The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-02-10
CHAPTER VII

ed to stop. Candace felt herself
hauled aboard, wedged in the
center of a fighting, furious mot
that painted and struggled for {
foothold on the step, in the de.
termination to be the first to en-.
ter.
Candace, who could not hope to
reach a strap, steadied herself by
grasping the back of a cross seat
There was something almost -
almost vindictive in the attitude
of these women she decided. Sud.
denly and smoothly something
she had read in the paper the
night before slipped into place in
Candace's mind. She touched Mrs
Waters arm. silk stockings!
she whispered. 'They must be
going to buy silk stockings"
Mrs. Waters faded eyes mar.
rowed behind the thick mesh
Of her veil. "For heavens sake
where have you been? What dc
you suppose I'm doing out at this
time in the morning? They say
that in a couple of weeks time
you won't be able to get a pair
of silk stockings for love or mon
ey."
Toni Fits, who had brought the
check down for the November
rent, curled up on Sarah Daffo-
dis big couch and stared moodi-
ly into the fire. II suppose Can
dace Thane will work up to the
last minute. Unless her husband
should be called for training. It's
quite the thing now for women to
go to business up to a week or so
before they are confined. It's
surprising that employers stand
for it, she said.
'The way I feel about it is that
it's the worse possible time to
bring children into the world"
Toni stated, applying fresh lip
stick. Were on the verge of
war and Mr.. Waters tells me that
most of these young fathers will
find themselves in the Service"
She stared into the mirror, in
specting her thin face, sallow in
spite of the new foundation
cream. what do you suppose
people are thinking of, to have
children now" she demanded.
''They can't have any considera-
ton for the poor little mites, or
any respect for themselves. Mr..
Waters says it's much worse than
in the last world war"
Sarah said, toni, do you have
to be perfect fool? I don't think
that a woman who will never
have a child is competent to pass
judgment on expectant mothers.
And while I'm sounding off, let
me say that the criticism of young
people by men past military age
quite fails to impress me. It al
so strikes me as being in extreme
ly poor TASTE"
After a moment, Toni murmur-
ed uncertainty, well, I'm sure
-"
They didn't see eye to eye, it
was foolish to bicker, Sarah in
terposed. II thought you came
down to tell me about the par
ade. How did it come off-or
didn't it?"
There had been a parade, Toni
grimaced. She stretched her long.
slim legs and admired her ankles,
MY uniform looked swell-it
ought to, I paid forty dollars to
have it fitted. But the other wo-
men-those dopes!" No one knew
what it was like, she complained
tlercely, to try to organize a dele
cation of women to parade who
had not the slightest idea what
was expected of them. Out of
three hundred supposed to ap-
pear, thirty had turned up.
"And they turned up at inter-
walls, if you know what I mean 3"
Toni scowled. while I was wait
ing for them to assemble. some
officious creature from another
unit came over and informed me
that we were scheduled to march
IN her unit. Just minute said
I'm Toni Fits and I'm heading
my own unit-there's the car
with the banner now"
The banner had proved null
sance from the start, confessed
Toni, now well launched on the
recital of her grievance. In the
first place it had been packed in
the back of the truck and the
driver refused to haul it out I'M
til he delivered the banners near
er the doors.
TT was one of those long,
streamer effects" Toni recount
ed, land the women were IN hold