Evening star., 1922-05-14
F you know about big nights"
you will understand the thrillfo OF


you will understand the thrtllS OF
this one: =
Bob is nine years old. and his
special chum is grandfather. who
has been promising the boy that some
time they would slip of together and
have big night. Last week he made
good, and the two started without
telling the parents just what the
evenings program was going to be.
Mamma was pleased at little sons
outing, which she supposed would
mean movies and an ice cream treat.
When o'clock came along she fig
ured 1T out that Bob had persuaded
his grandfather to let him see the
picture second time.
At 1880 she got so nervous that
she had to call up the grandfather's
house to tell him it was time for Bob
to be in bed. Grandfather had not
returned.
BY IL o'clock nervousness had given
away to tragic fear. Nobody knew
about the Knickerbocker until next
phone found grandfather still miss.
ing she was sure that something had
happened. She knew 1t, because
grandfather never would have kept
the child out to that hour.
You doubtless know for your own
self Just how a distracted mother
would feel under the strain Of a thing
like that. and If you are married you
don't need to be told that she got no
comfort whatever out OF Bob's father,
who, man like, just argued that
grandfather knew what he was about.
But, anyhow
The clock licked OF minutes so
tense that they might have been mo-
tibn pictures of successive horrors,
with mamma walking the floor and
pal husband trying to jolly her out
Of her terror, until, just before l
O'Clock, up shows BOD IN the charse OF
a policeman.
Little son was jubilantly wide
awake and bluecoat chuckled out the
information that he had met grand
father bringing the boy home. and
the men being on neighboriy terms
That was about 'all, unless: If you
happen to be a betting person. you can
wager that one of these years when
Rob will be older by decades than his
grandfather is today. he will be say
ing. on some reminiscent @ OCCASION To- .
chj,dhood that stands out as the best
time I ever had. was when my grand
father-God bless him-took me one
r,frht to seeAa wrestling match over
where the old Lyceum used to stand. :
1t was big night.
** + X
LUMPY chin is the furled ban
n ner of youth. Every woman
knows-or, IL she dpesn't, men do.
which is more. and worse. AS the
woman at the library corner had a
lumpy chin, your could tell that she
had kissed Romance goodbye. But
her vanity was wearing French heels,
You could tell that. too, by the way
she Haunted her head ana ia.b iauEned en- a.
public, a place-apd otherwise reg
istered excitement at the news an
other woman was broadcasting:
Now, don't fail to be on time. I
want you to meet him. He owns his
own home and flne radio set =
look at a beau that flivvers."
Foolish? Of course 1t was foolish,
Int wouldn't this be one prosy old
world If everybody in It was as wise
as you and and the gate post?
Besides, wise folks do foolish things
wise men Of Gotham who went to sea
in q tub.
Ire was an ancient man, dressed
in clothes that were of the brown
that is poverty's national color. And
there was a '1ost child quaver in
his voice as he asked a passing man
to direct him to the nearest telegraph
Office. He wouldn't bother him, only
u ,uaS sn vary i1rrenfD -
The passingt man must have had
more than his fair share Of the milk
of human kindness-,unwatered stock
e-for he stopped his swinging stride
and said sy ~ ~ II s.
fBlest- II knoHs- but1 sson ket