Show fDA 3 DAYS DAY'S YS Y'S SHORT STORY t At by Americas America's Greatest Writers ion on I IS f t by es m. m i treat mat Fra A. A Ca co I HIS COMRADES COMRADE'S WIFE By Gordon Johnstone I F 6 Dial Malone one lifted his eyes from i let jet t and stared at the tousled I lithe the ittie boy reading the news- news f r I I heat hear you yon ou right Denny lie he Did you ou say Nora Reagan 1 scanned the thc column and 1 10 paragraph 1 ho lie answered Mrs Nora East Thirty fourth street c pressed the hot ashes in his life hise lifee e and rubbed the bowl modi modi- with the palm of ot his bis big hand it again lad he hc urged softly aze returned to the tho flowered of or the carpet ov DV read it with the ant intonation nation d d l reciting a memorized memorize lesson Jesson l I. I a uns ung wId widow 0 Has child for Unable to support Dab Baby months old Irish blue eyes twenty pounds laid the he paper in his lap Jap and andt t the big man sitting on the theo o 0 chair you tear out that and give it Jenny fenny the man asked d. d The plied with his request blue e eyes e he lie echoed fly lly SJ says YS you OU ha have VC Mr 11 Malone Molly holly talks more morp than her hers s smiled Malone when John John- ys y's not round Ill I'll be telling if It she dont don't be minding I tie ys y's s coming cominS' tonight the boy ys y's s Coming every night a and Hl all lays Its It's another brother you'll r pr g soon foon Denn Denny Malone Malono boarded with the Mur- Mur r ily and he ho knew as ho said the in ins inH and Outs of it if after I. I ni night ht he had seen Johns Johny John John- y s and Molly on the steps of and ind it was eat 1 eat easy enough as us he helf 1 lf Molly to sec Seo th the noso nose on 1 ij ithe the room he ho picked up hI his the door are you rou going goin Barry Darn called senior from the kitchen bit of a a. a walk John Malone i. I. I your whist and Ill I'll be with happily came to lo his hist t c her voice came down to the the door ho be doing no noKi Ki rg When youve you've smoked that f 11 II be lit after aftel helping me with the How c can n na a a woman keep the 1 clothes sweet and clean with tan ian roun round tho the house Molly Jolly was a n libel No o one oner bu busier r I than Murphy senior y v was nowhere to be seen been and dosed the door softly behind the three flights of 3 5 met the tho truant girl and her rt standing in the tho doorway was on the point of or telling her mother was calling when greeted him evening Mr Ir Malone evening yourself Johnny he heL L Its a fine tine night is ls 9 C are you going Mr Malone ked impishly 1 I be bo you ou knowing Ill I'll not be ire telling you he ho wh what a woman dont don't it worries her ho he said turn- turn le te street streett a a. few tew steps he paused He ITe otten to tell the girl her moth- moth d her hel he called moth moth u A smile of or childish I sweetness spread over his face as at he saw the lovers standing hand in fn hand Never mind alanna he said and I continued up the street Reaching the tho avenue he turned down own By tho the light of a store window window window win win- dow he ho took tool out the ra ragged paper and studied the address Replacing It il in hi his pocket he took up his walk ic- ic the number to himself Ten ien blocks and he lie had lost it it This time he scanned it under the tho street lamp and looked up at the tho white figures figures fig fig- lg ures lUCS over his lils head One block mo- mo more Again repeating the n number ho turned the corner Half Hal way va down the street he found roun the address and searched the dimly dimbo lighted hallway for the name Bunning Running Run Bun ning his eyes over the thc dirty mail boxes box's ho lie found it He pressed the button A pause e- e ef- ef sued There was no response Again he ho rang an and waited After After Arter what seemed an interminable time tho the latch latoh clicked Pushing his Ills way in he climbed the tho stairs covered with Uh oilcloth On tho the second landing he backed Into a n. corner corner corner cor cor- ner to let a D. much perfumed woman pas pass On the floor abo e aho e Nora ora Reagan stood in a a. lighted doorway a a. little red led redhead redhead head pillowed against her shoulder er Malone paused near neal the tho top lop and looked at her The Tho woman peered Into ills his face Barry she cried cried Parry Barry Malone I She staggered track back into tho the room IsIt Isit Is Js it yours yourself lr or am I dreaming Its no dream Noreen Norcen he an an- an Its Ita myself A bright ht nm flush h crept up from her white while throat over 01 her face and lost Itself In tho the bronzo hair hah She Sho had not heard that old name in ages To her husband she had always alwa's been Nora No one but her mother and Barry Burry had ever called calle her Noreen reen rind that was years a ago o on the tho ho bogs s round Wexford She reached out her hr disengaged hand to him Come Conic Come In In n Barry she he said and bring your happiness with you a sight you Jou are to cure blind eyes And Its It's a girl irl I am am n again to sec see you Malone Jalone stepped Int Into hate the room and closed the door Turning he loo looked cd it th the frail little figure radiating her hel Joy but showed signs of ot a a. battle against odds The face would always 1 bo be beautiful There re ans the thC skin and the he charm of ot eyes ejes and hair The girls of ot otI 1 Nora Kora ReaK Reagan's Reagans ans an's colorings were the glory I of ot Ireland Malones Malone's yes rested on onI j I tho the little red head pressed fl against her shoulder and tho the wonder of or a a. childless childless child child- 1 less 58 man dreamed In