The League was of value to the American Legion at a time when certain of
the lesser and looser newspapers were criticizing that organization of
veterans of the Great War. One evening a number of young men raided the
Zenith Socialist Headquarters, burned its records, beat the office
staff, and agreeably dumped desks out of the window. All of the
newspapers save the _Advocate-Times_ and the _Evening Advocate_
attributed this valuable but perhaps hasty direct-action to the American
Legion. Then a flying squadron from the Good Citizens’ League called on
the unfair papers and explained that no ex-soldier could possibly do
such a thing, and the editors saw the light, and retained their
advertising. When Zenith’s lone Conscientious Objector came home from
prison and was righteously run out of town, the newspapers referred to
the perpetrators as an “unidentified mob.”
II
In all the activities and triumphs of the Good Citizens’ League Babbitt
took part, and completely won back to self-respect, placidity, and the
affection of his friends. But he began to protest, “Gosh, I’ve done my
share in cleaning up the city. I want to tend to business. Think I’ll
just kind of slacken up on this G.C.L. stuff now.”
He had returned to the church as he had returned to the Boosters’ Club.
He had even endured the lavish greeting which Sheldon Smeeth gave him.
He was worried lest during his late discontent he had imperiled his
salvation. He was not quite sure there was a Heaven to be attained, but
Dr. John Jennison Drew said there was, and Babbitt was not going to take
a chance.
One evening when he was walking past Dr. Drew’s parsonage he impulsively
went in and found the pastor in his study.
“Jus’ minute--getting ’phone call,” said Dr. Drew in business-like
tones, then, aggressively, to the telephone: “’Lo--’lo! This Berkey and
Hannis? Reverend Drew speaking. Where the dickens is the proof for next
Sunday’s calendar? Huh? Y’ ought to have it here. Well, I can’t help it
if they’re _all_ sick! I got to have it to-night. Get an A.D.T. boy and
shoot it up here quick.”
He turned, without slackening his briskness. “Well, Brother Babbitt,
what c’n I do for you?”
“I just wanted to ask-- Tell you how it is, dominie: Here a while ago I
guess I got kind of slack. Took a few drinks and so on. What I wanted to
ask is: How is it if a fellow cuts that all out and comes back to his
senses? Does it sort of, well, you might say, does it score against him
in the long run?”
The Reverend Dr. Drew was suddenly interested. “And, uh, brother--the
other things, too? Women?”
“No, practically, you might say, practically not at all.”
“Don’t hesitate to tell me, brother! That’s what I’m here for. Been
going on joy-rides? Squeezing girls in cars?” The reverend eyes
glistened.
“No--no--”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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