Bid. 4. NYA SVENSKA PRWSEN Torsdagen den 3 oktober 1940. A LETTER HOME By GÖSTA LARSSON. (Continued from last week.) DAVE was the fifth man liv-ing in the shanty. He had a job, working in a garage, and chipped in his earnings with the other four as was the custom in Hoover City. One for all and all for one was their motto. Every morning, when the weather per-.mitted it, each man set out and did his best for the support of the camp. Some of the men would gather driftwood in the bay and sell it for a few pennies to the Families living in the dingy brick-houses of the neighborhood. Others would find themselves a day's work at the docks, or may-be a few hours dishwashing in a cafeteria. And one day a Hoover Oity artist painted a ship and sold the canvas to a sailor for ten dollars. That night every Shanty Town citizen was given an extra treat. The lose tin plate rattled and slapped against the wall outside. The Swede fiercely crumpled up another sheet of paper, mutter-ing a curse under his breath. you make a flop of everything— how can you put that down on paper? Well, of1 course....you don’t. You lie. You tell em every thing is all right ... But you can't keep it up forever . . .” He paused and walked up and down the floor, his hands grip-ping each other tightly. "You know,” he continued, ‘Tve got my mother over there in the old country. I used to send her a few dollars. But . . . when 1 lost my job in the shipping office . . . j well, you know what a bum time 1 was having. Then it looked like 1 would land another job, and I wrote and said I’d soon be on my feet again.----The job didn't turn out. It was hard to write and ex-plain, and so I let it go. What could I do? . . .” He interrupted the bitter flow ! of his words, stepped to the window and stood staring out across Shanty Town. The gale whipped up the snow in great white clouds among the shacks. Over in the repair dock lay a couple of battered freighters, un-loaded and incredibly high, loom- It made me happy to ge: /our l letter with the loving worus in it. Thank God you’re well. I’m ' tLaking of you always .... 1 guess that s about what it says.” He nodded to himself as he turned to the end of the letter. “Yes, and the handwriting gets shakier at the end. You can hard-ly read it. And i bet that not once in the whole letter has she asked you for anything, money or anything else. And now here at the end she is asking you to take good care of yourself. lt's you she’s thinking of all the time." The Canadian turned his eyes to the Swede who stood by the window, staring toward the phan-tom ships behind the snow. The driving sleet made it ihougn the ships were down on the shanty, swift and silent, riding DE RÖDA HUVUDENA Av Adolf Johansson Nya Svenska Pressens Följetong. NÄR TROLLDOMEN BREDDE UT SIG. TVÅ MÄN hade fallit för kulor, som sänts ur snår, där ingen anat att döden lurade. O-förberett som lodjuret i buskarna vid åstranden skymtade han och försvann, friskytten från myrstugan. Två män hade fallit och än- The card players looked at u UKC him. "Tough going, eh, writing! tom ships in the“ snow. that letter? said the engineer, j The rivetting machine riddied I the silence. ing like towering hulks of phan- pushing back his gray hair. The Swede scowled and tore ---- --------- -------- । The cardplayers had nothing off a fresh sheet from the pad. I to say Tbe engineer sat slumped Who are you writing to ? on the bench, his chin on his the engineer asked. ,, I chest, while he slowly ground his I m trying to write home. the bony Lands together. The Ca-Swede said darkly. To my mo- nadjan sat looking gravely at the ther," he added. | fjoor “Lucky guy, you are,” Harper Harper threw out his chest. put in, speaking in his inf lated things are bound to get voice, I wish I had a mother to better,” he said. “We just have to’ „ I to push through this depression You do! the Swede flared up, surprising the others with his । sudden outburst of temper. “You' do, do you! Well, if you re so “Yeah, that’s you all over elever at it you tell me what to with your fake optimism! Sure ... “Yeah!” The Swede turned from the window with a snort of write! This letter’s crazy!” driving me | TT.V** the depression is nothing but some kind of a fog which we N.?W ■■ \ d™’1 $et excifted’ have to push through, and then son," said the Canadian softly. Take it easy.” "But the Swede threw the pen- we’ll get nite sailing again. — You make me sick." “Well . Harper cocked his cil and the unwritten sheet of head. “What's the use of being paper down on the bench, jump-[so peSsimistic about it." ed to his feet and began pacing; "Don't be such a faker,” the the floor while he fought with,swede snapped back. “Can’t you his rising emotion. ^Whate have | ever jOok things square in the I to write about?” he