Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday "Colds coughs, bronchitis, asthma— everything for the family chest ! An invaluable article with Wiiiter coining on. Six dollars for the whole boxful." "I'll give you four," offered Flint, who suffered from a weak ohcst. Four dollars were accepted; other articles were offered and sold. Flint went off with his purchases, and Egbert and Tommy gleefully removed their dis- guises and poked one another in the ribs. Peggy Morton descended from a tramcar outside and peered thr^gh the dusty panes at them; Mrs.'' Talley emerged from the shop-parlour and Egbert flourished seven dollars in her face. " Mother," he said, "business is great 1 If only it keeps up. we'll be able to pay Walters off before the day is over." "But I do wish you boys hadn't quar- relled with him," she lamented. "Don't 30U worry about that guy," urged Tommy; and Egbert added : "If you were to ask me, I'd say he's as crooked as a hatful of bent nails!" Mrs. Talley apparently did not hear that remark. She had caught sight of Peggy entering the shop, and she ran to meet her, exclaiming, in quite a flutter: "Why, bless my soul ! IIoiv are you, honey ?" Peggy Changes Her Mind. PEGGY looked a perfect picture in her little printed mu.slin frock with a close-fitting felt hat upon her brown hair, and Tommy almost devoured her with his eyes, deciding mentally that she was the most attractive girl he had ever seen in his life. But Peggy ignored the two young mon and whispered in Mrs. Talley's right oar : "I'm fine, but I've come to warn you about something." Tommy daringly advanced, signifying that he would like to be introduced, and Mrs., Talley smilingly beckoned to Egbert. "This is Mr.—cr " she began; and realised with a gasp that she was un- acquainted with her helpers' names. "Mr. Higginbotham, mother—Egbert G. Iligginbothain," said Egbert with a flourish. "Mr. Higginbotham," introduced Mrs. Talley, ,','this is littlo Peggv Morton." "Well, well," said Egbert graciously, "she'd be great i.T the optical depart- ment. You know, easy on the eyes. Oh, yes—er—this is my associate, Mr. Thomas Tanner." "How do you do?" said Peggy, eyeing Tommy as though he were some dangerous insect. " You're a stranger, aren't you?" "I hope not," said Tommy eagerly. " Peggy's father is chief of police," ex- plained Mrs. Talley. "Oh," said Egbert, with mock dismay, and retreated several steps, "that'.? a great pity." "Egbert's only fool- ing," laughed Tommy. " He's not fooling me," retorted Peggy tartly "Could I use your 'phone, please, Mrs. Talley?" Mrs. Talley smiled and nodded, and Peggy made for the listening Intently. BOY'S CINEMA teleiDhone-box, closed the door, inserted coins, and asked for police headquarters. Now the telephone-box had a glass panel, and Tommy had begun to clean the glass with whiting; but, having smeared the whole surface with that ex- cellent medium, he had turned his atten- tion to show oases. The glass panel, coii-sequentlv, was obscured, and Peggy was invisible. But Tommy, who had fallen in love at first sight, promptly made for the door, and with his finger rubbed a little round liole in the whiting, and applied his eye to the hole. Egbert hurried over to him, disapproving of such conduct, anf ho arrived just in time to hear Peggy say: "Is that the police-station?" Egbert shrank back, but Tommy made another hole for his other eye, then drew in turn a nose, a mouth, two i^ars, and the outline of a head. Peggy, inside the box. began to laugh. Harry Wattcrs had convinced her that these two young men were wrongdoers, and Egbert, with his iiumour, had added to her conviction. But she h.^d liked the look of Tommy from the first, and wrongdoers surely didn't draw funny faces on ^lass panels. The voice of a police sergeant rang in her oar just as she was laughing at Tommy's own flattened face, pr&ssed against the face he had drawn. Sergeant Hoskiss! What should she do? "Oh—er—I'm wrong—I mean, wrong number!" she stammered, and she hung up the receiver and pushed open the door and looked round it. Egbert made a grimace. Tommy looked innocently away. "It was the wrong number," she said with a smile. "I'll get the right one for you," volunteered Tommy. "No, thanks, I've changed my mind." "But you'll be coming round again, won't you?" suggested Tommy anxiously. "To u.^e the 'phone." She laughed merrily and held out her hand to Mrs. Talley, who said quite proudly : "These gentlemen are going to run the drug-store for me." "That's wonderful," cooed Peggy. "You boj's must be terribly smart. Well, good-bye, Mr.—er—Higgin- botham. Good-bye, Mrs. Talley." She turned to Tommy. "You vv'ere " she began, and broke off in confusion. "I—er—good-bye !" "Good-bye," said Tommy, and took her hand, and still holding it, accom- panied her across the shop. "Good- bye." "Now say it this time and mean it," Egbert called after him. They reached the front door. "So-long," breathed Tommy. "So-long, Mr. Tanner," noddech Peggj', and freed her hand and went out. "Oh, boy!" Tommy cried gleefully, as he returned to his partner. "She remembered my name." "Yes," said Egbert, without any noticeable enthusiasm, and ha plunged his hand intf' the jar of jellied bean*. Tommy pounced, and his hand aUn was thrust into the jar. But thougli one hand could pass a wrist, two hands could not be extricated simultaneously, and Mrs. Talley was approaching. By mute consent they held the jar behind them. "Goodness me!" cried Mrs. Talley, who was not so unobservant as they imagined. "Whatever can be the matter with me ? You boys must be terribly hungry." "Oh, no, mother!" protested Tommy. "Oh, yes, yes, mother," said Egbert frankly. "Honestly speaking, I'm so hungry I could eat a leopard and enjoy every spot." "Then come along with me," she directed, and led the way to the shop- parlour. "I have a spare room for you." They crouched in a row before the door. It sounded to Egbert as though someone was sweeping up broken glass. December 19th, 1931,