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About Eugene register-guard. (Eugene, Or.) 1930-1983 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1941)
'1,1941 i STORY ' CONSCRIPT'S WIFE f WALLACE CoprrlfM, mi. NEA tirrtoa. In. . . CHAPTER II i r atd to hear him saying t -I've been drafted." And was (till swimming r- V Bill pleaded. "Dar t look like that It'a . U I have to go, I have r V Steadied herself. Her i face came back Into taw his crisp dark t tightened line of his . t fingers went up, to pat t ' f d been conscripted, af- . there was nothing they , to change it. He would . For a whole year. His jr aeaded him. The United (America... - X 4ghts flitted in and out, parting birds. Bill would r. But there was no war. caution, a defense. Only t k ta Army Camp. Duty . . ' t men enlist," Bill was X I .fly. "Lots of men Join far a career." were around her. He r. "It'll only be like 4g a job out of town, Tou could come up to k-ends. I'll be home on lUme." lill, you you talk as If 1 to it already." He was it. He was not rebel tething stabbed at her i he realized that almost I be an adventure for nge. Something differ aps, he even welcomed I like that. He had curl t boundless thirst for i. Marriage had not set- I softly, "Maybe lt'U be feu. Bill.' She thought, v-tike a little boy. Play s'." Weed out into the street sty and dilapidated, so contrary, was suddenly dear. "It's a good thing we have Peg," she said. "I can drive up to see you." "Yes, If the camp's not over 10' miles away. I wonder1 where do they send the men from this vi cinity?" He added thoughtfully, "Funny, how you never give the army a thought I bet I can't name two forts, off hand. And what I remember from ROTC drill in high school, you could stick in the eye of a needle." Separation. She looked at him hungrily. She must remember the line of his jaw, the blue of his eyes, the way his hands were big and capable on the wheel. She bit her lip. They had never been separated, not even for a night, since the minister had. said the solemn words over them. And now, they'd be apart for a year. A whole year. It stretched before her, barren and endless. "In case I never told you be fore," Bill was saying. "I love you, Martha." "In case I never told you," she whispered, "I love you, Bill Mar shall." He straightened his shoulders. "I'll break the news to them at the store." He was struck by an other thought. "I wonder if I'll get the Job back afterward." "There a law about It. They have to take you back." "Yes, if the guy who comes after me doesn't let a lot of deadbeats walk out with diamond rings so there won't be any store to come back to." He stopped. "You know, I always meant to get you a ring, Martha. Better than the one the one " The one Paul had given her. ' "Don't sweet" "But I should have saved my money. I didn't" ' "I've got a ring," she said. "The only one I want." His hand closed over hers. .. At the Air Transport plant, w r 2 UWW !. .iim i -fi liiiiua, iiujJMMWuaa mnim..m.!i IE FISHING BOATS, upper, were left high and dry )each at Redondo, Calif., after giant waves tore them Borings, tossed them upon the sands. Lower, wreck- r on me waienroni aiier pounaing oi ine siorm. SIDE GLANCES 1ie mt tnmet. ne, t. tia u. a mt, en. '! Vcllv scandalous, isn't it? I m-onder how much a I dress like that would cost." Martha said, "111 ask for time eft I want to stay with you every minute, until you leave." She stumbled as she got out of the car. The blood pounded in her ears. It seemed to her almost as though she was saying farewell to the gay and careless life they had known until now. Saying farewell to the laughter and danc ing and the irresponsibility. The country had given her hus band a stern duty to perform; and she. as his wife, had her part in it too. She'd have to stay home, alone and waiting. She'd have to come to this office every morning. Not as before, simply because it made things easier but because now there'd be her own living to make. Duty, It was a big word. Strange, ly, an unfamiliar word. Martha Marshall thought as she walked into the sunny office where she I typed specifications for airplanes. tnat perhaps their generation hers and Bill's had heard all too little of duty until now. It had never been a stern taskmaster to be reckoned with. No one had preach ed its necessities, it had no part in their lives. Paul Elliott raked his strong fingers through his hair when' she told him Bill had ben called. "Nice mess! I thought they'd use some discretion. First crack out of the fishbowl, they hook a mar ried man." He told her to go right home. "I'll fix everything." The thought of duty stayed with her. While she helped Bill puU out dresser drawers, sort out un derwear, pack his suitcase, she thought, "At least this isn't such a hard duty. I'm not sending him to war. Not yet" The store had given him a month's salary. "For the next six months, Martha, they'll send you a check for half salary. Decent huh?" "Wonderful of them." They had awaxened to amy, too. It all happened so swiftly. She could hardly believe it when the woke one morning to the sound of BlU's shower running, the