their depths Ho dropped Into the chair she pointed out to him Barry she eho cried It wan waR my good angel that sent you tonight ht There Them was wasl wasa R l woman horo just Juat now that wanted to lo take talco o tho the baby baLy Noras Nora's voice fell to a horrified whisper whisper whis whis- per And Barr Barry Bairy there was paint on her cheeks Think of or it it Red paint Malone remembered the woman he lie passed In the hall he said aid I met her hor Yes lee on tho the way ll ay The woman shuddered and arid hugged the bundle closer Malone al ne glanced up at the crayon on tho wall When hen did clad Tim rim go fo o he ho asked Twelve months this coming Tuesday Tues- Tues t I j da day I Ive been down in Panama he working apologized apologized working on too canal I dont don't know much about what's going goin on oil He Ile was killed in tho the strike c she explained He used to speak of ot you OU er very often Barry and wonder where you OU w were re keeping yourself yourself your roUl self sel Did he Malone asked ell t Yes les and he hc was wasso so good to lo toso mo so mc-so so soBO so BO good J Tho ruo tears tumbled down her her white cheeks checks I Old never nover made a better man he murmured I said that when you ou chose chote him And he was waR always sa saying that of oC you ou Barr Barry she returned l. l Tile The baby's baby chubby hands crept over the tho womans woman's breast Whatever er want Nora had seen the child had not shared Continued on page pace e 4 i TODA TODAY'S YS Y'S SHORT STORY Continued from page pago 3 It Malono Malone watched tho the little fingers with a n feeling al akin ln to awe n tho the ball babbino he asked ask A girl I I Nora 1 1001 looked ed at him and shook her 11 pretty prett bad A glad note sang In the theman's theman's I Iman's mans man's voice A A ho boy boy 1 ho he questioned as ns thou though h unable to believe It Yes res hl his name novel never guess Tim Tun he hc ventured No Nn Your fathers father's Again Nora Nor shook her head hc Tim that named him What hat Noreen In Into La Barry rT she Bho answered beaming his face A strange e light came into Malones Malone's eyes and his big blA han hands s opened nn and closed over 1 his hat Yes sun sho continued I r left it to Tim The priest was nas for wanting the name of ot a n saint taint but hut Tim rim would have ha nono none of or that Im going oln to call him after m my comrade lad ho said My lad comrado that th saved n e l m my lIfo In HOj harbor Who ho is that asked the priest t The finest nest lad ever er made answered TimMy TimMy Tim My 1 friend and comrade comrad Parry comrade Barry narry Ma- Ma I lone There aio mo men Wren In tho world orld who will stand Fland In the shadow of ot a great Erent sorrow firm of at lip anti and dry But Dut let the arrow of oC a t. t beautiful happiness pierce their hearts and the tears will gu gush h up from a n living fountain Barry Bam Malone was one of or them Will you let me hoJ hold him Noreen No No- reen he said reaching out his arms 1 j Nora Nom laid tho the baby in them Tho blue eyes turned up UI on him with nil the wonder of or unfathomable seas lie He put his bl big fin finger er Into tho the little hand The soft petal like slips closed over o I It with a clutch that seemed Incredible Tho The hot blood rushed Into Malones Malone's faco face and his whole bod body trembled Nora ora bent over o tho the pair Jail like a n dove above c her young oung Gentl Gently he hc pulled his finger from Its vise anti and reached In his 1 pocket for his handkerchief to blow hi his no nose nope e. e His fingers ers camp camo In contact i with tho the piece of ot paper an and ho he drew it I out and passed pissed It to tho the mother mothr I that brought mo hero here h he lie said as ho he glanced o over It It lt I Im boarding with a n family h by tho the name of oC Murphy Murph he continued The Murphys of ot Dungarvan up Dungarvan-up up on Forty Forty- I seventh c street street anti and I Ive I've como come down to n. n k you ou If lC you'll bo bt living with us I Theres There's plenty plent of ot room loom and little little little Barry tho Barry tho name was music to him now now- now will bo be a n great t comfort to tous tous tous j us all Will you he be coming Noreen Norcen Nora orn looked looke at nt him and her bre r ast roso and fell with Its Us Joy Now Bar Barry sho she asked Tonight Noreen Tho The woman glanced round at ot the furniture What will mIl I do with fth this Well talk about that tomorrow he ho smiled Its of or no importance now For a n. second Bh she hesitated and then disappeared In an Inner room When n she returned sho she wore noro her hint hat and carried Co a n. small bundle All fly res-fly he asked I Yes 1 s Then faugh a 1 ballah ho cried jumping to his feeL The woman gave a little frightened scream cam and clutched tho bab baby I Malone Malono laughed 1 Hes es e's snug nur ns as a bu bug in a 1 rug Noreen r dont don't don't dont bo be Nora NO put out tho the light ht while nurr Barry w wt waited t Ill I'll In him tho thin hall huH with the tho baby Tit liko tho the 01 old 1 days Barry Darry sh she sho cried as she Joined him Only there thero wasn't nn any lad on your our shoulders ers I Ith th then n. n there thou though h 1 ho I smiled an ho paused Nl on the second step Are you ou for forgetting My brother broth r sho she cried Yes ho answered hut thorn thero was ono one thing I was having hating In ht tho old days daj-B that Im I'm not having no now nor What was as that Ban Barry A kiss Ids alanna Tho woman lean leaned d over the tho railing I and her mouth touched tho the laughing I lips upturned above o tho little red head |