Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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THE RFFLECTOR , -. l- ruined, and no prospects for the future? Shore now, don't you worry. You'll come through all right. Won't he, Doc? said Slim, turning his head to the waiter at this last. Why sure, Eben. Everything's going to be just fine, was the reply. Eb was silent, except for ordering his 1neal, which was none too big. Already owe Doc eleven-forty, was Ebenezer's explanation. And next week's rent week. That ole store! And that manager! He fairly sobbed those last words. At that particular point in walked-none other than the new chain store manager. Speak of the Devil, and there he is, commented Slim under his breath. Eb jumped off the stool and started for the door. Slim grabbed him. Hey! You ain't leavin', are yuh? 'Course, 'course, I'm goin'-- Where to? Corsica? sallied Phil, the manager. Lissen here, young feller, none o' your lip. You've made me enough trouble already. With that he hurst out the door and made for his store. All afternoon Eben brooded over his misfortunes, so that when evening came he was glad to put his CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT sign in the win- dow and start for home. 1 II At home Sylvia Stiles was left to herself most of the time. This she did not mind, for she had become used to it during the five years after her mother's death, and, at twenty-three, she was capable of caring for herself. In the morning she did the housework, the afternoon was hers. Recently she had been having a visitor. A man visitor. At first he came only occasionally, but now had grown to be as regular as clockwork. His name was Philip Beeche. His occupation-manager of the Slreamline Groceries Sales in Colinsville. Phil worked on a morning shift, and therefore he con- veniently had his P. M.'s free, too. Sometimes he just came and visited. At other times he took Sylvia for a ride. Of all this her father knew nothing. On this particular afternoon: Honk, honk! O Sylvia! Coming, Phil. A slim Hgure ran from house to car. What'll it be this afternoon? A ride, I think. The door slammed, the motor whined, and a cloud of dust curled as the powerful car moved off and quickly gathered momentum. They talked on that ride. Talked a lot. About the scenery, about people, and in particular about themselves. They talked of love-and even of mar- riage. It was Phil who opened up this topic. Sylvia, YesP Why don't you and I get married? Out of a clear sky, mind you. Wha-wha-why, Phil, you're joking! No, I mean every word I say. I love you and you-- he paused, you do love me, don't you? 18

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THE REFLECTOR l , falling business. Since that chain store opened 'cross the way, I've lost a tol'ble lot o' customers, said Eb. Certainly is a shame, Slim observed. I still can't see, though, why you didn't sell out to them, 'stead o' lettin' them take away yore business. Nothin' doin', came back Stiles. If I can't buy and sell as I please, I don't want to do it at all. And then, most likely they'd shift me to some strange town where I'd know nobody or be known-an' I couldn't take part in the community affairs. No, sirree! I stay right here. Here's your groceries, Slim, and your change. Keep it-the change, I mean. 'Twon't do me as much good as 'twill you. The two shuffled over to the door and went out on the porch. Eb sat down on the bench there and pulled out his pipe. Then he produced his tobacco wallet. Um, he mused, peering into it, not much left. Guess I'11 have to get some inside. Well, I'll be toddlin' along now, Eb, said Slim. Be seein' yuh later- at the rest'rant. So long, Slim. Well, Eben got his tobacco. It was the last he had in the store. But Eb figured it was all right, no one would be likely to buy it anyway. Since the new chain place started business across the way, his own business had sagged, even as a clothesline sags with Monday's wash. Its prices were, nat- urally, much lower than his. Now, no one was going to pay a high price for an article when the same thing could be obtained elsewhere for a few cents less. Every penny counted, and so the Streamline Grocery Sales stuck its fangs into Stiles' business. I'm on my last legs, thought the man. Don't know how much longer I can keep on. If that store pulls its prices down any further, I'm lost. Only enough left to keep this place open. Look at all the people over there buyin' the place out. What a break some people get! Nearly all my savin's gone now. He brushed a suspicious drop from his cheek. Thought I'd be able to give Sylvia a good education and a happy life, but I guess that's just another dream gone forever. And thus his thoughts ran on. For nearly an hour and a half he sat there with his pipe, having nothing to do. Once, someone stopped in for a broom and a tin of Epsom Salts. That was all for the morning. At noon he locked up his dingy establishment and walked over to the lunch room. Entering the place he went to the rear, where he found Perkins munching a ham on rye. Hello, greeted Slim. 'Lo, Slim, he returned, but his words were hardly audible. Saay, what's the matter with you, anyhow? came from Slim, after he gulped the last of the sandwich. Would you be very glad if your life savin's was gone, your business 17

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THE REFLEC7 OR --l- .1 i1 l- Yes, I--I-- Sylvia was flustrated. But think of father. You know he'll never consent. Even if I were to agree to support him as well as you? Even if you did, the answer'd be the same. Well, we don't have to have his consent. Xve can go off, get m-- Phil, stop. Much as I love you, I couldn't think of leaving father like that. And I know he'd never let you support him, even if we did get married. He'd starve first. She would have said more, but her thoughts were interrupted by a peculiar sound. It seemed all around them. At first it was in front, then on one side of the car, then underneath. A peculiar gurgling, followed by a cough or two and a sigh. But it was no human sound. Mvstified as they might be, both agreed on that. It must be the motor, decided Philip. just then the noise stopped. So did the motor. And so did the car. As it rolled to a halt, Phil jumped out and lifted the hood. Very good advice. Whenever anything goes wrong with your car, be sure to lift the hood, and nine times out of ten funless you're the mechanic at the town garagej you'll say, Hanged if I know. YVhich was just the formula Philip Beeche used. Hanged if I know. An almost new car, but right away it has to get temperamental. Sort of like your father, Sylvia. t Phil, I wish you wouldn't say things like that about my father. But, she added, he doesn't like you and neither does the car, so maybe you're right. XN7ell, let's see, the young fellow muttered. Nothing wrong here-humm -seems all right. Yeppy, everything okay here. Gosh darn you. He thumped the car. What's your secret, anyhow? After so saying he started a thorough examination, in which Sylvia tried to help, giving as much aid as a tooth-pick pinch-hitting for a baseball bat. So busily were the two engaged, that they neither saw nor heard an approach- ing car. Not until it was exactly opposite Beeche's machine did either look up. Then, and only then, did Sylvia peer around one corner of the roadster to see who the newcomer was. She would have fallen backwards except for Phil's support, as he had been standing just behind her. At this moment tl1e other car stopped, and Ebenezer Stiles looked up to see what was the matter. Great was his astonishment, then, when he saw his daughter in the arms of this man. Since his wife had died Eb was very jealous of anyone who made any suspicious advances toward his daughter. Up to now he had suspected nothing, however. This sudden revelation of what had been going on behind his back, came as a jolt. But what made it hurt so was the fact that his daughter had chosen the very man who had ruined her father's business-or at least, so he thought. This was too much for him. Something snapped within. Anger and despair fought for control of his face. Anger won. He descended and approached the couple threateningly. 19