cried. I eye? Can’t you see this depres- What is there to say after all sjon is no ------ what you call it — these years? —And now this! . . | temporary fog at all. Things will He flung out his hand, indicatmg be getting worse and worse until ^he shanty. | we change the whole rotten sys- Silence followed. Only the tem. gut what’s the use? We‘we moaning gale was heard tearing chewed this rag before. What am across Shanty Town. Harper cocked his head. “Well why don’t you write her that 1 going to write in this letter? That’s what 1 want to know.” you’re well and everything,” suggested glibly. । “Don’t write,” said Harper "e ■ crossly. “That s simple enough. ” ,, The Canadian shook his head. Because, the Swede shot back “No, no, you can t do that,” he at him. 1 ve wntten that a thou- said. “That would be cruel." sand times.—I am well. I am well. A million times! I am well! I did try it,” said the Swede. 1 got so sick telling about my gick mellan kyrksocknarna och folk uppbådades från när och fjärran. Det skulle bli ett drev så stort att dess make inte försports i denna landsända. Vid forsfallsbyn hade inl,andssocknarnas drevfolk order att samlas. Långt väster ut i skogarna skulle hållarmen sträckas och dess bortersta ände svepte upp mot den stora älven, som drog genom ödemarkerna norr om forsfallsbyn, samtidigt som kustsocknarnas skallkedja nom och bedyrade hans oskuld. Fager och yppig var kvinnan ännu, trots sina år, och inte kunde man göra sonen saker till faderns gärning. Så fick han stanna i stugan. Bud hade gått till fogden i storbyn nere vid kusten. Och fogden skakade betänksamt på huvudet men lovade ändå hjälp. Två hundra karlar sände han. Hur skulle de kunnat förslå i skogar, vilkas slut ingen rätt visste! — Och åter gingo buden ned till fogden. Det var sedan den andre i ordningen stupat för skott. Vid en klippa ej långt från byn hade man funnit honom. Trodde först, att han stigit miste och störtat ned, ty ohyggligt lemläs-tad hade han blivit i fallet. Men när liket skulle svepas, fann man satte sig i rörelse öster ifrån. Så hade fogden gjort upp, själv ämnade han taga högsta ledningen och många skallfogdar hade han under sig, sju för varje socken. 1 forsfallsbyn satte man stor lit till det skallet och motsåg det med stigande förväntan, ty vildskytten hade blivit ett ris för samhället och ingen man gick längre säker till liv och lem, vågade han sig så endast nagra bösshåll inåt skogen. (Forts, i nästa nr.) look as bearing,då tdck han alltjämt fri. 1 byn coming i voro väl några som höllo honom för trollkunnig, sedan uppbådet av män ett par gånger vänt åter high on an invisible sea. Then the rivetters rattled out their machine gun fire. When the noise stopped the cries of a lone seagull were heard as she was carried inland by the gale. med oförrättat ärende, när de dragit ut att söka honom. Kvinnor och käringar hade ständigt hans namn på läpparna, och en gammal gumma trodde sig ha sett The Canadian rose from the honom en åskdiger ovädersnatt . bench, stepped up to the Swede Ia,ldeles int‘n byn- 1 skogsbrynet I ett runt hål efter ett lod i dess L E _ '1 T 1 ________ 1 .CA _L._ . 1 and tou'ched his arm. you don’t hate her, You know 1 hade han stått, där stammarna bröst. Och nog förstod man vari-said jämrade och knakade, som om de från det kommit. he velat slita sig loss från rötterna och vräka sig över de låga hu- “Son — you know you don’t. It s only all this trouble you’re in that makes you say those things. Don t worry. We’ll think of some!mot bVn- och askviggarna fräste thing to write. You know your då som ormar over stugtaken. mother doesn t care for your mo-j Men de unga kvinnor, som ney or anything like that. It’s ännu icke legat när någon man, you, yourself....’, smogo forran kvall blivit blå i “She needs money, all right,” ' skrämda flockar längre: in åt sko-“She’sisen än »e brukade, ty bland dem l gick som ett hemligt sus det talet, id the Canadian. att vildskytten var grannare'och the Swede said bitterly. old and worn out.” "I know,” sar That’s how it is. But still - it’s you, yourself, she’s worried about. Now. 1’11 tell you, there’s one sen. Handen riste han knuten resligare än andra män. Karlarna i byn gingo med bössa i näven, närhelst de hade ären- thing you can always write, and de åt skogen, och beslutet att she won’t get tired hearing it dika myren hade blivit än testare ________________________.-ii:______i deras sinnen. Han, som kom- even if you write it a million times. always tell undan med livhanken, när her that you love her. You can det första skottet small talade always write that. Tell her you om sallsamma toner, vilka stigit think- ur själva skogen. Ja, han höll för forget sant ock visst, att det varit en fager trolldom, ämnad att draga You know, you can love her and that you’re ing of her, and all the rest.” you can An expression og great relief dem ^ran deras arbete och locka face dem inåt markerna. Men Jesus-•*!’][ namnet hade brutit dess frestar-. 