| Show THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE SUNDAY MORNING FEBRUARY SHORT STORIES BY By STANLEY E ANDERSON South First West Street Salt Lake 727 The little blue velvet hat started When Emma Sallet very jSmall and very winsome and very lovable stepped ' into her home wearing It the war was on Mr Sallet a big boyish brute couldn’t love his little wife of three happy years any more if he had been twins But nevertheless he was a man of sudden likes and dislikes And the new chic Fedoras that pulled ralkshly over one eye and looking for all the world like a misplaced pancake was one of the things calculated to ?set Barb Sal-let- ’s dander moving in ominous restlessness Not that Emma didn’t look sweet and adorable standing there back to the door through which she had just entered smiling half fearfully her startling blue eyes begging mutely for his approval Even 'as' he hardened his heart already quite brittle due to the depression he admitted that to A himself albeit grudgingly black frown creased his high forehead "Take that damn’ thing off!” he ordered so harshly that he startled himself and was a bit ashamed “I won’t do it! And furthermore you unmannerly brute don't you ever speak to me like that again!” Mrs Sallet had a bit of old man Bad Temper beneath her winsome exteriorand she promptly placed it in action Her eyes blazed with the light of battle Should Hav Been Warned Barb should have been warned by that but like many another brave but obtuse gentleman before him he blundered on to his doom “You know perfectly well how I feel about those little— little silly looking things I won’t have a wife of mine seen in one and that's final! If you knew how you look—” Mrs Ballet’s face paled visibly "If you think you have a right to tell me what I can and cannot Well you’ve got your wear you pieces mixed If you don’t like it you know what you can flo Anyway I notice you don’t mind other women wearing these new hats Only last night you said Mrs Billings looked stunning” That was like waving a red flag before an infuriated bull In fact Barb saw red One sentence he picked out of her speech and cuddled it to his bosom extracting of the opall the pressed and martyred Just Like a Villain "So you want me to go eh?” he snarled viciously so viciously that his small wife leaped like a frightened doe and sped across the room where several heavy ornaments Here she stood on a sideboard whirled ready for what might come “So I can leave!” Barb repeated as if he liked the way the words rolled from his tongue It made him feel like the sneering vilHe thought lain in amelodrama fleetingly of giving vent to the "Ha ha ha ha” as might well be expected to come from a real villain in his place He essayed one as he flung open the door and stepped out into the gathering darkness but only a feeble cackle rewarded his efforts Slamming the door behind him he hurried down the walk and turned into the street He imagined he heard Emma call his name in a choked voice but he couldn’t be sure so he went on Now of course Barb didn't intend this parting to last forever and forever He’d take a run down to the corner pool hall shoot a few games with the “boys” and come back ' bitter-sweetne- ss time-honor- around midnight after Emma had had time to see the justice of his question stand on the pancake-hHe’d done the same thing once or twice before when the matrimonial waters had become roily and rough Up to the present the method had worked well for all concerned Emma knew her man and when he had cooled off a bit it was a simple matter to accept the blame for everything and if Barb in the generous mood of the forgiver conceded the disputed point— well that at was that’ Barb’s Interest Forced Barb played with forced enthusiasm He was think- lng of the sweet pleading for forEmma's find in would he giveness dear eyes when he returned home and the time couldn’t pass quickly enough to suit him Walking put on Emma made her see things in a different light he told himself as after bidding the "fellas” goodnight he turned his wayward steps homeward The nearer he came to it the more his conscience pricked him Maybe he had been too Jiard But that blankety-blan- k on the girl All evening hat! That had made him lose control of himself Why on in for such senseless fads-su- ch ungodly styles? — he" asked himself righteously about Take that woman there twenty feet ahead she has on one of those hats the same kind as earth dowomen go Emma’s blue too And she looked a lot like Say! Barb quickened his stride trying to pierce the deceiving light from ' the street lamps Sure looked like Emma hurrying along there And that walk little trippingly dainty Barb was about to call steps out but fear that he was mistaken kept his lips closed What could Emma be doing out at this time of night anyway? Lengthening his masculine stride he was pleased to see the distance between him and the woman shorten ' The woman it all I reached the intersection perhaps ten feet ahead of him With never a turn of her head she stepped into the roadway Then seemingly from nowhere a large blajck sedan appeared Barb’s cry of hor ror was drowned out by the grinding of hastily applied brakes and the shrill scream of the woman as she was knocked head