Verhovayak Lapja, 1940. július-december (23. évfolyam, 27-52. szám)
1940-08-08 / 32. szám
August 8, 1940 Page 3 Devil’s Tools By STEPHEN J. ROTZ Branch 430 Homestead, Pa. Professor Harcourt, his grizzled hair covered with a huge white bandage and one eye livid and «wollen behind his hornrimmed spectacles, saturninely appraised his visitor seated beside the long hospital bed. The visitor, Jim Dalton, friend and onetime pupil of the old professor’s, was silent for the moment. “It was a mistake,” the old man mumbled, the fingers of one hand stroking the Van Dyke on his chin. “But,” he added slowly, “I’m the one who made it.” Dalton’s blank face signified complete incomprehension. “I don’t understand, sir.” “No matter; no matter,” the professor returned, with an impatient, characteristic gesture of the right hand. “Neither would anyone else. I've known you for years, Jim, else I wouldn’t even tell you what happened last night.” He pointed with a shaky finger toward the closed door. “See if anyone’s near the door. If someone should ever find me out.. A sudden wave of pity for the old weakened professor swept over Jim as he saw the lines of suffering etched deep in the pale face; but this was quickly replaced by a healthy curiosity about the old man’s ad venture. Cautiously he peered into the hall, soitly closed the door, and returned to his seat. “There is no one out there,” he assured the careful professor. “Well, Jim,” began Professor Harcourt in the same tone which Jim had heard so often while at school, “you know just how much my wife loathed card playing of any kind.” It was a statement. Jim nodded uncertainly. He still couldn’t comprehend what the professor was getting at. What did card playing have to do with the professor’s injuries? “At any rate,” continued the old man, “it wasn’t until young Hunton came to teach at the school that the trouble began. His wife, Evelyn, a beautiful creature, simply breathes, eats and talks bridge. Bridge, pah! I loathe it. “Evelyn and my wife became inseparable companions from the first. The two of them always managed to get together at home until Hunton and I returned from the university. Then one day, my wife came to me, and said: ‘Charles, dear, would you mind if I joined the ladies' bridge club? In the last few weeks I’ve become tremendously interested in the game.’ “Jim, to put it mildly: I was dumfounded. Why, my wife would never before have tolerated for a second the very mention of the ‘devil’s tools,’ as she had called them. “For a moment, I just stared at her unbelievingly. ‘Bridge club?’ I managed to gasp. T thought you abhorred the very sight of cards.’ Her face took on a reddish hue. She could only stammer inarticulately. “Finally, she became composed and explained her sudden, wild desire to join the bridge club. It seems that every day Evelyn had been giving my wife lessons on the game; and my wife hastened to assure me that she had become very proficient indeed.” “But, professor,” queried Jim, “what does that have to do with what happened last night?” “Patience, my boy; patience.” Harcourt leaned forward. “That was only the beginning. My wife became insanely possessed, if I must say it, with card playing. She talked of nothing else for the entire following month. And she was never at home, but always playing bridge somewhere...” The professor stared unseeingly at the wall opposite his bed. “She would be as proud as a peacock when she’d win a few dollars, but what she didn’t realize was that for every dollar that she won she lost ten. I tried repeatedly, until a week ago, to convince her that she was doing a terrible thing. Gambling! “Last week I became desperate.” Suddenly Professor Harcourt questioned Jim Dalton. “Did you ever hear of Ted Townley—yes, that’s it—Ted Townley?” “The bridge expert? Why yes, I’ve heard of him. Who hasn't?” “Well,” the professor said grimly, “I read that he was in town. Instantly the thought came to me that here was a way—a way to put a stop to my wife’s bridge playing. I went to see him; offered him money to help me out. I begged; I pleaded, almost on bended knee. Grudgingly, he consented; but not until I had agreed to pay him a great deal of money. “My plan was this: I would tell my wife that I had invited a friend over for an evening of bridge. Naturally, she would ask some friends of hers over; and Townley would beat my wife and her partner so badly that she would be too disgusted to look at another card. “Last evening was chosen. Everything ran smoothly. Townley had no difficulty in arranging himself and his partner against my wife and her companion, Evelyn Hunton. Card games always have board me so I, smugly satisfied with myself, decided to slip over to the club for a couple of hours. I chuckled to myself all the way over. “At eleven o’clock I decided to go back to see how the games had turned out. As I drew near to my home I saw a figure pacing back and forth in the shadow of a tree. I was a yard away when he looked up. Then I recognized him; it was Townley, the bridge expert. “He was terribly angry. So angry, in fact, that he could only say, ‘You—you—’ in a choked voice. He stuttered and stammered so, that it was a few minutes before I learned what had happened. It appears that my wife and her partner had won over a hundred dollars from Townley. Naturally, he wanted me to pay him his fee plus the money he had lost. I told him that since the plan to put an end to my wife’s obsessive card playing had not succeeded, I wouldn’t pay him a cent. “Jim, you should have seen the maniacal rage in that man’s face.” The professor shuddered at the memory. “He raised his cane, and gave me the worst drubbing that any man ever suffered. It was monstrous.” Harcourt’s voice seemed to come from afar off. Jim jumped to his feet. “Why didn’t you say something about it before? I’ll go myself and give that big stiff a beating that he'll remember!” He grabbed his hat. “No, no, Jim!” protested the professor with wild alarm. “Think of me. What if my wife should find out what I did?” He gingerly pressed a forefinger against the swollen area around his left eye. “Ouch! Why—why, she’d blacken my other eye!” Verhovayak Lapja________________ THE PROVERBS INTERPRETED Do unto Others— I like to keep the Golden Rule Down to the letter Z; So, my dear, when I kiss you Why don’t you kiss me? Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder— Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Which isn’t true of being late; So, my dear, just keep it up, And some day, you will wait and wait! Patience Is a Rare Virtue— I’m sitting here beside you, A picture of repose; But how much longer will it take Before you do propose? —Violet Hayes Gary, Indiana by becoming a member of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association. Verhovay’s rates are fair and are among the best in the land. But to get the greatest savings join NOW. Don’t procrastinate, else you may be rejected on grounds of Methuselah-itis (advanced age). LETTER TO EDITOR August 1, 1940 Dear Editor: I have watched some members read our Journal and I have asked if they liked it. Some said it was all right but some liked the old one better. The Journal is more readable and far more interesting than it has ever been. Congratulations to Mr. Coloman Revesz and Mr. Albert Jozik and the contributors responsible for this much needed improvement. I wonder where the old gang is? The old columnists should come back to help build up the Journal. Here is a poem that I wrote: Verhovay to victory, We worked for years; In toil and vain Our work seems sad. Yet we are glad, For we shall meet again — Some time out in the future When skies are blue Dreams come true Verhovay, we’ll find The highway That leads us Back to you. —Phantom. * * * Miss Snooper: About two years ago I wrote a poem to you, and I now wish to send it to the Journal. I still have a copy oi it if you will permit me to print it. Fraternally —Phantom. Branch 426----------:o:---------SELF-EXPLANATORY LETTER RECEIVED BY SUPREME SECRETARY July 29, 1940 Dear Mr. Bencze: The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh, at its meeting held July 22, 1940, upon receiving the report of the Chancellor concerning the additional gift of $402.74, from the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association, as a donation for the Hungarian room in the Cathedral of Learning, passed a resolution of appreciation of this gift. The Executive Committee directed that your Committee be thanked in the name of the Trustees for your continued interest in the work of the University. With kind personal regards, I am Sincerely yours, John Weber, Secretary
