iJ
fur
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‘1 11
Sa/T and
: A K-’.
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I yd-
The black Ford V-8
irbfttded lei
surely down the main itreet of liid-
stop in front
dlthurg and came to a
of a large expensive-loo titig but Uffy
brownstonv house surr tunded by a
high hedge
Joe Greer Bar jumpe<
car, slammed th^ door
out of the
behind him
and walked up the winding sidewalk
to the house, whistling
The maid let Joe ini o (he house
She took his hat and
from smiling at him wk en "he almost
flipped on the well-wapced floor of
the hall.
Joe gkinned sheepishly and walked
through the hall into tk^ large over-
furnished living room
bled a museum of ever] thing expen
sive in furniture in the
Joe greeted Mr. Critt
portant-looking gray-hen led man, who ^
11 Hi
j;
!IvR
!By J^ouLl jCififxnlpn
out of tune.
ri<d to keep
rhigli
past decade,
a largo im-
rhapr by the
Mrs. Critt
•per, John.
was stated in an easy
window. As he did «
came iato the room.
. "Here’s the evening
Mrs. Critt sat down sktd struck up
a conversation witlfcJoe
"You’re going to be 11 jenior next
year aren't you Joe?"
“Yes’m. I'm finally | [oing to get
those cuffs on my pant l"';
Mr. Oftt ceased s>irve] ing his paper
to state in his ; usual gruff manner,
“Jack Tally was some i art of a ser
geant on a staff his j« nice year at
A- A M. and went on U ^ t* a major.
You going to be *>any hing. young
man?"
“Well, I don't know si *, but T think
IVe got a chance. You w e they . . .
_ Nancy Critt swept in to the room.
She turned toward her father.
"Why, certainly Joe ty going to be
something!”
Joe had the uncertain feeling that
if he weren’t “something".; it would
be an insult to the house' of Critt,
except Mrs. Critt Joe sm|ed as be
looked at that placid w-usnan who
somehow or other had gwIMt. into
this household which special bed in
moulding destinies She sngilod hack
and gave him one of tbo*> strange
looks which he couldn't interpret.
She had often looked at him like this
since he had been going with Nancy.
Jee felt that he and Mrs. Critt had
14
*1
T t. .4.1
something! la common. Just what be
couldn’t figure out.
He turned to Nhniejr.
"Not to tbe subject but
Nancy, what do you say we go down
to the ^fakpn’ and see ‘Josette’. We
missed It 1 the first time it was here
and—”
Mr. CMtC interrupted Joe.
“We’ve got some visitors coining
down from Dallas ja a little while,
Mr. and Mrs. Shott. Mr. Shott is the
commissioner of the A. A A. board
in Dallas. You ought to stay here and
meet them."
“But John,” siud Mrs. Critt, “the
children aren’t interested in him, why
not—”
"Its about time Nancy met some
really wiee people*} j
“Yes. John, but-”
“That’s the trouble with this young
er generation. Always playing! I
think I know what’s best for Nancy!”
“Father’s right," said Nancy. “We
will stay."
Mrs. Critt had nothing else to say.
Joe, even tosa..) j . f
Despite her prittjf - black hair and
fair complexion, Joe could not help
but notice the unusual resemblance
of Nancy’s jaw te her father’s when
she got into an argument. Even if
Nancy did look ks though a strong
wind might blow her over, she wasn't
only a tower of strength; "Lord,”
Joe thiugkt, "she's a complet castle!"
The burning of the doorbell an
nounced the edming of the Dallas
visitors and the evening wore on. Mr.
Critt explained what was wrong with
the world and Mr. Shott agreed, per
haps in view of the fact that Mr.
Critt was tbe financia! tycoon of this
section of libs epabtry. Then Mr. Critt
launched into the glory at how be
had come from his college in the east
to a small inheritance in MiddUburg
and built Up thei4timture of the Critt
fortunes in central Texas. Joe listen
ed half-heartedly and felt vaguely out
of place aJTuaual. He ran hia finger
under his colter aad' wished’WMlm
heartedly that he could say something
that wouUbit reveal his ignorance of
finance and business. Finally the large
clock on the mantel struck ten.
Nancy and Joe wandered out on
f
ir m i N
the porch. The moon was shining but
nothing happened.' Mr. Critt’s on<
aided analysis of the New Deal lay
on Joe’a spirits like a wool shirt on
a hot day.*; After a miauta or two
Joe started toward the front gate.
“Don’t forget Saturday night!”
"I won’t. Goodnight, Joe."
The towrt of Middleburg became a
beehive of activity on Saturday night i
Every farmer within Fording dis
tance was jin town. Car after car
ambled aimlessly but tirelessly around
the town square, their occupants en
joying the ^netropolitan sensation of
the brand new traffic lights. As each
red light ttirm-d green there was the
whining of, gears and the sound of
tires squealing around corners. Men
in shirt sleeves lined the wall at
Randall Grpen’s pool hall, watching
the games, that were in progress.
Older men »u>od by the county court
house discussing the crops. It was
a typical simmer Saturday night in
Middleburg.
Joe took (he steps two at
front at his people’s
slammed the screen door as he
in.
"Hello, mom." He kissed his
heartily but absentmindedly.
"Hello, diar. You better hurry and
get out of those clothes if you want
to get to the dance on time.”
Mr. Gredhbar came stomping in
the front
"Did you have a hard day at the
refinery?" asked Mrs. Green bar
“Aw, aaaw old thing."
Mr. Creep bar and Joe emerged
from the bedroom door and the three
Greenbara ifftt down to their evening
meal.
“Well, young man,” said Mr. Green-
bar, "Are yt>u going to aee the Mias
Critt tonight?"
“We're going to a dance at the
Country Club.”
"A danoe at the Country Club!
Well, well.":
"Yes, air," a dance at the Country'
Club. What!s wrong with that?"
"Nothing. Nothing. Have you got
your tuxedp ready?” Mr. Greenbar
let out a good-natured roar which
passed for laughtar.
They finifhed the meal and Joe left
’ i'
C f
THE BATTALION
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