sun streaming in the windows, and the voice In her brain saying, "This is the last day. He goes tonight. To night! At breakfast, he said, "I'm ae tually liking the idea. I was get' ting fed up at the store. Felt like a mule on a treadmill. Same old customers, buying the tame old junk. Asking them, got a job, how much you make, hew much can you pay a week?" Her breath caught. "I didn't know you weren't happy." "Sure I was happy." He was al most impatient "But things get monotonous after a while." They'd gotten monotonous in New York. That's why he came here, she re membered. She laughed It off. "The Army wont be monotonous. Not much. Drills and hikes or whatever they call it" Paul rang their doorbell half an hour before train time. "I should have brought flowers," he said. "But I got this." It was a compact kit, leather, with comb and mirror and razor and chromium contain ers for soap, toothpaste, shaving cream. "Say, that's sweUl" Bill grinned. "A pint would have been useful. too." The three of them piled Into the front seat of the old car. Bill slung his suitcase in the back. A dejected Butch, leaping in behind them, sniffed unhappily and asked in low growls what was wrong. "Look," Paul said, as they turned into the station drive. "The parking lot's jammed." Laughing girls, and girls who weren't laughing, and men carrying suit cases, and older women clutching handkerchiefs, were getting out of the other cars. "I'm not the only one who's be ing left behind," Martha said. It was cold comfort. Inside, the station was crowded and noisy. As they pushed their way toward the gate, Paul said, "Reminds me of a scene from a newsreel. Kissing the boys good-by." Marthas eyes stung, her lips quivered. But she had promised herself she would send Bill away with a smile. "You'll write to me, Bill?" Ivery day?" Bill set his suitcase down. "Well, this is it honey." His arms reached for her, and suddenly the was clinging to him. "Bill. Oh. Bill, darling." "Don't cry, honey. L'U be think ing of you every minute." . He shook hands with Paul. "Take care of her, boy," he said gruffly. "I'm depending on you." Martha stood there, a girl of tone, as Bill mounted the little steps into the train. His face ap peared at a window, over some one else's face. She picked up the corners of her lips and smiled. She waved to him. A voice cried, "All aboard! All aboard!" There was the rising snort of the engine, the deepening rumble of wheels. The train be gan to move. Martha waved fran tically. Suddenly she was running, trying to keep up. "Bill! B1U1" Paul taid. "Martha. Don't'' She scarcely heard him. She was running a long side the train, her eyes on Bill's face. "Goodby, darling. Goodby." But she wsnted another moment of seeing him. She rsn at If, somehow, she could keep up. As if, somehow, she could prevent being left behind. But inexorably the train moved faster. Bill's face was drawing away. Then it was gone. Her arm dropped to her side. "He's gone. I'm alone." Paul was running toward her. All at once, she was laughing. "Paul," she cried hysterically;. "Paul, I'm a conscript's wife now." (Is B C Ha 4) THE REGISTER-GUARD, EUGENE, UTTLE ORPHAN ANNIE OREGON -r "Mother Decree Page Seven By HAROLD GRAY oh. rr was a UHMNCBCI CUOUI. WASNTIT. MOMMY? ALL TWOS ACTOftCF AND THEY YELLED AT EACH OTHER AND COT ALL RED IN THB HHAI but i wiwwrb BR-1 WAS SCARED O POPPY-HE MAS SO MAD-HE STARTED TO HOLLER-BUT JUDGE CAIRNS JUST LOOKEO AT HIM AND HE SHUT UP QUCK-REMEMBER7 LETS rtanA REMBTOER ANYMORE Bt-LY--LET'S OUST TRY TO FORGET AND START NOW. ALL NEW. . V THOSE WERE 1 1 YES! HE WAS 1 YES HE 16 THE M I JUDGE CAIRNS? OH. T EVERYONE If I THE LAWYERS- I I TAIL WITH GRAY VERY FINEST II I HE WAS THE ONE WITH I WAS NICE TO II OURS WAS THE I I HAIR AND HE . TRIAL ATTORNEY I I THE FUNNY BLACK J US, BILLY" ONE WHO WONT I I SMILED A LOT I IN THE RTATE. (I I BATMftafU;- I LIKE ANDMI II 1 YELL-DO YOU I I DtONT HE? BCEPT I JUDGE CAIRNS I HIM 1 SAT ON HIS H YOU'RE MY I I 1 REMEMBER I I WHEN HE LOOKED I ASKED HIM TO ) I LAP-REMEMBER? J I LITTLE BIUY. II 1 HIM.HI Ir AT CATOOSA. LICIDIIfi S i I ucc Mn. S I BnDctKOANn II r-f-fc-H! nw Sk S t " Ew A V EVER- 711 i s i i u i i iia a a m i aw t I ffc i i I EL a. POPEYE' Now Showing "WE GOT PLENTY OF NOTHING!" Tomorrow "POST HASTE!" gy Q SEGAR BATTEN ME HATCHE! - VOU BKi-HEAjTreDAP- I AND VNE VNERE I f WHAT ALL THE I I PS?? vNEftE ALL BROKE A&AIN, BUT I DCW KNOW tXJ DO HAVE TO &NE ALL J f DEPENDING ON J I RUMPUS ABOUT J J I OLIVE AMD CASTOR JUST BSOKE MgS!.) ' ' VJA6JT0BB ) WXMWAVml V HIM! ... u -- , re-' I -li. DOWN ABOUT IT J -Vvs-. Secret Asent X-t w Br Robert Storm T-r Tl ET l V M rr I f 1 Waf 9000 EVENING, R M VJ B TWO BK55 1 VOUKB Wtf U r ,,AND I PONT 1 I VfT POOUSH TO I r7 WTV.l6T lOW'M.' " MO VOU S4V IN TT-Y HULK WUO't I UK UCONDemXi J UANDLB 9UNLEMI I IPOLOfillE FOR Vf AMSBlCAUOeAO f BEEN TffAIUNA 1 iTWLFTEfi TW'S'U PICTM5S OP PBETTi I 'JX cms' in muw J V I u Doar-KNOBt II uetVe had t 7ks .cAge ee ycufj finsek fo police.' S- ajle CT BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES T How ComeTosrr? 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