Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

10 BOY'S CINEMA Brainy weni down on his knees lo loosen ihe old fellow's collar, while ihe referee applied a wet sponge to a pallid face a lot of sovivenirs of the past in the drawers of a tallboy, and most of the souveiiii's—such as programmes and newspaper cuttings and letteis —he had dcstioyed, though a few he had stowed away iti a suitcase already more than half full of clothes. A group photograph of IMcKinley's honours men of 1904 engaged his attention for a while; there were only five young fellows in the group, and he was one of them. Memories awakened by the photograph were too poignant, however, and he had screwed it up and flung it from him when there came a knock at the door and the voice of his sister called his name. "Yes?" he called back. "Aren't you going to listen to the game, Frank?" "I didn't know it had started." " Whv. yes. It's the second sometliing "Oh. is that so? Well. V\e got a hundred oven that says McKinley wins!" "That's a bet, mister,' said a husky voice behind them. Abbott swung round and found himself face to face with a man who looked uncom- monly like a bookmaker. "Can't you take a joke?'" he asked. "Sure I can take a joke," was the prompt response. "I can take your hundred, too. Well, lay it on the line." Abbott walked off' through the tunnel under the stands, and at the other end of it encoun- (cied Sylvia, who had just arrived and found lier small brother waiting for her. "Miss Higgins!" exclaimed the publicity manager. "But where's the old grad?" " He had a relai]S(>." she fibbed. " Yeidi ? Oh. what a shame! The one man who ought to be here! Say, didn't you love the way he laid into that kid last night?" An attendant held out his hand for Sylvia's tickets and saved her the necessity of making any reply. "Better hurry." said Abbott, "or you'll miss the kick-ofT." An usho.- conducted the girl and the small l)oy to their seats, which were in an open box at the veiy front of the McKinley section, and play began almost immediately. Mr. How was happy on a hard bench beside Coach Brorison. The game was thrilling enough to watch, and Billy was too excited to sit down. The Galo team very quickly discovered that their opponents were not to be despised. Within a couple of minutes Brainy had the ball, and he was across a good many lines with it before a concerted effort on the part of the (?ale players brought him down. A Gale man secured the ball, but Brainy \Yas up before sevei-al of those who had tackled him. and it was thiough no fault of liis that a goal was 5t:ore<l for (!ale. A wireless cormuenlary on the game was Ixing bioadrasl on a national hooU-up, but Uncle Frank was not listening lo the radio set in the living-ioom of the flat. He was in tiis bed-room, and he was packing. ITc had come across a lot of old pipes and Kchriiary 10th, 104(li already. "All riglit. I'll come and listen." He went out from the bedroom to the living- room. The commentator was saying: "This crowd isn't watching the scoreboard. Eighty thousand pairs of eyes are on one man —Thornton, the McKinley quarter-back. Despite the fact that he and his team haven't had any of the luck that decides football games between two well-matched teams, take it from me the tall wind that blew in from Texas has turned into a tornado!" "So that boy's not so bad," murmured Mrs. Higgins. "S-s-sh!" Uncle Fiauk wanted to listen now. The commentator went on: "A lot of people who came out here to watch the self-acclaimed sensation, and perhaps to shower him with the raspberry, are now shouting their heads off for him. At the present moment, with two mimites in tlie first half to go, the score is Gale nine and ]\[cKinley six." The figures did not sound jjleasant in Uncle Frank's oais, but there was more about Brainy to follow. "Thornton has the ball," he heard. "He's going to pass again. He shoots a long one repeat wasn't Every Tuesday ■—and it's a be.Tutiful pass. But it's intei- cepted by Gallon, of Gale. Galtoa loses it to Davis—Davis passes to Thornton—Thorn- ton is tackled by Corville—Corviile is down— Thornton passes to Jones—and t!ie ball is out of bounds." A pistol-shot made Mre. HiggiiiS jump. "There goes the gun ending the half." said the voice of the conunentator. "Brainy Thornton just got off a beautiful pasB, ladies and gentlemen, but that Oa!e defence is enough to take the heart out of any team, and Coach Bionson's boys look pretty tired and discouraged as they leave tue fiefd with the score still nine to six agaii.^t them." THE GAME ENDS SOME of the JNIcKinley men v.c.e lyi^jfcon the floor of their dressing-rooB^as tho\;gh exhausted when Bronson entered it. Biainy was sitting on a stool with, a blanket over his shoulders. "You're playing a great game, Braiuss' praised the coach. "Thanks. Dutch," returned Brainy quietly, and then Bronson glared at the players upon the floor. "Say. what is this—a wake?" he asked scornfully. "There's nothing to be discouraged about. All we need is a break—just one!" Arnold J. Abbott looked into the room and the coach called him over. "Where's Lucky Higgins?" he asked in a low voice. "Maylie he can pep these kids "P-" ■'He didn't come to the game,'' Aliboi- stated. "Lucky not in the stands?'' F^ronson's jaw- dropped. "No wonder! Get him here, will you? You know I'm not superstitious, hut everything old Lucky's ever touched has turned to gold. Lucky's never been on the losing side" yet." "But " AbWtt was going to what Sylvia had told him, only lie given the ch-iuce. "Will you do it?" "Yeah, if you really think Oh, well. I'll do my best." The publicity manager went cut across the field to the box in whicli Sylvia v.a.'i .sitting. Mr. Dow had enfeied it and Bi'.y was jab- be ling to him. "V/here can 1 find your d.-id ?" Abbott questioned urgently. "I've got to bring him hei'c." Sylvia started to her feet. "I—I don't think he'll come." she faltered. "Bronson thinks he's got soincthii.g on tht? liall—like a charm. Maybe he has." Billy had been motioned to silence by Mr. Dow. and both the stockl rokcr and the boy were listening. "Well, all right," said Sjlvia, with sudden resolution. "What's the address?" " Three-sixteen North " "But sis!" Billy broke in. agh.ast. "It's all right, Billy. You "go with Mr. Abbott and show him." "Gee. d'you mean that?" shrilled (ho boy. " Yes. yes. yes—go on." Billy hoisted himself over tiic front of the box and AbbotI swept iiim away. Mr. Dow tapped Sylvia on the shoulder. "What made you pull a foe! stunt like Ihat?" "I don't know," slie shrugged. "Abbott started this mess—now let him trv and finish it!" Outside the stadium. Abbott stopped a taxi- cab and Billy hopped into it and gave the driver the ad(hess before the publicity manager had time to follow. The journey was not a long one, but Abbott was not to know that, and he shouted to the driver to "step on it." "^ didn't think a case of triple pneumonia would keep T-ucky Higgins away from that game." he remarked. "Ho ain't sick," said Billy. Abbott looked round at the j'oungster, who.so face was quite solemn. "Have it j-our way, b\it his own daughter savs he is." "She ain't his ,l.nut;htcr." That made Abbott blink. "Listen, monkey, none of your lip, see?"