Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-04-10
The Widows
Son
By WILLIS BRINDLEY
q by western Newspaper UniOn.)

- twelvecylinder roadster INTO the
street and Strengthened her up. Then,
for no reason except that he wanted
to, he glanced across the street and,
sure enough, there was Mrs. Bailey,
and reckoning to him. 1t was nine
Of nice fall morning, Saturday.
Big Matt was master plumber
with his own shop and all, fifty, but
spry In spite of the great bulk of him.
He lived alone in the big house that
he and Mary had worked so hard for,
and with Mary gone now two years
and his daughter away in some vii
lage called Green Witch, or something
like that, desecrating interiors Of rich
mems homes, it was plenty lonely.
The colored woman who cooked his
meals went home right after the din
ner dishes were out Of the way.
whats wrong, Mrs. Bailey" Matt
Donovan's was a voice to shake the
tlmbers in hall, but he held in to a
rumble in Difference to the lady.
"It's the plumbing. The sink.
got man and he was to have come
yesterday and he didn't come, and
last night the faucet wouldn't turn
clear Off, and the drain was clogged
and the sink ran over, and l had to
get up and mop. The mans here now,
but, supposing he didn't know his
business2 SO, said, I'll just call to
Mr.. Donovan"
"Sure, sure" said Matt, and pushed
by her into the house. "That lad Of
her should be able to help his moth
er b., now, but not him-the Little
Lord Fauntleroy, with his belted
jacket suit and his dancing lessons
If 1t weren't for that no-account
boy"
In the kitchen, Matt found Jim, q
friend and fellow plumber.
''rll be going now" he said to Mrs
Bailey, then hesitated. you're all
right now with the plumbing and I'll
be getting to the shop"
Yes, Of course, and thank you very
much, but" and flushed, and she was
pretty when she flushed, very pretty,
and so young looking. II had an ap-
pointment with the dentist, and I'm
afraid that this has delayed me-"
Sure, sure" doomed Donovan.
Jump into the car and I'll drop you
there In no time at ALL"
On the way Mrs. Bailey talked of
her only son, lovingly and proudly as
a mother should.
1t was late afternoon when, having
beloved a belligerent "Well" into
the receiver, he heard her voice, and
he knew at once that she was crying
"oh, please, Mr.. Donovan. Could
you come and help me7 David hasn't
come home"
Sure, right away. Don't worry"
He clamped on his hat, banged out
and into the roadster and pulled up
before the Bailey house In half a Jerk.
Mrs. Bailey was on the step waiting,
craning to see II her boy was coming.
clasping and unclasping her pretty
hands. She told him, all In breath
THE plumber wasn't done when !
left, you know, and didn't want to
detain you, and l was late for the
dentist. so l just went on and left
David there, but he ought to have
known that I'd be back. He's twelve,
you know. And l got back shortly
after noon, and he wasn't here, and
| can't locate him anywhere, and I've
telephoned and telephoned, and no
body has seen him and"
Donovan wanted to sit down, put his
arm around her and comfort her.
Get into the car, Mrs Bailey" he
said, "and wen be finding him in no
time"
They went far in the car--to the
dancing school, where David had not
been, the teacher said; to the house
Of n little girl who had no telephone.
and the little girl hadn't seen him; to
baseball game in a vacant lot; up
and down many streets, inqufrlng for
small boy In belted suit with q
green cap. Finally home, to see II
the boy had came In their absence.
A raucous blast outside brought
them to the door, and they saw
small boy in belted suit with green
cap jump from an ancient hivyer
roadster and leap up the steps.
"Good-by JIM" he yelled at the
man, and then poured words at his
mother and Donovan. Gee, but had
swell time. Jlm-that's the plumber
let me go along with him all day.
We were in some Of the SWEETEST
homes, and the junk plumbing in
them you'd never believe. We worked
right through lunch and Jim gave me
sandwich, but just one, and that's
ALL and I'm awfully hungry Did you
see Jim's car? It's eight years old
and he called her Asthma but she
can go just the same. And helped
him all day and Jim says I'm dandy
helper and next summer when be gets
his own shop he's going to hire me
and pay me dollar a day, and can
wipe a joint already. What do you
think Of that, mother7 can wipe a
Joint already, and next Saturday he's
going to show me how to plug a pipe
Gee, but / had a swell time"
His mother held David Bailey to
her.
But David, your clothes-they're a
sight, and look at your face and your
hands"
Matt Donovan cleared his throat.
He was hOarse when he spoke, but he
spoke as speaks the head Of the
house.
"Gei oct Of here at once" he said.
Get upstairs and wash your face and
hands and put some iodine on that
knuckle where the pipe wrench caught
you And don't hurry down too fnst-