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Show 1 5 (Continued) vonand his married sister moved to have worried, for George was playing Newxyork. Studying accounting at 'The Blue Waltz," the. same tune Old night arid-- working seven days a week, he'd been t&abusy to make friends. Driven by theJfeelkig that he had a score to settle with itfebut not knowing just how, he' had set himself, with grim determination, the talkof accumulating money. It was AuntCarrie who had told him that the old Hoffma farm, with some of the old furnishings, was for sale. Then he knew he could buy back all the good things that had been taken from him. Man Hickman used to play. Swinging Eulalie around, Peter closed his eyes, and for a moment recaptured too-serio- 0 eyes, a little sad, and filled with yearning. The way I used to look at Dolly, Peter thought. He swung Eulalie about so that his body blocked her from . George's view. hands touched out the tune, but his eyes were on Eulalie. Earnest young 'ACK PACK r m The music stopped and Aunt Carrie announced it wa time to eat. In another two hours everyone, except . MP . Eulalie and her friends, had shaken his hand in farewell at the door. From the Pi hallway, Peter glanced at Gertie and Lois, who lingered in the parlor with the two youths. Eulalie answered the question in his eyes, 'They're going with us to the Black rimrnri ri n in 11 EQfBICP " . n r V. ' h n 6 i "5 rxn I UlU ERS ; fe i lit ? , si , , " 1 " I ni i'i MitiMliMWii HHHIIW'Ufchi'll i IS ill 'iifJiT' 1 I VERY 1 i 21 i 'X, I ' ( ?J VERY K": ' us VERY less than the figure sub- mitted by the landscaping company in town. Hett done a good job, too, Peter admitted grudgingly looking at the lawn. There was. something about" the fellow that got under his skin. Aunt Carrie, aged and bent, but still hearty, was leading everyone toward him, saying in her throaty voice, "'Bout' time you met all your old neighbors .and relatives, what's left of them." He met them with an unexpected sense of shock. There were only a few ; he remembered, and those dimly some cousins and schoolmates, . all middle-age- d, with grown families in tow. They swarmed into the house, bust- -. ling about the kitchen with cakes and casseroles, filling the old parlor with life. George, who had .brought along an accordion, started to play, and, Eulalie's friends, Gertie and Lois, danced with, their escorts, two callow ' youths in loud sport coats. "Let's dance." Eulalie smiled up at him, her young body sheathed in a sea-grdress that matched her eyes. r "I'maf raid Peter demurred, But he needn't -- " U, , ' A' LAST CRACKER V ''Hp'" o 9r s l1' m- - v V ' ) I Jt H .t 16 28, 1958 '. roomr and then the sound of the accordion case snapping shut Another silence. Why didn't the fellow come out? Peter went to the dining room. George was standing with his back toward him, holding a , worn wallet He took some crumpled bills from it, and counted them. Peter stood transfixed, watching George, but seeing another young man who had once counted his money and found he couldn't even buy a dollar's J worth of love.bills back into the the George put wallet. He turned toward his accordion and Jus eyes met case, grim-face- d, Peter's fully. "George," Peter began, reaching into his pocket . . "I" George's fist shot out and slammed Peter's words info his throat Peter sprawled; his head struck a chair as n he he came to, George was" over him, his face contrite.-bending "I'm sorry, Mr. Hoffman." George helped him up. Peter got to his feet feeling lightheaded. Light inside, too, as if a cash register he'd been carrying around in there had been removed. "He had it coming, George." He spoke thickly be- cause his jaw was sore. "What?" George- - said, confused. fell.