11 makt. Lodjurskarlen och den makten hade föga eller intet med came over the “You’re right!” Swede’s he cried. write that. 1'11 do it right now, want to get that letter of my varann att göra, menade han. mind." He got his pencil and pa- - per and started writing. The let-1 Pådde vildskytten ock over t.olL ter was soon finished. "Well,1 dom °,ch sl,k vederstygghghet, sa thats that,” he said as he sealed Ivore den ,noS av ,ett annat och the envelope. “Thank God, it’s' svajtare slag an det dar, som done. I feel better already. 111 go ockat ' den grynmgsljusa myrand mail' it direatly, then 1’11!kaaten- ?et var en skdl«ad ^m have a game of cards with you'mallan, dag och natt odemark fellows ” • oc“ solskenshage. — Mannen lyd- He put on his hat and coat, | des väl de orden och in®en took the letter and went out. A blast of wind swept a cloud of snow into the shanty as he open-ed the door. The Canadian tended the fire. The engineer absently shuffled the cards. Harper was dozing on the bench. gav sig på att söka tyda den un- derliga sångens hemlighet, men vildskytten nämnde de desto oftare vid namn. Vore han än så trollkunnig, bly tålde han nog inte mer än andra. Konsten att sticka sig undan i snår och moras från det kommit. Då hade fogden lovat att själv taga saken om händer. Budkavel Kontrakt. General Construction i Vancouver har fått kontrakt på 285,000 dollar för byggandet av hangarer och hus för luftförsvaret i Patricia Bay. Gynna Våra Annonsörer! GRUVARBETAREN För Nya Svenska Pressen. En skald i laget sjöng om skogens proletärer, om stora hjältar som är utan namn. Om de som tyngsta arbetsbörden av oss bärer., men dock förringas i en unken mänskohamn. Äras bör de män som skog och marker röjer i fredlig strid för dagens levebröd........ Och här, min röst för gruvans folk jag höjer ty även de förtjänar helt moraliskt stöd. Långt in i bergens hål där borr och skotten ljuder i vattenmättad luft, i damm och rök, här gruvans män, i svett, när blod i ådror sjuder gör hjältars strid i tungt men fredligt arbetstök. Här dånar skottens åskor, full av mening för all den nytta som metaller gör, i idogt slit de närmast står en hedning, men obeskrivligt fri från livets hetsmalör. Men över gruvans män en fara ständigt lurar, och den, har dödens stämpel i sin hand. --- Stämplat vorden, endast döden kurar, ty, av silicosis lungan står i brand. Ofta går han där och sakta helt förbränner, men oberörd som hjälten bidar tiden an... Han får vänta: kompensationens chef bestämmer. Om han dignar tag's hans plats av annan man. STEN. —What a he, though! Can you;troubles that 1 stopped writing feel well having to spend your altogether. But then she sent me days like an old beggar in this a letter every week and asked if lousy shanty—I ask you? ’ kände räv bättre än någon män-j niska, och räv gick ändå sist i , e , .; fälla eller skotthåll. the bwede returned i - ■ I was sick. She said she was wor- , । ried about me.----If I would only nadian. Don t work yourself up. write one iine. Yes ... I got so Let s see—we 11 find something j wanted to yell and run when 1 to write . . He turned to the. saw a mailman coming!” engineer for a suggestion, but Bob -shook his head. • • “Easy now, easy,” said the Ca- “This letter writing is a night- ~l T raare,” the Swede said tensely. XI “It’s easy enough to write when things are going well. But when ■ly.; TOLABOR TO PUBLIC TO INVESTOR Pclicij 9 s - HDENTIST DR n n LLEWELLYN * HUouglas COR.niCHAnDS t HASTINGS 1 E AGAIN began to pace the narrow shanty floor while he kept beating his right fist into the open palm of his left. “These letters are doing something damn-able to me,” he said. “If they’d only leave me alone for a while so 1 Could pull myself together. Now, take this shanty. Here’s a place where you could get your bearings. No rent to worry about. No gas collector coming around every month. Here’s where you could have a chance to think and make new plans. But do I get any peace?— Not I. Here those letters come every week. You don’t get a chance to forget. You have got to tell it over and over again till you choke:— yes, I am down . . . If theyd only give a man the same chance they give a dog. You beat him and he can at least Crawl into a corner and lie down. But me — l’ve got so 1 hate my mother! .... Here, look at this!” He snatched a letter from his pocket and threw it on the table. “Here!