first against the gutter The car slowed slightly then whirled off picking up speed at every turn of the wheels Only a Blur to Barb The rest was a mere blur to the horrified Barb People— blood — shriek of ambulance —quietness of efthe hospital The business-lik- e doctors ficiency of the white-cla- d and nurses and all the time that poor battered body In his arms the face of whicji he could never get the blood wiped before more gushed forth And the pitiful little blue fedora now staffied and bloody in his hand When or why he had picked it up he never knew but there it was Even after they had taken poor Emma into the operating room he still carried it In his nervousness as' he waited in the hallway he found himself tearing and twisting it He kissed it tenderly and sought to straighten it Somehow it seemed a part of Emma the only thing he had left How he could have found' unless it in his heart to hate this poor little bit of velvet he could not imagine now Why Emma had looked mighty sweet—— Ages passed before a cool doctor came out of the operating room and told him that Emma would be all right She was just bruised a bit and one arm was broken No he would not be able to see her tonight she was still under the effects of the ether He could return in the morning and take her homo Now if he would be so kind as to give her name and his own together with details of the accident Ordered From Hospital Barb did as he was bidden without conscious effort Then he was politely but firmly ordered to take himself elsewhere So it was that presently he found himself on the street outside the hospital still clutching the blue fedora in his trembling hands A passing cab caught his eye and he hailed it and was driven home But once there standing alone in the yard staring with eyes at the lighted windows he came to an imGod Just to think that passe Emma herself had left those lights burning when she went out on her unknown errand which had ended so disastrously Why he could just picture her so sweet so neatly dressed for the street her pretty hair half covered by the blue fedora How long he stood there lost in vain regrets and painful memories he never knew but finally the stares of two curious passersby embarrassed him Guess he did look foolish standing there like a man in a daze clasping and unclasping his hands over a soiled velvet hat at this time of the morning After all he had to go in and face the awful emptiness of the house some time Might as well Opens Door Finds Emma Squaring his shoulders he opened the door— strange she had not locked it— and stepped in to find Emma in person looking terribly angry and— so healthy! She was dressed for the street was in fact' in the very act of adjusting the blue fedora over one eye when his entrance caused her to turn The flash of relief that came with recognition changed at once to controlled rage "Awww-hh!- ” said Barb weakly It was at once a prayer and a curse His mind simply refused to function he had to lean against the door for support "Well! You drunken brute!” cried "Oh you needn’t protest Emma I knew It the fnoment the hospital called and sqid they’d identified' a woman registered as your wife as a visitor from Iowa I was just going out to find you though i don’t know why I should bother” Her scornful tone did more to bring Barb’s senses back than anything else could have In fact It Inspired him with righteous indignation To think that he’d gone through hen for nothing— because of that blue pancake hat! “Take that damn’ hat off and don't you ever put it on again!” he roared so loud that people in the next block moved restlessly and opined that thtinder dig not always mean rain “X wont do Itt'And furthermore quiet-spok- tear-dimm- Barb Sallet if you're going to start that childish argument all over again— and when you’re drunk too —I’ll— well I’ll never speak to you again!” “Drunk am I?” with an injured air “So that's what you think Well this time I won't come' back i I so soon!” He started for the door His downcast eyes happened to glance upon the little soiled hat in his hand Sight of it had power to bring again all the horror and grief of the njght Resolutely "he whirled a boyish grin caressing his face “They— they really do look good on you don’t they honey?” he asked— sheepishly ' EDITORIAL NOTES The author of this story shows evidence of some possible ability finally to grasp and piaster tile short story form Coming as it did after a number that had to be sent home to the writers this story brought some pleasure into the office There are a number of points that can be improved and forthe sake of helping the short-storwriting family which The Tribune is accucommentto one be ought mulating ed on This is the failure to make most the possible out of the pictures We have chosen to call the process This is a thing that picturization moving pictures have forced on the story very much to its good Our better authors have sensed the change and are making their scenes more vivid The amateur has yet to learn this lesson It might be said that the quickest and easiest way into writing for the films is through the field of prose fiction and that those authors who have found the way to make vivid pictures are the ones who are being called to