Show Everything's Same Samer Cy 4 By E. E A. A McClure Syndicate Features W HEN John came into the hitch kitch- kitchen hitchen kitch- kitch 1 en from his room upstairs they knew the homecoming was a failure fail e He smiled but it wasn't the boyish eager grin of eighteen months ago It was more like the automatic smile of a tired young stranger who was trying to please trying to seem glad to be home again Gee Mom my room room not not a athing's athing's athing's things thing's been changed he said slow slow- ly almost the same as as- as asHe He stopped and Mathilda Malhilda watch watch- watching watching watching ing her sons son's lips tighten and his hi eyes fall glanced from him to his father Harvey silent but tense sat stiffly in his rocker and stared out the window almost the same same- same same-It The words echoed through the room Butof But of course it Helen Hel n was married now and Eddie who really the shared shared the little room with John was in the South Pacific Nothing really had been the same since the war broke out Yet from Johns John's letters Mathilda Malhilda and Harvey had known he was hop hop- hoping hoping ing desperately it would be Im almost afraid to come home he wrote once just before his furlough Im afraid things will be so dif dif- ferent fere t. t That was why they had tried why why the little upstairs room had been reopened why the old pennants were tacked again on the walls why the 22 had been oiled and placed in its spot be be- behind behind behind hind the kitchen stove along with the topped high hunting boots just as they used to be Harvey shifted uneasily in his chair Then he rose crossed the room and commenced pulling on his galoshes His voice was calm Come on John Theres There's someone down in the barn that's mighty anxious anxious anxious ious to see you The son turned his head Nellie Nel Nellie Nellie lie Harvey stamped his feet on the hard floor and nodded smiling The young soldier was silent as his mother pulled the coats from the row of hooks on the wall beside the stove He took the heavy army coat she gave him and she offered an ulster to his father Not that one Mathilda his fa father fa- fa father father ther growled The red one Mathilda Malhilda frowned placed the coat on the hook and handed him his hunting coat Smelly old thing she fussed I dont don't see why you never wear the good one no more Harvey merely grunted as he pulled on the jacket and led his son sonto sonto sonto to the door Walking toward the bat barn neither had anything to say But as they approached it John spoke suddenly I bet she doesn't even remember me where youre you're wrong son Harvey answered firmly with witha a scornful frown been for you ever since you left wont left wont won't let anyone else eyen even touch her Why I have to let her out in the pasture to clean her stall Yeah Johns John's tone was politely skeptical Wait here a second son the theold theold theold old man said at the barn door and let me show you u. u Watch John stepped out of sight of the horse as his father approached Nel Nel- Nellie Nellie lie On seeing the red-coated red fig fig- figure figure figure ure the young mare reared quickly whinnied and pawed the air Whoa Nellie the old man said but the frightened mare whirled snorted and retreated to the rear Harvey came back to John smil smil- ing See he said triumphantly Now you try it There was a tense expression about the young mans man's mouth as ashe ashe aslie he lie stepped forward From the thedoor thedoor thedoor door where John had bad stood the fattier father looked on quietly The horse whinnied again raced toward the soldier and poked his muzzle into the khaki col col- col- col lar Johns John's hands went up and stroked ed the soft wet nose lId Hel Hello lo 10 Nellie he be murmured warm warm- ly You do remember remember remember-don't don't dont you Harvey was happy as he went back into the kitchen Mathilda threw him an inquiring glance and Harvey motioned her to the t e window Side by side through the frosted glass they saw John lead the mare from the barn mount her unsaddled unsaddled unsaddled just as he used to do and then horse and rider galloped down the lane As he passed the house John turned waved and grinned the grinned the old boyish grin Everything they knew then was the same after all The stove sizzled The room was pleasantly warm Mathilda turned to her husband sniffed and said in ina ina ina a scolding voice Harvey Harve take off aft that dirty old hunting jacket Heavens Heavens Heavens ens it smells like a stable Harvey walked to the row of hooks pulled off the coat and placed it on the rack tenderly as if it were an old friend It smell a little bit like horses Mathilda he said You see Ive I've been poor old Nellie with it every day for over a month |