— Here’s why 1 never can pull myself together..” The men looked silently at the letter. The Canadian picked it up. “Well, 1 can’t read Swedish,” he said and studied the shaky handwriting. “But it looks migh-ty like the letters my wife used to write to our boy when he was with the army in France. This is the way her hand used to shake. She was worried sick about h m. Yes .... I can almost tell what it I says here ... My dear good son. V^^HEN the Swede returned Sprängningen av klippan hade V T after having mailed the let- också fått stå tillbaka för spanin-ter, all four °> them started a1 garna efter vildskytten. Inte var game. The Swede looked easy de( bel!er någon som gärna grep and cam. Its a load off my sig an med borrningen, så länge chest, he said to the Canadian.—— man kände sig otrygg därnere. You did me a good turn there. i Fördenslcull måste faran röjas ur Now, if I could only scare up a vägen De två fader)ösa fami]. job and get something to do jerna j byn krävde också hämnd. As the engineer began to deal i - the cards a stamping of feet was1 STATEMENT OVER SCANDINAVIAN CENTRAL C0MMITTEES RED CROSS DRIVE AUGUST 1940. Scandinavian Central Committee s Röda Kors Drive presenterar härmed sin rapport. Orsaken varför det dröjt så länge beror på att en del pengar för lotter varit utestående till sista veckan. Den rapport som vi här publicera är i sammandragen form. Detaljerade uppgifter kunna erhållas från kommitténs kassör, Man hade ett par gånger för- Hastings Street. Arvid Lind, 1320 East . , • i ti > gäves genomsökt stugan vid my- heard outside The door was pul- ren när dess invånare inte kunde led open and a man entered the, misstänka sHkt besök. Kvinnan shanty, a bnsk fellow of thirty bara grät nog inte sjäjv HeHo you sissies, he grinned var mannen bennes bade sitt tiJl. and shook the snow off his clo- . ... . . ... håll, och sonen fingo de inte ett thes. Look at them guys! Here ord ur Vid båda tinfailena bade tney sit nursing themse ves by the ban suttk uppkrupen ; det skum. stove, and me out working in the spiselhörnet med händerna | knäppta om benen och hans ögon Hellp Dave the men greeted , bade bängt efter dem ; ett> så TVi, ™W dld y?U ™ke °ut?L länge de voro kvar i stugan. Grov Okay. He glanced at the lemmad ocb storvuxen var han, Swede who sat with his elbow on . m„n ansiktet erinrade i mycket the table. How s the boy? he om ett barns Man bebövde bara a®..S ' - ., , „ . 1 se honom för att förstå, att det Pretty good, the Swede an- -nte var ban som gänt de dödan. swered He yawned and stretched de skotten Det bade ; aBa fal] imse . ■ vard tal om att föra honom ned Dave removed his coat, then tjl] b Men modern kröp på went and stood by the stove, sina knä över )vet bad för ho. warming himself ana rubbing his red hands. “Gee, it’s cold out,” he said. ‘Tm telling you.” He again looked at the Swede, secretly this time, his eyes search-ing. Then, with a slow step he came up to the table. ‘Tve got a letter for you here,” he said. letter whith the Swede held in his hand was one with black edges around it. The foreign stamp told that it was a message brought by a ship from across the seas. The Swede sat motionless for a long time, staring at the envelope. Then he tore the letter open and glanced at its content. The men saw him turn pale. The muscles of his face contracted. putting his hand into the inside pocket of his jacket. "It came a couple of days ago, but l didn’t want to give it to you. You were looking too depressed.” "Well, l had something on my' No one moved. The silence in mind. I was trying to write a * the shanty was so deep that the letter home — to my mother. It s the toughest thing, you know, writing those letters. You don't know what to say.” Dave silently handed the letter to the Swede. The men at the table suddenly grew still, for the men could hear the snow blown dow pane. THE the soft rush of against the win- END. (All rights reserved by the Author) INCOME: Donations on lists and from individuals Donations from various societies Donations fro bazaar, held by a number of societies on August 30th income from Bingo Income from Dart throwing Income from 347 Coffee tickets a 15c 643 admission tickets a 25 cents Received from raffle tickets TOTAL 1NCOME: EXPENSES: Printing of Printing of Flostage Advertising Hall Rent cirtulars and envelopes raffle tickets posters and signs Consert Orchestra and performers on Dance Music Kitchen expenses Prices for raffle and darts Commissioner Mr. Richardson Miscellaneous TOTAL EXPENSES: NET BALANCE: $ 189.50 320.40 ----------- $ 509.90 87.75 5,00 1,40 52.05 160.75 402.16 709.1 I $1219.01 $ 19.63 27.00 6.30 45.30 25.00 program 24.00 15.00 25.45 58.02 3.00 1.55 250.25 $ 968.76 We, the undersigned have this day audited the account of the Scandinavian Central Committee’s Red Cross Drive and found same correct aCcording to statement over same. Vancouver, B. C., September 28, 1940. L. NEILSEN, 274 E. 21 st Ave., IDA JOHNSON, 1 31 Cassiar St., ALF HEDBORG, 1828 Triumph St.