the studios This story 'has several scenes which might be made more vivid chief among which are the crash scene and the one in the hospital en 1934 ‘ Either by reason of the emotional value woqld make a reipurkable done picture! if The fumblerfor pictures immediately thinks oNdjecti vek and adverbs as the meamnkyivianess and color The fact Is tna( prior pictures are ruined by these two parts of speech than are helped by them It takes a master to us these colors and the tyro should use them The two sparingly and carefully best ways open to the beginner are concrete significant details and verbs Lafcadio Hearn An his "Talks to Writers” gives the results of an investigation which he made in the work of writers because he had found their pictures the most vivid beautiful and distinct of all In his judgment the languages f Hearn is said to be 'the most color- ful in description of all American writers) the verb in which the Scandinavian literature was very rich there being far more verbs than either adjectives or adverbs is the best means by which to make pictures stand out The noun comes next with adjectives and adverbs following in that order tlre-Nor- se With no more reference to the foregoing story than to many others submitted'tijiere is need for an appeal for better minor technique There arepommas on linotypes and it is easy to use them Writers are therefore asked to put In the proper commas Attention is also called to spelling In typing there are always two spaces made with the bar after a period and one after a comma “Why” used as an exclamation and pronounced without much sounding of the “h'' is followed by a comma while why” used interrogatively is not followed by a' comma There is no such word in the dictionary as "alrgiht” it is written “all right” with a space between the two words Such expressions as “old man Bad Temper’’ are not good writing Whenwriters use figures of4peeeh they should try for those which are pleasant and and just and avoid the the sensational d QU A LIT Y By FRANK L MOORE South Street Salt Lake East Twenty-fir- 1400 st (Free Lance) Madame Manda Nancy Washing- ton lay abed in the hospital in But need of a blood transfusion its acquisition unless accompanied by flambuoyant publicity was of secondary Importance to Madame She desired social preference She had hit upon an idea— it obsessed her With fingers airily drawing her pink-si- lk negligee about Her huge black bosom she said to the attending doctor “I wants a quality puhson’s blood doctah! Quality!” d doctor readjusted The his spectacles “I wants a quality puhson’s blood doctah!” she repeated with certain pride and added in a crescendo of wrathful Justification “I’se a quality ’oman doctah Quality!" Then Madame with flourishes like a grand dame delivering an ultimatum tucked the white coverlets about her one hundred and sixty ed I blue-eye- ! pounds of ebon obesity Just Sis Mandy month before she was just Sis Mandy of Mudtown Hollow an apbarefoot washer parently happy Then too she had been woman proud and contented with a span d mules that had hauled of her and her brood of nine from their nonsustaining Texas homeNow she was haughtily stead about a special blood cantankerous ' for transfusion The doctor scarcely knew what to do Although he had heard her oddities before he turned to his assistant in a psychological quan- dary While attending her boy n who had been the doctor heard her reprimand two of her sons Obediah and Cain for' quarreling with children from track with over the railroad “Twa’nt quality-lik- e ruckling with scalawag black trash” This she had said without bitterness Even when Doc Dollah a black itind and erant preacher conjurer and niggardly conman had beaten her out dollars she did of five not show a belligerent disposition of such Implacability He bad beaten her many times before too out of smaller sums and she cordially despised Doc as being of the dregs— the spawn of seething black sin Doc assuredly was not quality A jug-hea- Nico-demu- s mule-bitte- greasy-coate- hard-earn- -- ed Sees Him Approaching When she was sweating over the laundry tubs Doc Dollah had com shambling across her grassless cabin yard She saw him approaching and muttered to Obediah and Cain coonlng In the big elm tree near her “Tell yo’ sistalv Sheba Belle sittin’ in do’way to cova up dat co’n bread he alnt gittln’ nary crumb lessen I pizen it!” Doc overheard her she knew it and Doc’s nonchalance stung her deeply But her belligerence not become audible ? did Doc needed money Furthermore he could evaluate woman’s curi- osity “Good news fo’ yuh Sis Mandy he chortled ignoring her standing akimbo and eyeing him “Whut? Whut kinda of news?” Her glaring eyes changed to longing ones Ilia Voice Mysterious Doc's voice became mysterious on Jeffeson’s Mandy!” Mandy’s ample arms fell limply “Git outen dat do’way Sheba Belle” she ordered Ambling to the doorway she dusted it off with her red gingham apron and urged Doc to be seated in it Doc “Is yuh got ’notha luck-ba- g Dollah?” she whined unctuously h Jist one— jlst a special one fo' yuh Sis Mandy! Wid It yo'all find oil de next full moon! Jist five doilahs Sis Mandy Jlst five doilahs!" The dust Doc raised in departing had not settled before George Abraham