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.He was setting the small paragraph that announced the marriage of Veda Simms to Morgan Holder.The letters bounced along the bar and dropped into place and there it was in small metal slugs, set and ready to go, irrevocable and caught forever.For somebody, somewhere, always keeps newspapers.The world is filled with yellowed and crackling memories of births and marriages and deaths.Yesterday's newspapers may be dead but their announcements reverberate forever.Page 88HOLDER-SIMMSMr.and Mrs.R.V.Simms announce the marriage of their daughter, Veda, to Mr.Morgin Holder, on August 10, 1925.Ace shook his head.He got up and went around to the cluttered desk where Mr.Marshall, the editor, sat checking galleys."Is this all we're gonna run on Veda Simms getting married?" he said.Mr.Marshall looked around and took off his glasses."That's all Mrs.Simms called in," he said."I feel like we ought to put a little more," Ace said uncertainly.Mr.Marshall thought a moment."Well, if you want to run up a little something we could run it in editorial I guess.They wouldn't mind that.Guess Veda'd like to have it to keep.Run up a little something, Ace." He put his glasses back on and turned away.Ace went back to his chair.He thought for a few moments, pushing his hair impatiently out of his eyes.Then he composed three short paragraphs and ran them off quickly without thinking, as he always did.They were not much longer all together than the original one.HOLDER-SIMMSMorgan Holder and Miss Veda Simms stole a march on their friends and family by driving to Fayetteville, Tenn., last Saturday and getting married.The bride is the popular daughter of Mr.and Mrs.R.V.Simms of this place and the groom is a son of Mr.and Mrs.M.L.Holder of Tupelo.The bride was a member of the graduating class of the M.C.H.S.last yeat, and the groom graduated from that place in 1924.The young couple have many friends who will wish for them a long and hippy life.Page 89When he had finished it Ace was not sure it was any better than the announcement paragraph.He shrugged.What could you say when there was no dress or cake to describe? He went on to the rest of the social news: Mr.and Mrs.Martin Mayhill, Sr., had returned from a vacation in Florida, Mr.and Mrs.L.J.Hudson had as their guests.the letters clicked automatically into place.Ace had been working for the paper for more than two years now.He had begun by delivering handbills after school in the afternoon during his junior year at M.C.H.S.Now he was head typesetter, and the only person in the office Mr.Marshall could depend on any more.Old Jake Burke was getting too old and too short-sighted, and he drank too much.His son just wasn't much use in a newspaper office.And Mr.Marshall himself didn't seem to have the interest in the paper he used to.Sometimes Ace felt as if he ran the whole damned paper himself.He did write most of it, and set all of it.He wondered if the day might not come when he would have to deliver it too.He got up, wiping his hands on a grimy handkerchief, and went to stare out the small front window across the green strip of lawn.The sun was going down and the last rays shone brightly against the hand press in the grass.He looked at his T-model, parked against the curb.I should have left her in the shade, he thought, seeing the shine of sun across the leather seats."She set up, Ace?" Mr.Marshall said behind him."Ready.""Whyn't you go on home then?" Mr.Marshall said."We'll roll 'er tonight.You look tired."Ace squinted around at him."I'm fine," he said.His eyes hurt, but he was used to that."Go on home," Mr.Marshall said again."Have a party, get drunk, get a girl.You stay in this damned office too much anyway."Ace grinned."I warn you.I'm gonna take you up on it," he said."I mean it.Git on."Page 90"Thanks, sir.Somehow I don't feel too good today.""I thought so.Come in late in the morning.She'll be out by then.We can worry about the next one later."Ace went to the back and washed his hands at the tiny sink.He scrubbed ineffectually at his grimy nails for a moment, then shrugged and dried his hands.He took his battered straw hat and went out the door.The sun had slipped down behind the courthouse and the trees on the lawn cast shadows out into the street.It hadn't cooled off much yet and Ace got into the car gingerly, feeling the hotness of the seat through his pants legs.He stretched his legs out and pushed his hat back and just sat for a moment, savoring the light and the stillness.Ace seldom got depressed, he was by nature cheerful; but today he felt sad [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]