The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-10-01

"Bub' she calls him; sometimes Baby
Brother, and l was wondering if-ii
l couldn't be nice to him in some way
Strikes me as a good hunch," says
l. go to it."
But just how - insists Ham. "In
what way can one be nice to a baby
brother that one doesn't know?
thought I'd ask you, Torchy, because
you have a youngster of your own
and ought to know what he likes"
"Ohi" says l. Going to call, eh?'
Tomorrow night" says he. "Ano
if l could only think of something to
take with me that would please him
"Why that ought to be easy" says
l. Not candy, should say. Most
kiddies like it we'll enough, but few
are allowed to gorge themselves on
chocolates and gum drops and so on
Nor cigarettes, nor gum, nor tickets
to roof garden shows. You gotta be
choosey about what you take to young
sters, you know, Ham,"
ooh, say!" he protests.
well, then" says l, drop into some
toy department and load up with any
thing that comes handy. First off, a
drum. Kids like anything that'll make
noise, and believe me, if you show up
with a drum for Bub you'll most likely
get in strong with him right away"
Thanks Torchy," says he. 'Tll
make note of the drum. What else,
thought"
ooh, a tin battleship with clock
works engine" says l, land maybe a
painted wooden duck with a quack
concealed somewhere inside it, and
an imitation motor truck, and nice
red tin pail and shovel to use on the
sand pile. Any little trinkets like
that"
"rll do it," says Ham. "I'll get 'em
all"
How about the little Plummer girl
you were rushin' last week." says l.
"And that Miss Osgood from Atlanta
Those two desperate affairs both in
the discard, are they?"
Absolutely" says Ham.
"And Edith is the best bet on the
card now, eh?" / suggests.
"She's the only girl, Torchy," says
he. "It's not only her looks, you know,
but she's such a clever, keen-witted
young person. Talks the language.
and all that. Besides, she seems to
understand me. She has a soul, if
you know what I mean. Likes poetry
and
"Y-e-e-es," says l, draggy. 81 think
get the idea But you'n excuse me.
Ham. I've got to look up chap in
the smoker. Just remembered.
Honest, believe he'd made me sea-
sick if I'd let him fill my ear full of
that stuff much longer Say, how do
they get that way?"
And as it happens / had a chance
to size up this wonderful young party
that evenin', for the Robert Ellinses
drove over. bringin' Miss Candy along.
Nice young girl, too; good eyes, grace
full built and with a line of snappy
chat, but no such allurin' siren as
Ham. had described. In fact, she
strikes me as kind of a sensible. level
headed young woman who would
fall hard for some male of
the species when the right one came
along, but in the meantime would be
practicin' vamp tactics on everything
that wore suspenders. Anyway, she
got in right with Wee and me by not
bein' afraid of Buddy, the Airdale pup
that insists on greetin' all guests
boisterous, and by not indulgin' in any
silly gush over the baby. So when
Mrs. Robert askes us over to dinner
for the followin' night we accept with
pleasure.
And as it is generally the case at
the Ellinses, we had a perfectly good
little dinner party, with no fancy frills
and nobody feelin' stiff or uncomfort-
able. Mrs. Candy turns out to be
quite a live wire herself, with a lot
of good yarns and some funny anec-
dotes abou her colored butler who had
been working as a porter on Pull
man.
I'd noticed that there was an extra
plate set and an empty chair at the
table, and maybe I'd sort of wondered
why, but hadn't asked any questions.
No, I'm better trained than that
Uh-huh! I may do more or less gaw
pin around when Pm away from home,
but 1 don't bust right out with the
foolish queries any more. I just let
things ride until l can get Wee or
somebody off side. But when Mrs
Candy chances at the waitin' chair
as we're about half through dinner
and begins apologizin' because Philip
is late again, gets a bunch that
there's still another member of the
CANDY family l hadn't heard about.
81 am certainly ashamed of Philip
says she. 81 can't imagine what he's
doing"
81 should hope you couldn't
Mother" says Edith Thank good
ness you haven't that kind of an imagi
nation And you know that missing a
meal or so is the easiest thing he does;
I'm sure was never spoiled like that