Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

24 ^ "Caught Plastered." ^ (Continued from page 10.) M '■ We're going to be able to take up Mrs. Talley'.s note, too,' confided Tommy. ''Tlicii evcrytliing will be liol?y-totsy." Egbert, stealing a moment, greeted lier clieorfully. "Bv the vav," said she, "where is :Mrs. "Tallcy?" " "Ah," chuckled Egbert, "that's a secret. Go ahead, .son, yen tell her." "As a matter of fact," said Tommy, with pride, "mother's out buying a new- frock." ■■ Vo:; bet your life!" supplemented Egberi. " We said: ' Mother, business is too good around here—you go riglit oui and got yo.ir.=elf all dolled up.' " "That's wonderful!" declared Peggy. "Vou boys certainly arc doing a big business.*' "Another lemon soda!" howled a voice. And: "Two lemons!" insisted another. " Yes, sir—coming right up! Coming right up in a glass!" responded Egbert, and he returned to the soda fountain and the bottles and glasses. "It's the new lemon syrup we're serv- ing," explained Tommy to Peggy. '■ JEverybody's crazy about it. Want to try one ?" Peggy declared that she would love to try one, so Tommy filled a glass and put straws in it, and they both sipped. Egbert, in a momentary lull, sailed over to sip with them—and the new drink appealed so strongly to him that he promptly filled a glass for himself. The stuff had less immediate effect on Tommy than it had on Peggy, who had never swallowed alcohol before in her life. She began to laugh rather un- necessarily and rather loudly. "You've got the cutest little mole on your ear," she said to Tommy, pushing her little hat clean off her head on to the floor. "Ears are funny things, aren't they?" Sho pulled his cars play- fully. "The way people have one each side of their face—don't you think they're funny ? Oh. dear—I think they're so funny." And she laughed up- roariously. ■" What's the matter with .vou, I'eggy?" asked Tommy in alarm. "Nothing—I just feel lively. I want to sing and dance and—and every- thing." She began to wriggle about on her chair as though dancing the Charles- ton. "Hi, hi, \oo-doo, poop-a-doop " Tommy smelled suspiciously at the glass, which was empty, but he couid detect no significant odour. "A lemon soda, please!" shrilled a woman beside her. Tommy went off to servo the required drink, and Egbert said in his oar (the one with the mole); "You know I think somoljody's brought a flask in with 'em !" The woman was supplied, and Tommy stared at Peggy, who was still swaying on her chair and humming a tune. She descended as he approached and began to dance between (he show-cases, and Tommy would certainly have done some- thing abo.t it, only just (hen a buzzer on the wall drew his attention to (he fac( that the Y.IVI.I. Radio Station was ready and ■waiting for the afternoon 1 ransiui.ssion from the Sunshine Drug Store. "There's tho buzzer, Egbert," he called. "It's time for us to go on the nir." "Cosh, I almost forgot!" admitted Egbert, and addressed the crowd nl December 19th. 19SI. BOY'S CINEMA Two Grand Books for Boys / Thrills ! Mystery ! Adventure !— that's what you get in the BRITISH BOY'S ANNUAL. This topping gift book is crowded with exciting tales of school life, sport, mystery and adven- ture that you will want to read again and again. There are also useful articles dealing with all kinds of interesting subjects, numerous illus- trations and beautiful colour plates BRITISH BOY'S ANNUAL Now on Sale 5'- Every boy will revel in the budget of ripping school yarns and thrilling adventure stories in the HOLIDAY ANNUAL. Each tale will hold j-ou enthralled. Here you can meet all the jolly schoolboy characters of Greyfriars, St. Jink's and Rookw-ood schools, whose merry pranks cannot fail to entertain. There are lots of other interesting features, too, in- cluding pithy poems, puzzles, a play and eight beautiful plates. HOLIDAY ANNUAL Now on Sale 6'- Every Tuesday large. "Folks," he sai3, "we're about to start the .Sunshine Hour now. Every- body's invited to watch the artistes at work." "Hooray!" chorused the customer.s. Tho microphone, on its metal stem, was standing in a corner. Egbert lifted it into a clear space of carpet betv. eeii the bar and the bookshelves and de- pressed a switch. The customers gathered round him and raised a cheer which went out on the i'ir. " Good-aftemoon, ladies and gentle- men," began Egbert, addressing the mike. " You are about to listen to the Sunshine Hour. Your announcer will be that celebrated Master of Ceremonies, Doctor Egbert G. Higginbotham. Hera he is!" "Hooray for Hickbert Gee-gee Higginbotham I" shouted a tipsy fellow behind him. "Howdy, folks," pureued Egbert. "This is Egbert G. Higginbotham s{)eaking from the Sunshine Drug Store, home of the famous Pepo Lemon Syrup. We open the programme with that dis- tinguished artist and popular favourite. Mister Thomas Tanner." There was a piano near the micro- phone. Egbert sat down at it, dis- carded his coat, and began to play. Tommy, holding Peggy's hand, led her foi-ward and began to eing. It was supposed to be a sentimental song to the tune of a slow foxtrot. But Peggy insisted on dancing with him, much to the joy of the inebriated onlookers, and at frequent inten'als sho inten-upted the words with exclamations such as; "Boop-boop-boop-boop poop-a- dook." He reached the end of the song, and straightaway Peggy lifted up her voice in a song that wasn't in the programmo at all. "What causes a shiver to run up ray spine ? ^ And why should I quiver when your "' lips meet mine?" Egbert looked round from the key- board, but Peggy's voice was quite a good one, and the thing was a novelty, so he improvised an accompaniment for it. Tommy, equally quick to improvise words, chimed in at suitable intervals, and they sang the final chorus together, then embraced and kissed. "Folks," boomed Egbert, bounding up from the piano and standing before the microphone, "you have just been listen- ing to Mr. Thomas Tanner and Little Peggy Morton. Little Peggy- Morton, the daughter " But he got no further. With one ^^j|j concerted movement the revellers behind Jiim surged forward, singing an entirely different song with the utmost discord. The Police Arrive. NEVER, in all the chequered history of the town of Lockville, had such wild unseemliness occun'ed before. -| But Harry WatteiB had been banking upon its occurring on this particular day, and he was sitting in his office at the Lockville Trust & Loan Company, listening delightedly to a loud speaker. Switching off the set, he rang up the Chief of Police, to whom he described what he had heard. "Guess you'd better come right away,' chief," he said. "I tell you the whcO» j store is rip-roaring drunk! AbsolutfL;^! i Eh? Sure I'll meet you there." j A car was waiting for him outside the ' building, and in it he was swept off to Allison Avenue and tlie Sunshine Druff-, Store. He found it difficult to enter the j shop, because its doorway was blocked by scandalised members of the com- J nuniity and delighted small boys. But] at last he managed to force hij way in.