pre-fabricated houses, laid out pre–
cisely into courts. The houses were
neat and the grass like the finest
turf.
"Close up
it
probably looks like
the slums.
Pig
weed, mud and the
kids crawling around in
it
knee
deep. Would we allow anything
but an aerial view of the University
housing area?"
"Under the chapter 'Community
Spirit'
Bently describes the im–
provements. He organizes a squad
of gardeners, all faculty members.
They re-seed the lawns, build a
playground for the children, plant
flowers and urge cleanliness."
"Lots of back work," said Hicks.
"Dreadfully ambitious that Bent–
ly. I see he has a chapter here on
Political Action." He read a page
mumbling
it
to himself. He nodded
his head. "They even did some
electioneering."
"One of the candidates for the
mayorship is Bently," said Grange.
"And does he win?"
Hicks turned a few more neatly
typewritten pages. "Yes he wins.
His opponent's dog bit the neigh–
bor's mother-in-law so Bently won
by three votes."
"He later describes the weekly
meetings of the mayor and the
representatives," said Grange.
"The meeting of the village
idiots," said Hicks, turning the
pages as if he were looking at a
telephone directory. "The first
thing they do
is
set up rules for the
people to follow. No radios on
after eleven o'clock, no pets, no
303
toys on the sidewalk after dusk,
all the children to bed by eight. I
guess that does away with the op–
ponent's dog."
"Well, they do other things too,"
Grange said placatingly. "They set
up a community bulletin board in
the Bendix room. You know where
the women do their washing. They
appoint recreation leaders for base–
ball, tennis and folk dancing."
"Mixed affairs, no doubt." Hicks
could see Bently's long legged
blonde wife running the bases with
the swiftness of a gazelle.
"What's wrong with that?" asked
Grange a little belligerently.
"Nothing. It provides a rather
harmless thrill for people like Bent–
ly. But you can't really play base–
ball and have that kind of thrill
at the same time. You know that,
Grange, as an ex-coach."
Grange reddened. He didn't like
to be reminded that he'd been a
coach. "Keep them in the kitchen
is your idea then?" he asked rather
testily.
"On the contrary," Hicks said,
feeling that perhaps Grange
thought him old-maidish. "I dare-
T
he book you have
been looking for may be on our
shelves. Write us or come in. Be–
sides excellent coverage in the Unit–
ed States we have our own agents in
France and England to complete an
efficient network for the search of
books in or out of print. In stock al–
ways the exceptional
in
art, poetry,
literature, reference works, etc.
THE BEEKMAN PLACE BOOKSHOP
900 First Avenue, New York 22, N. Y.
At the corner of Fifty-first Street
