Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday BOY'S CINEMA 3 "Doc" Droop had stood in many market places—without a licence—selling quack medicines, when a little waif named Rosie insisted upon being adopted. Years afterwards, when a lover for Rosie had appeared on the scene. Doc was charged with theft and thrust into jail, while Rosie was bundled into a home. But Doc was resourceful, and in the end everything became rosy—for Rosie. Sfnrritifi BOBEItT nOOLSKY andAXlTA LOCISE. Warned Off ! THE year was 1916, tlio month \va5 May, and it was carnival week in the little town of Burlington. On a piece of waste ground less than a mile from the lioart of Main Street, a fair had sprung up, riuishrooin fashion, in a single night, complete with roundabouts, swings, coconut shies, and all manner of bide shows. Anfl the air was filled with the .sound of many voices, (lie whirring of machinery, the blare of a mas- sive steam organ. On the tail of a gaudily painted van Dr. Aloysius Smith was holding up a bottle and holdmg forth concerning the virtues of its contents to*a little group of townspeople and farmhands. "Believe me my friends, after one bottle of this tonic all kinds of aches and pains disappear. It builds the nuiscles. tones the svstem. stimidates the appetite." He glared down at two yokels who ivere devouring sandwiches out of a paper bag with a smacking of lips which irritated, and he went on, with heavy scorn : ■■R<>member that. my friends—it stimulate; lllie appotitc." Dr. Aloy.sius Smith had stood in tnarket-phices and on fair grounds for .several year.s. laviding his tonic and en- deavouring to sell it. but his manner was hullymg rather than persuiasive; he looked anything but a doctor, and his patter was dull. "Let's go over and listen to the other fellow." suggested one of the yokels in a loud voice. "He's a lot funnier than this one." 'Sure. Tom—come on '" was the ready I response from a full mouth, and the two sauntered off to the portable stand of Dr, J. Dockwciler Droop, just be- yond a tiny platform on which an alleged Hawaiian girl was dancing an alleged nati\e dance. Dr. Aloysius Smith watched them de- part, saw most of his other listeners tollow them, aiul scowled across at his tall,, red-headed rival, who was dressed conspicuouily in a frock-coat suit, with check trousers and a grey top hat, and who beamed at his growing audience thro'.igii a pair of tortoise-shell-rimined spectacles. Another man approached the van of Dr. Aloysius Smith—a short and heavily- built individual, sombrely dressed in black. "Here you are, brother," said the doctor, competing with the ste.im organ to make himself heard, and offering the bottle he held in his hand. "Ju.st a dollar for a bottle of eternal health !" The man in black looked up from be- neath bushy brows and with a single movement of his right hand fli))ped back the lapel of his coat, displiying beneath ir a little shield in German silver. "Let me see your licence !" he barked. Dr Aloysius Smith put the bottle down in a case amongst other bottles and groped in his pockets. " Wh.\. certainly, sheriff," ho said, producing a sheet of blue paper and reaching down with it over the side of t.hc van. "I'm a strict observer of the law." The shetiff examined the licence, nodded, and handed it back. "Okay," he said gruffly, and wa? turning away when the doctor called him back. " I want to tell von something. sheriff,'' sai<l he confidentially. "Here am I trying to make an honest living, and you let a guy like that one over there, that ain't even comiected with the carnival, peddle a lot o' phoney bologny that he calls medicine." "What do you mean'/" demanded the sheriff'. "I mean that ant-eater." cried Dr. Aloysius Smith indignantly, and he pointed in the direction of Dr. J. Dockweiler Droop, who by this time was almost completely surrounded by an amused crowd. "He never buys a licence—he just follows us aromid, grabbing all the gravy, selling something he calls a health builder that should be used for rat poison !" "Is that so?" said the sheriff, tug- ging at a particularly scrubby mous tache. "Well, I'll just amble over and have a look at him. Maybe we can do something about it," Dr. .1. Dockweiler Droop carried his wares in a suitcase, and the suitcase was opened out on a little folding trestle one could carry under the arm without inconvenience. The sheriff drew near without ostentation, "It's Dreko, folks—Dreko," an- nounced the doctor, waving a cigar. "Don't forget the name, folks, don'l forget the name!" He took a puff at the cigar and beckoned, "Gather in a little closer, folks," 'ho urged, "You mustn't block the sidei\-alk," "Haw, haw !" laughed a man deri- sively "What a train announcer you'd make. sir," observed the doctor pleasantly. "Folks. Dreko, the won- der tonic, has saved many people Octotjer 10th, IMl,