-Whe- ' "Who?" ""Hank Lahr," . Peter answered. "He ' had it coming a long time." George looked worried. "You sure you're all right?" "Never felt better." Peter fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. VWhat I started to sayI want to "pay . for the you landscaping job." ' "But it's not quite finished." - - "I want to pay you now " Peter took out the correct amount, then added $50 more. "A little bonus, too, George, for an extra-swe- ll job. Take your girl to the dance.'vsry . Still standing in the dining room a few minuted later, listening to 'the, car...' roll away, Pete?1 once more saw his reflection in the mirror. "Fool!", he cried, "As if you could; ever buy, back, the past Or the people you once loved." Then he smiled. But- with old scores settled at last, a man could begin to live in the present ; OPEN 'EM UP.., nl P V MONDAY OPEN 'EM UP..; 6:30 PM, DINNER Serve Premium Saltines out of a Stack Pack with your crisp lettuce and tomato salad. Aren't they FRESH ? GOLDEN GLOW, Nabisco's extra baking step, bakes crispness in. Now... CLOSE 'EM BACK! MONDAY 10 OPEN 'EM UP... PM, SNACK TUESDAY NOON, LUNCHEON TUESDAY 3 PM, SCHOOL'S OUT! a " the Stack Pack, find Premium Saltines still FRESH. And they're stacked one by one, EASIEST TO GET OUT to go with slices of Cheddar; Edam and "store" cheese. :Now.. CLOSE 'EM BACK! Re-ope- OPEN 'EM UP;.''. Hearty tomato soup, topped with sour cream , and chives, calls for plenty of FRESH crackers. The four Stack Packs in every pound package are reclosable, so these are fresh as ever. Now... CLOSE 'EM BACK! n , Time for jam and milk. ..and Premium Saltines, still fresh. Stack Packs keep Yes, inside Premium FRESH (unlike outside wax' wrappers on other saltines). Now...TIME TO BUY MORE! wax-wrapp- N . ed . NO CRACKER BLOCKS TQ BREAK APART. . . STACK PACKS SERVE YOU PREMIUM ONE BY ONE! '.jf eps," Family Weekly, September r ; they'd make it a party." too?M the was in "George, George dining room packing his accordion. "Of course not He wouldn't spend that much money." Her full lips tightened a little. "He's in love with you," Peter said, watching her carefully. "I know." Her face softened; but only for a second. "What of it?" One of the two young men called, "Hey, George, we're all going to the Black Cat Coming along?" "Not tonight," George said cheerfully. "I'm taking Eulalie home." "Oh, no, you're not," Eulalie said. I m going to the Black Cat, tooWith Peter!" She caught up her coat "C'mon, kids." She looked at Peter. "We'll wait for you in the car." : ' ay I'ira't-doTwTincSern-st- . - VERY 1 Cat" She lowered her voice. jiist told them we were going, and they said There was silence in the dining IK started in the business, George had agreed to do the job at the price Peter offered-$5- folks he once knew, but a whole new generation of strangers. He saw something else, too. George's rn Culalie was stepping out of the car now. With his pulse quickening, Peter hurried to the door. Marriage hadn't been part of his original plan. That idea had come the day he moved in two weeks ago, when Eulalie and her mother had paid a neighborly call. He saw how much she resembled Dolly. The way she walked, her provocative smile. Marriage to Eulalie would even the score in full measure. He was reasonably sure she would accept him. Like Dolly, she had expensive tastes. When hie mustered enough nerve to ask if she'd go to a movie with him, she replied that she'd seen the only movie in town that week with George Hickman. "But we could go dancing," she suggested eagerly. "There's a new night club, the Black Cat. My girl friends, Gertie and Lois, have been there, but I've never because it's terribly, expensive and George can't afford it. He's saving his moriey to get married." Peter asked with a quick twinge of jealousy, "To you?" She laughed and tossed her head. "I should wait five years!" , George, Old Man Hickman's grandson, a tall youth with a face, . was beside Eulalie now, but he lagged behind, examining the landscaping job he had done for Peter. Just getting the full flavor of yesterday the smell of theold house with Jobdlwarming'in: the kitchen, the laughter and music. But when he opened his eyes he saw, again with that sense of shock, not the J i KiTinmi bipiiit rnMDiwiA 'V..i.. t H ti I ."V -- SALTINE CRACKERS KM ftMCy UMfcfc September 21, tSSt ! - 17 |