St Marys Hall - Ivy Yearbook (Burlington, NJ)

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NIICJHT IINTIEIRWIEW You can get a johlu she snapped hack. nYou can get thirty dollars a week as a salesman. Thirty dollars a weeklu he echoed. Ulf you need money so hadly, why don't you go into an automat as a waitress? There was a pause during which she looked disgustedly around the room. Look at your apartment, she said as if it were the most lavishly furnished room in existence. You don't have to live in a penthouse like this, you might at least rent a hoardinghouse room, mightn't you? A hoardinghouse roomln he ejaculated. Ulf you think l'm going to live in a pigpen so that you can sit on a velvet cushion and eat chocolate creams on Park Avenue, you're wrong. When l have an income you'll get one third of it, hut until then you can get along. You must he making some money! she snapped at him angrily. How can you afford to live here? I used to make money, he said slowly, ua long time ago . . . remember? And really, Judith, if l were making three cents a year rd see you got one cent, hut I can't give you one third of zero. When I made twelve hundred a week you couldn't see why you got only four hundred. She seemed puzzled, trying to decide what to do. Then she assumed an ex- pression of determination. Sidney, she said at last, 'Tm going to stay here until some arrangement has been made. He yawned and stretched himself. Theres a camp cot in the closet: you can put it up in the hall. You'll have to get your own meals, and I'll see that the janitor puts in another mailbox. She saw that it obviously wasn,t working. Do you want me to starve? she asked. By the way, he said suddenly, VVhy do you need money all of a sudden? She looked across the room. Did it ever occur to you that I might want to get married again? nAgainl. he muttered. HVVho's the next Fish? 'Tm planning to marry Ralph, she said coldly. Ralphl. he explaimed. VVhy, he's an honest, God-fearing young man. Would you corrupt his young life to make him another sucker? Inside of a year he'll he the one that's paying the alimony. I plan to stay married to Ralph, she said sharply. Sure, you planned it that way with me, with George, and with Leonard. You won't stay married. lf I shouldnt marry him, Sidney, and you should die, where would I he? rd he out walking the streets. She tried hard to make an impression. No you wouldnt he put in. My will takes care of that. l've put aside a small sum for any such emergency. Will l get it? ul suppose you'll have to, he said sorrowfully. 'Tye been meaning to change my will in favor of the hlind orphans' homef' 35

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NUQHT ENTFEIRWEW The bell on the Triborough Bridge chimed four A. M. Sidney spun the dish towel around and around the dish, then smiled at it and put it on the shelf. Next, having lit a cigarette and the gas stove simultaneously, he raised the former to his lips and put the coljteepot on the latter. What a lifeln he murmured to himself, as people have murmured to them- selves ever since existence began. No worries, no worlc, no wileln The last of these had been quite a concern to him up until six months ago when she had divorced him for cruelty, infidelity, and drunkenness, all of which he would like to have been guilty of. As he tilted back in his chair he reliected happily that Judith was out of his life forever. He had just inhaled a large pulll of srnolce and had turned to loolc at the coffee when he was overcome with a fit of coughing. There was a tall blonde Woman standing in the doorway. Had he never seen her lace before it might have seemed a pretty oneg but as it was, his nauseated expression showed great discomfort at the spectacle. VVell? she said slowly as if aslcing a question. He had always thought this very stupid of herg there was no definite answer to such a ridiculous question. Hope you don't mind if I come in. She came in. After he had recovered, he forced a wealc smile, sighed, and resigned himself to his late. Hello, Judy. To this she paid no attention. You lmow why l'm here, don't you? she aslced. ul guess so. Uvvell, what are you planning to do about it? Fight to the finish, he said sleepily, and then noticing for the first time that she was wearing an old yellow evening dress that dated several husbands haclc, he added, Have you been out? To dinner, she replied. With whom, if you don't mind my asking? She loolced surprised. uvvhy, with Ralph, of course.n Why lceep him waiting? he aslced. 'Til go aslc him in. He's not waiting, she answered with annoyance. I came alone so l could tallc to you. If you are through diverging, l'll begin. Sid looked bored and as a matter of course opened his mouth. HYou want your alimony. Are you going to give it to me? No. Sidney, l've put up with that answer for live months. I must have it now. You have to give me what's lawfully mine, and if you don't, l'll go to my lawyerf' Here she tightened her jaw as was her custom. Sidney's expression became serious. Listen, Judy, he began, nil l had a job you would get one third of my income. It is lawfully yours as you say. But when l am not rnalcing any money, what do you expect? 34

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NIGHT IINTVEIQWEW How much is it? she asked hopelessly. 'Tm not sure, he said slowly. ul suppose it's in the neighborhood ot'-well, say a hundred thousand. Her jaw dropped. She stared at him and slowly pronounced, A hundred thousandin He nodded. She snapped her jaw shut. Where did you get it? she asked, still in awe My father died two months ago: he left it to me., uThen I own one third ot itf' No you dont he said quickly. lt's inherited, not part of my income. She looked anxiously at him. It sometimes worked. I do need it, Sid, please Not till I die. Oh, you're hopeless. You'll never die. How could I have married you? He looked at her with sleepy eyes. ul'm sure I don't know. Ghastly mistake. wasn't it?u She was exhausted. She put her chin on her tist and looked long at him. trowning. You could never act sensible, she said at last. Then she could think of nothing better to say than, You moron! Have some coffee, he said sleepilyg it'lI calm your nerves. No, she exploded, 'Tm not nervousi Sidney-you-how could you he so hateful? l might have known it wouldn't do any good to come here. He pushed his chair hack and laying his arms on the tahle put his head on them. Her voice rose with anger, and a sob found its way into it. HYou're as stubborn as you always werei All right, I don't need your money: give it to the orphans' homel I'll marry Ralph anyway. I don't care. Change your will first thing in the morning. I'Il never bother you again. She ended almost in hysteria and was about to run from the room when there came a sizzle from the stove. The cottee hoiled over and onto the flame. Immedi- ately it was extinguished. Judith ran instinctively to tum oft the escaping gas. then stopped. Hurriedly she pulled a handkerchief from her cape, and, holding it over her mouth and nose, glanced quickly around the room. Sidney lay asleep. his head in his arms. The window was closed. She turned quickly and left, shut- ting the door behind her. The hell on the Trihorough Bridge struck tive. All was still in the great city. cf' THE SEASHORE Waves . . . that heat their never-ending tunes upon the shore. . . . Barbara Swift, '4l. Sand . . . with which God made our earth, white, crystal clear, and soft . . . Shells . . . their pastel shades that glisten lying in the sun . . . Air . . . exhilarating tang ot salt that fills our lungs . .. Seagulls . . . that soar ahove the waves, dipping down tor prey . . . Sun . . . the golden power that warms the sand and gives the body peace. Nancy Eckman, '40. 56