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U.S.A_ - John Dos Passos [444]

By Root 8745 0
Nat kept talking about the business and AskewMerritt and Standard Airparts and said Charley'd be out on the sidewalk if it wasn't for him. They had some drinks but Nat kept talking about buttermilk and wanted Charley to come around to the hotel and meet Farrel . Farrel thought Charley was about the best guy in the world, and Farrel was the coming man in the industry, you could bet your bottom dol ar on Farrel . And right away there was Farrel and Charley was showing him his knuckle and tel -ing him he'd socked the guy in that lousy pokergame and how he'd have cleaned 'em al up if somebody hadn't batted him back of the ear with a stocking ful of sand. Detroit, sure. He was ready to go to Detroit any time, Detroit or anywhere else. Goddam it, a guy don't like to stay in a town where he's just been rol ed. And that damn highyal er had his pocketbook with al his addresses in it. Papers? Sure. Sign anythin'

you like, anythin' Nat says. Stock, sure. Swop every last share. What the hel would a guy want stock for in a plant in a town where he'd been rol ed in a clip joint. Detroit, sure, right away. Nat, cal a taxi, we're goin' to Detroit.

Then they were back at the apartment and Taki was

chattering and Nat attended to everything and Farrel was saying, "I'd hate to see the other guy's eye," and Charley could sign his name al right this time. First time he signed it on the table but then he got it on the contract, and Nat fixed it al up about swapping his Askew-Merritt stock for Tern stock and then Nat and Farrel said Charley must be

-235-sleepy and Taki kept squeaking about how he had to take right away a hot bath. Charley woke up the next morning feeling sober and

dead like a stiff laid out for the undertaker. Taki brought him orangejuice but he threw it right up again. He

dropped back on the pil ow. He'd told Taki not to let any-body in, but there was Joe Askew standing at the foot of the bed. Joe, looked paler than usual and had a worried frown like at the office, and was pul ing at his thin blond mustache. He didn't smile. "How are you coming?" he said.

"Soso," said Charley.

"So it's the Tern outfit, is it?"

"Joe, I can't stay in New York now. I'm through with this burg."

"Through with a lot of other things, it looks like to me."

"Joe, honest I wouldn'ta done it if I hadn't had to get out of this town . . . and I put as much into this as you did, some people think a little more."

Joe's thin lips were clamped firmly together. He started to say something, stopped himself and walked stiffly out of the room.

" Taki," cal ed Charley, "try squeezin' out half a grape-fruit, wil you?" NEWSREEL LVI his first move was to board a fast train for Miami to see whether the builders engaged in construction financed by his corporation were speeding up the work as much as they might and to take a look at things in general

Pearly early in the mornin'

-236- Oh joy

Feel that boat arockin'

Oh boy

See those darleies floclein'

What's that whistle sayin'

All aboard toot toot

AIR REJECTION BLAMED FOR

WARSHIP DISASTER

You're in Ken-tucky just as sure as you're born LINER AFIRE

POSSE CLOSING IN ON AIRMAIL

BANDITS

Down beside the summer sea

Along Miami Shore

Some one waits alone for me

Along Miami Shore

SINCE THIS TIME YESTERDAY NEARLY

TWO THOUSAND MEN

HAVE CHANGED TO CHESTERFIELDS

PEACHES FLED WITH FEW CLOTHES

Saw a rosebud in a store

So I'm goin' where there's more

Good-bye blues

the three whites he has with him appear to be of primitive Nordic stock. Physical y they are splendid creatures. They have fine flaxen hair, blue-green eyes and white skins. The males are covered with a downlike hair

Let me lay me down to sleep in Carolina

With a peaceful pillow 'neath my weary head

For a rolling stone like me there's nothing finer Oh Lordy what a thrill To hear that whip-poor-will

In Carolina

-237-THE CAMERA EYE (48)

westbound to Havana Puerto-MexicoGalveston out

of Santander (the glassy estuary the feeling of hil s hem-ming the moist night an occasional star drips chil y out of the rainy sky a row of lights spil

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