told
me not to be frightened in a
case like that especially when
it was somebody old because
she ses they were most always
very tired and were only GO
ing away for a long rest that
they needed more than any
thing else.
Mister Allen was very old
Joe and he was very very
tired except at the last.
y l SEES yes l guess he must
have been ninety years old
and Ethel ses l think he was
closer to hundred Joe. No
body knows exactly. He lived
in that little house of his be-
fore almost anybody else In
this neighborhood was born.
NV pops ses when he was just
a baby Mister Allen was an old
fellow.
We were very good friends Joe
and / think / am glad was
there when he marched away.
Uses Ethel what do you mean
marched away?
She ses we'll that Is really what
he did Joe.
And he did not seem as tired
at the last when he was march
ing as he was all the years /
knew him.
Joe honestly think he was
really a young fellow again.
/ mean in his mind.
He had been lying there in bed
very quiet for quite awhile with
his eyes closed while / told him
the neighborhood gossip TO
.muse him like / always did
when suddenly he opened his
eyes and sat up straight against
his pillow and began hollering
close up men close up.
I SEES why Ethel you poor
Girl that must have been
enough 10 scare anybody and
she ses we'll II didn't scare me
Joe because ! could see he was
marching.
His eyes were very bright and
his voice sounded very young
Joe as he kept hollering close
UP men close up Close up men
close up. ! think he was hurry
ing them Joe.
I SEES guess he was back in
the war Ethel and she Ses yes
l think so because after a while
he stopped and looked straight
al the big picture of the fellow
IN uniform on the wall az the
foot of his bed and pulled him
self up and put his hand
against his forehead like he was
saluting the picture and he seS
Sergeant Allen reporting sir
Then he laid back on the bee
nd that was all Joe.
He marched away.
Then she began crying agar
nd I took her in my arms q
console her and she seS Joe yol
remember that picture DON
you7
II is the only one in Mistei
Aliens house.
SES sure I do Ethel
SEES ! have seen il millior
times.
She ses what was the name
Of the fellow in the uniform?
I SIS General U s Gran
sweets