Washington Mandy's husband dashed into the cabin gesticulating and waving a large envelope "Oil’s been 'scovered land Jinln’ yo’all Sis “K-ya- h! thrust the envelope into Mandy's shaky hands She snatched out its contents blinked— gave the papers to Sheba Belle saying “Read chil’ read!” “ an offer of $500000 for your land a draft $25000 for royalties from oil—” Is what Sheba Belle He read "We’s Quality Folks’ Mandy’s smiling face tilted heavenward as if Gabriel “wid de gold- en trumpet” were informing her that “de lawd am rewardin’ her for her long long struggle” Presently she beamed on her gaping brood jammed In the cabin doorway and said "I told yuh we’s quality folks now we sho is!” Within a fortnight she was Madame Washington of Dumas Way She spent days viewing the antics of miladies of the 'silver screen Then after practicing those didoes (OooHnoed oa Pm j 3 OF THIS EDITOR'S NOTE— Primarily The Tribune's new policy formally inaugurated today of publishing short stories by University students and free lance writers within the circulating territory of the papei' is intended to be educational To that end readers will note that editorial comment has been inserted at the conclusion of ail "fr£e lance” stories This has been done In order that the writers may thereby get some ideas of the "faults” of their stories although published As time goes on and with more and more stories being received The Tribune will raise its standard of acceptance With this in mind it bchoovek all writen sending in manuscripts to respect the advice published with those accepted before submitting a second story Those whose stories have been rejected should either rewrite them along the lines suggested or avoid the "faults” listed on their rejection slips in any attempt at writing another story The Tribune wishes to emphasise again that it cannot engage in correspondence in connection with this program Decision in each case will be considered final and unless a stamped envelope accompanies the manuscript its return cannot be insured All stories are submitted at the risk of the writer THE PANCAKE HAT (Free Lance) WRITERS 11 Tin) SECTION WHITE ROSES By n POSTER TPfACKWELL 779 Eighth Avenue Salt Lake (University of Utah Student) The coroner’s Jury had completed Its investigation-andeparted save for the old Doctor and Judge Eyeril both of whom had known the late Colonel Ealy since he first opened his eyes to the Virginia sun “Then you are really convinced Doctor that the Colonel’s death Is due to natural pauses?” asked the Judge Restlessly he opened a window to let more of the fresh spring air into the room whose garish luxuries seemed suffocating without the Colonel's gay casualness to give them excuse for being "Nat’ual yes suh in his caie No one wfho lived the life he did could evah hope to reach a ripe old age His heart simply resigned” The Doctor turned again to the pile of Old letters on the Colonel's desk Accepts the Verdict d - - face s“You— you at this desk— ap- ' Colonel himself would have wholly approved lighted it “As his ‘was’ no But did you notice" suh that these lettahs be- gin only a little over twenty months ago? And do you not recognize that ‘delicate’ hand that you mentioned?” The Doctor handed him an opened letter The Judge pulled a chair close to the desk fitted his eyeglasses and carefully scrutinized the writing Suddenly he gasped: "Cynthia’s— It is Cynthia Hammond’s! Of course I recognize those peculiar r's and the queer little twirl on the ' ?” letters with tails But why “ ‘But why’ exactly" Interrupted the Doctor leanlngforward intently “Are you familiah with the love affair of Cynthia and Ealy?” Gives Attention to Doctor "Only rumors— I have known her Just since her father’s death— mereI was in ly as her legal adviser the north fpr over twenty years you remember” The Judge carefully quenched his cigaret in an ivory tray and gave his entire attention to the Doctor “Well suh she and Ealy were childhood sweethearts— were enWhile she gaged to be married was in school in England Ealy began drinkin’ and generally The Doctor rose and slowly' walked across the room to where a tiny portrait of a dainty golden girl hung above the bed whose occupant no longer looked upon It “Rumors reached Cynthia I suppose” he continued studying the portrait “Anyway they were to have been married immediately upon her return but she asked to In the postpone it foh a month meantime she found out foh herself the stage Ealy had reached She had always had one of those sweet yieldin’ loyal lovable natures with unbendable morals and ideals Refused to marry him unHe less he reformed completely wouldn’t— couldn’t” Gently he lifted the sheet disclosing the Colonel's face even now more handsome than it was strong and stood gazing fondly at him for a moment before replacing the cover “They stopped seein’ each othah entirely She was away much aftah that Neither evah married” he concluded abruptly as he moved slowly from trinket to trinket about the room “But she came back to her father's old home about three years ago” the Judge interposed turning the chair at the desk a little toward the Doctor in hope that he' would sit down "She didn't go about with Ealy though— we'd have heard of it — the whole town would’ve