Ellsworth American., 1922-12-27
The
Baby Kidnapers
BY AUSTIN FLINT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Larry the Blood made cryptic
gesture to his friend Skinner as he ap-
preached Johnsons Department store.
Lnnumerable women were entering and
leaving dozen baby carriages stood
outside the portals. In each Of them
lolled fat complacent white hope.
sucking either thumb or COM
forter.
The flowing tide Of purchasers ebbed
for an instant. Upon that instant Lar
ry the Blood had glided forward and
softly snatched one of the white hopes
out of its downy nest. The next mo-
ment he was carrying it in his arms
down the street, while the child slept
peacefully.
Difficult? Not for Larry. The East
Side tough had been transformed into
quite a dainty-lOoking nursemaid,
while wig of raven. hair and two
slim ankles completed the illusion,
while the skirt was just long enough
to prevent the intrusion into the pic
ture sof pair Of bowed, muscular
legs.
Five minutes later Larry and Skin
ner reached their haven OF safety in a
ramshackle tenement in a side street.
Larry dropped his burden on the bed.
The white hope slept
Gee, Larry, you sure pulled off a
good thing!" said Skinner in admira-
tion, as he examined the dainty cloth
ing. That babes worth five thousand
ransom as soon as they find it's miss
ing"
THAT means more mazuma than you
and me have handled In years." said
Larry
"Atlantic City for mine," said Skin
ner, land a rolling chair"
you're cheap" said Larry. Mines
a European tour. Say, we sure have
got a good thing all right, all right.
Now all we got to do Is to lie low
till the rewards offered"
There came q stirring from the bed,
a fretful whimper The child opened
its eyes, and seeing the strange faces
about it, began to cry.
"Hush-a-bye, hush-a-bye, babyl" said
Skinner, picking it up in his arms and
rocking it. But the child only cried
other in CONSERVATION.
Say, this'll have to stOpr' said
Larry. "How d'you stop 1T howlingY
where's its feeding bottleT asked
Skinner.
There amt none. How often do
they have to be fed?"
Search me-" said Skinner. my sis
ter had one last year, and she was
| always giving it the bottle Say. you'll
have to buy one, Larry"
"How long'll we have to keep the
blooming brat?" asked Larry. "D'you
I suppose the reward will be out by
! tonight?'
, "Well, suppose it is? Well have to
wait three or four days to arrange
about the ransom. Say, Larry, you've
pulled off a good thing, sure enough.
incidentals."
| The other cast whitening glance at
him.
| whats wanted except the bOttle?"
he asked. "And I cd teach it to drink
out of me hand in an hour or two,
when it gets hungry"
"Who's going to wash it?"
"Wash it?" yelled his friend. "Ill
wash it's farce if it gifts dirty, and the
rest of it won't show under its clothes,
will it? FIR the love of Mike stop that
howling!'
But the child, puckering up it's red
face, yelled obstinately, madly. 1t
clenched its little fists in a paroxysm
of rage The two looked at each other
| in bewilderment
NIP out and git that bottle, Larry"
suggested Skinner.
Hold hard" said Larry. ut amt
that. l know what it Is. Mebbe there's
a pin pricking 1t somewhere That's
what makes 'em yowl Look and see
Skinner"
You look" said Skinner, surveying
the masses of clothing with a eau
tiOus eye.
'Pll look, then! Say, Skinner
you're certainly hopeless sort of
cuss when it comes to difficulties. How
d'you open it?"
THAT looks like button" said
Skinner.
THAT amt it. Look at that pin !
Hello, what's this?"
On the inside of the long exterior
| garment was pinned piece of paper.
written on In a fine feminine hand.
They read together:
ITO any one who may find my preci-
Gus baby. His name is Olaf and he Is
eleven months old. have dressed him
up in his best things. l cannot keep
him longer, because his father has left
me. So / am leaving him outside John
! sons Department store, in the hope
! that some one will adopt and care for
my precious one."
That was all. The two stared at
| eacn other In CONSERVATION.
| "You-you-you nursemaid" =" pipped
Skinner. "That's what comes Of all
| roIr <h