The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-01-06
CHAPTER II

00Idu Od11OUI1 dCtS III CNCAy
capacity for the four-family
house in Garset after her hus-
bands death. In February, 1941,
23-year-old Andrew Thane and
Candace Moore, who plan to be
married the following week, In
quire about the Merding's apart
ment advertised in the morning
paper. Sarah realizes that it may
not be wise to rent to a couple
of youngsters with the selective
training law thanking over the
boys head" but their youthful
charm wins her over.
you're Andrew Thane, aren't
you? I guess you don't know me,
but I'm a neighbor of yours -
King Waters. We live in the
same house - my wife and I are
directly under you, on the Sec
ond floor"
They shook hands gravely.
His wife, King promised, would
be up to call on Mrs. Thane be-
fore long. "She wanted to let her
have time to get settled. I've
gone down with you on the bus
two or three mornings, but there
was always a crowd and I had nc
chance to speak to you"
Andrew Thane read the first
paragraph of baseball comment,
then forced himself to humble
conversationally, pretty fair ser
vice on this line"
Transportation was temporarily
speeded up, King assured him,
because of the approaching
Spring elections. "But the serv-
ice we're getting now will seem
de luxe, compared with what
we'll be getting once we're in the
war;"
That night King Waters men
toned to his wife that he had
spoken to young Thane in the
bus. "When are you going up
to call on Mrs. Thane?"
ooh, sometime, Why?"
He had thought she might be
able to dispose of couple OF
tickets for the Legion's fair and
bazaar, Waters suggested. "You
know I got to get rid of sixty"
His wife said that he had only
himself to thank for that. "You
always were one to bite off more
than you could chew" Her
crochet hook flashed swiftly.
''Made up your mind about Civ
ing the committee one of your
spreads? Haven't you got one
with a mistake in it, a dropped
stitch or something's"
Every one of my spreads is
perfect and you know it."
Her husband took his unlight-
ed cigar from his mouth, exam
ined it with apparent interest, re-
placed it still unlighted. EN-
MAJ"
''Well, what?"
"When do you think you'll get
up to see Mrs .Thane?"
my good heavens, how do
know? She isn't home during the
day and I've got something better
to do with my evenings than rum
ming around calling on women
who don't take enough interest
in their homes to stay there. ]
suppose, though, I won't have any
peace until I go to see her and
try to sell her couple of tickets u
Waters said, renroachful ., pa
thence heavy on his tongue. Fun
ny how you feel about doing any
thing for the Legion. Here I was
willing to give my life in the last
/ war and you-and a lot of danes
like you-stall when you're ask
ed to help fellows who need help
now"
His wife turned the radio dial
and an imprisoned tenor voice
besought ,listeners-in to sample
the merits Of a new dessert. En-
ma Waters said coldly, Il don't
believe you were so crazy about
the war until you found yourself
safely out Of It."
els that so? Maybe I wasn't
crazy about the war, but I was
ready to do my duty. Not like
that young fellow upstairs who
is apparently all set to claim ex-
emption. It's a disgrace, the way
marriage applications have jump
ed since selective training went
into effect. Falling over each
other at the City Hall, to get q
marriage license so they can hide
behind some woman's skirts"
"You were drafted" Emma
Waters crocheted a chain of stars
at top speed. ..,.-
'eWell, what's that got to dc
with it? I did what was asked OF
me and I stand ready to do il