been agog suh!” “Just because she wrote letters to him doesn’t mean she went about with him does it?" queried the Judge with a tolerant smile Letter Is Read haven’t read the lettahs!” the Doctor gruffly replied seating himself at the desk Impatiently “Heah read this one written just two weeks ago" The Judge leaned back easily in the carved chair as he reac A “You “My Dear What a glorious evening! People may change time'lhay Always change but spring--nev- er It is beautiful poignant heart-breaking- ly The white youthful roses are in bloom oven the play house suppose— she eyeglasses "Don’t know I saw her last week she seemed perfectly normal then” “Then they must have met secretly Mose might know Ealy has hardly let him out of his sight these last years Perhaps—” he rose uneasily The Doctor shook his head “I thought of that dislike to excite servants’ gossip though” ‘‘You a? her doctor and I as her attorney 'ought to know the meaning of these” he waved his hand toward the stack of worn letters "I'm going to ask Mose!” Mose Is Questioned “I’m willing to accept your ver- was found dead don’t couldn'tbe having a mental lapse?” Nervously the Judge polished his dict" said the Judge coming over to the desk “but the fact that he parently died while reading those lettahs— and your Interest in them —makes me wonder if you suspect a connection there?” The Doctor turned to face him "Have you looked at the lettahs suh?" he demanded “Yes A bunch of very pretty love letters from some lady who writes a delicate hand Nothing unusual in that is there? Especially for a man with a life such as his was?” He tpok q clgaret from a thin case hesitated a trifle as he glanced at the shrouded figure on the bed and then as though reflecting that the “Wasn't the dance lovely last Saturday? 1 had such a good time! Next Saturday will be the picnic— this is to let you know that I can go Lovingly your C" Quietly the! Judge laid the letter back among the others “Well suh?” said the Doctor watching his friend’s perplexed The faithful darky came reluctantly to the doorway of his master’s death chamber “Mose— these lettahs" began the Doctor “did the Colonel have any more of them?” No suh dat’s all he had I’se Jest knowed Chloey foah two yeahs an' we only writes ’raslonal” Mose carefully avoided looking in the direction of the bed The Dofcfdr and the Judge looked blankly at each other and Mose retreated a step from the doorway The Doctor laid hishand on the letters “Then these are yo’ lettahs Mose?” he asked Judge Everll leaning on the back of his chair watched the negro intently “Yas sah Chloey sahs is Miss Cynthia’s maid Chloey an’ me is— ” is lngaged ’Count de Cunnei Mose stopped short with a little gasp as though in his thoughts of Chloey he had forgotten for a mo- -' ment that the Colonej was gone anti then went on in a lower voice : “ ’Count de Cunnei lives way out heah and Miss Cynthia in town we cain’t see each othah often So's Chloey asts Miss Cynthia to write 'lettahs to me foah her cals she cain’t write an’ I cain’t read so’s de' Cunnei he read ’em to me— den he writes ansuhs foah me De Cunnei— he keeps ’em heah foah me so’s dey don git lost” Mose shifted unhappily from one foot to ' the other Doctor Is Bewildered “Did the Colonel know Chloey was Miss Cynthia’s maid?” asked the Judge quietly with a sidewise glance at the Doctor's bewildered face “Oh yas sah He recanlze Miss Cynthia’s wrltin’ fust thing” Edging farther Into the hall he pulled from his pocket a crumpled and “Judge envelope Ev’al sah heah is one moah— it jest come— yestaday— aftah de Cunnei— went away” Tears ran down his face and splashed upon his trembling hand that held the letter toward the Judge “Chloey and Miss Cynthia didn’ know ’bout de Cunnei ’til dis mawnln’’ Turning so that Mose in the hall and the Doctor half turned from the desk could hear him the Judge tear-splotch- ed ’ read: “My Dear: There is no party and there is no picnic to write about this week But this is the anniversary of the night two lovers pledged themselves to each other in In Virginia And a rose garde whether they were foolish or is whether they were brave-th- is to let you know that as always I love you C” Mose looked a trifle dazed and then his face brightened “Where do it say she love me?” The Judge pointed to the words and taking his letter with his finger on the precious line Mose went off repeating to himself “She say ” ‘I love you’ All the Evidence The Judge hastily wiped his eye' glasses and moved toward the desk "Notice how all these letters are worn with much handling— continual folding and refolding” The Doctor sat silent his lined face sad With a quizzically lifted eyebrow the Judge addressed him directly: “I suppose it was Mose wanted to hear them read so often?” The Doctor’s old eyes glistened with tears Abruptly he rose and began gathering up his overcoat hat and bag Almost gruffly he said: “You have all the evidence befoh you Judge” Smiling a lit-t- ie he added: “And a lawyer suh with yo’ reputation doesn't need the opinion of a country doctah in such a case!” He paused in the door-- ' way “I beg you will excuse me I suh foh my abrupt depa’ture have a patient —Miss Cynthia— who I'm afraid is in need of my profe clonal services ' : |
