Show THE FICTION ION THE CORNER By Patrick J. J OBrien O'Brien is Flannagan's wake T TOMORROW J- J Kathy recalled as she hurried up the brownstone steps leading to the apartment where she and Paddy had lived since their marriage three years ago this very day Kathy smiled I as she visualized Minute I the new spring 3 Fiction I outfit she would j wear at the gath gath- ering Paddy was proud of her dress too even if it he didn't say so She knew he liked the way it emphasized her figure Of course he had complained about the cost adding If you want to waste money on clothes you should have married a banker But the argument about the dress was not the real reason she had left The breaking point was reached when Paddy had refused to buy the darling bonnet displayed in Murphys Murphy's Murphys Murphys Murphy's Mur Mur- phys phy's window Ridiculous I I he said Ridiculous How could a hat be ridiculous when every day for nearly a month she had stopped to look in the window and admire it Reaching the apartment door she turned the knob but the door refused refused refused re re- re- re fused to open Apprehensively she turned the knob back and forth but to no avail She was locked out Kathy blushed furiously with indig nation Then she exploded Open this door Oo 10 o you hear hearme hearme hearme me she shouted pounding frantically on the warped panels Its ts t's not enough that I work myself myself myself my my- self to the bone bone so a a. body can have a decent home homo to live in No I must be locked out of my myown myown myown own home My home mind you i t H f It L I I V V VV p-I p 1 Your home Patrick 0 O Maddigan's voice v vibrated I b bra r a t e d through the thin partition Is IsIt IsIt Isit I It now Your home Patrick Ol gans gan's voice vibrated through the he thin partition Is it now And only this morning you were ready to ta walk out of my house When Then I get my hands on that tha stubborn neck of yours Kathy 0 O Maddigan shouted Ill Sure now Paddy said would you be wanting 1 to harm your bread and butter Open this door I say saylIn In good bood time woman Paddy replied Its your Irish temper th that t thas has the best of you rl A J u. u fine one you are to be talking of an Irish temper Who was it that woke the neighbors with his carrying aDin on aD in the wee hours of the tse morning No answer It was Patrick that's who it was And all because I wanted the money to buy the hat II BUT 0 RUT UT the price woma woman I couldn't afford a weeks week's wages for a abit abit abit bit of lace and cloth Dont you Jou want your wife to be bethe bethe bethe the best dressed lady at the wake tomorrow Ka Kathy thy asked That I do But could you not purchase purchase pur pur- chase a hat that's that more reasonable in price I had my heart set on wearing that hat to the wake Kathy said Dont you love me Its not a question of love Paddy replied its the money Im I'm thinking of It Then you'll not buy the hat fox tOI me Silence Let me In Paddy Kathy KathS pleaded a pathetic note creeping into her voice Ill be good There were sounds of movement in the apartment Then Kathy heard n t h. h I J 1 LL I V I n she stooped slipped sUpped a shoe off hei hes foot and straightened up with il ii grasped firmly in one small hand She struck swiftly as the door was opened suddenly But it was wag wasso wasso so sudden that Kathy was Vas thrown off balance and and the momentum mo rno carried her to the center center center cen cen- ter of the room She landed unceremoniously unceremoniously un un- ceremoniously on her hands and knees Brushing aside a strand of bali hali that was tickling the tip of her nose flose she looked up at Paddy who wal wai va standing beside the open door It his hand was bit a of Kelly KeIly greet greer and a little white veil with a pink pin and blue ribbon on the side You did buy it Paddy But But you said I meant to surprise you Kathy Paddy explained I 1 couldn't lef let you down Have you forgotten ow wedding anniversary Oh Paddy she said tenderly |