The New York herald., 1922-10-13
WEE CAR SALESMAN
HES FAR TO DICKER
Two-Year-0ld Journeys Out to
Swap Little Red Motor for
Big Machine.
PICKED UP MILES AWAY
Iollypop Buys Him Out and
Policeman's Back Serves as
Limousine Home.
PICKED UP MILES AWAY

Thomas Mcclure OF 141 Willis avenue,
The Bronx, will not be 3 years old
until merit New Years Day, but already
he is an excellent prospect for some up
to date automobile salesman. He has
little car. a toy affair in which he scoots
with a great deal of noise about the Nc
Guire apartment and the Railways of the
house, but he is greatly interested In
big motors also He probably could not
squeeze more than a few pennies from
his bank as he has not been on earth
long enough to amass much money, but
that doesn't worry him any; what ne
wants is demonstration.
Because of his almost feverish desire
to get ride in the big automobiles that
he has seen whiz by his window Thomas
ran away yesterday, dragging his toy
automobile behind him, and spent some
eight hours wandering through The
Bronx and Harlem shouting at motor
cars and trying to trade his little one
for a big one. He met with indlfterent
success, though.
He told rambling tale about big
red automobile that man almost traded
him, but he didn't tell 1t twice the same
way, so 1t seems virtually certain that
the only ride he really got was on the
back of a big policeman who found him
at 1l6th street and First avenue, several
miles from his home.
Lure Runs In Family.
Thomas's father, be 1t understood,
has something to do with liking auto
mobiles, and much of the family con-
versation is about machinery. Naturally
Thomas picked up a few words, and
naturally also the first toy his father
got him was an automobile painted red.
This is the thing in which the little boy
risks life and limb taking the hairpin
curve between the dining room and the
kitchen, and in which he surmounts
the hills in the hallway. He Is very
fond of this machine until he looks out
of the window and sees the big cars
snorting past in the street below. Then
he feels as if his father might have
put something over on him, although Mr..
Mcclure frequently and solemnly has
assured his son that the little red 5u-
tomobile Is as good as anything that
runs on four wheels.
Such being the case, thought Thomas,
why not trade it for a big one? So
while his mother was busy with the
washing yesterday morning about 3
o'clock Thomas got rag. polished up
his little car and set forth. Instinct
told him to get out without noise. so
he carried the toy machine down stairs
He hurried UP Willis avenue, now
riding his car and now dragging it, and
seems to have attempted several times.
but without success. to interest taxicab
drivers in his machine. But the taxicab
men always wanted cash to boot, and
cash was something Thomas did not
have. He had forgotten to rob his bank
before starting.
Gets Penny for Gas.
He did eventually acquire~a penny
from a man who said that he would
not trade cars. but would be willing 10
help Thomas get n little gas. The
whole of the lad : adventures during the
day are not known. but he must have
yursded his idea with great earnest
ness, because when o'clock came he
was standing at 10th street and First
avenue. at the curb, shouting to passing
motorists. His shouts, according to the
policeman who head them and listened
long enough to discover that Thomas
did not belong where he was, varied be-
tween wanna twade" and wanna
WIDE
Thomas made friends with the police
nan readily enough. since the mans
uniform fascinated him. and tried to
interest the bluecoat in used car bar
gain. II was settled, finally, that the
car would be traded even up for one
red lollypop. so the policeman bought
the candy, tucked the toy car under his
arm and hoisted the lad on his back
and took all three to the police station.
There he found that n general alarm
had been sent out from the Alexander
avenue station by the parents, and so
eventually Thomas was restored to
them. And he thought the big police
man was rather a nice man, because
even after trading for keeps he did not
take the automobile.