Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-03-05
ZINKLEFOOT,
THE UNPAID
SCOUT
SSSSsssSSssSSSSsA
By JAMES F. DWYER
20 by short story Pub. Coz

4 ORE than ten thousand men,
MI whose lives lost their SAVIOR
xVx through the attainment Of
something which they had
pursued for years, have pointed out
that the joy of pursuit Is thousand
times greater than that OF possession.
Preacher Zinklefoot recognized this
when a black head rose from the mo-
sale of white faces In response to his
call Of Henry Hutton" Zinklefoot
suddenly discovered that he didn't
want Hutton-he only wanted to look
for him.
His hunt for Hutton had commenced
in peculiar manner. Five years be-
fore, while addressing revivalist
meeting white-halred woman had
asked the preacher to call the name
Of her wandering son ut every meet
ing he addressed. Zinklefoot prom
Used. Quite unconsciously the woman
had provided him with a trump act
for his oratorical turn.
For the first few weeks after the
duty had been put upon him, he told
the story in as few words as possible,
and called the name Of the prodigal
in matter-of-ract way. Then the
dramatic possibilities OF the Incident
stirred him. He realized that he had
a gem in bis repertoire. he put in
subtle touches, He braced the story
with little pillars of pathos With
vivid pratorical flashes he pictured
the waiting mother, and flung upon
the minds of his audience a picture
of the storm-tossed prodigal for whose
return she waited. II was unique
turn. The telling of the incident and
the solemn calling Of the name tore
the crust off the little pools Of senti-
ment in the hearts of his male listen
ers, and threw the women into hys-
terics. 1t was a grand climax to his
orations. 1t left the crowds gasplng,
hoping, praying, and feeling mighty
well disposed towards Zlnklefoot, the
unpaid scout Of the white-halred
mother.
And after five years of unlnterrupt-
adopted and brought to perfection,
the preacher saw 1t suddenly torn
away from him and the mighty kudos
lost forever. No wonder that the up
rising of the black head chilled him.
A hate for the stranger surged up
within him. Instlnctively he knew
that here was the long-lost Hutton,
and he also knew that the white
haired mother story was gone forever
The biack-haired man appeared at
Weehawpville. Zinklefoot was wind
ing up a successful meeting, and 1t
was the moment for the Henry Hut
ton" act. He advanced to the edge
Of the platform and waited till the
smallest whispers had been choked by
the silence.
Friends" he cried, "some years ago
when speaking, a white-halred mother
asked me to call the name of her
wandering son at every meeting ad-
dressed. She, poor woman, filed with
maternal love-hungry motherly love,
stored and gathered through the
years, ready to be lavished upon the
prodigal, thought that he might be
guided to one Of my meetings to hear
her message. / promised her. and
| have kept my promise. Night after
night, year after year, over the broad
breast of the Union have called his
name, listening, waiting, hoping al
ways to hear the answering voice that
will bring JOY to the heart Of the
little whlte-haired woman"
The sound of suppressed sobs came
from the audience, and Zinklefoot
swept up the dizzy heights Of oratory
that he had built up before reaching
the climax. The mother shone out
like snowy-headed angel, and tears
dropped upon the green grass as he
thrilled his hearers with the story Of
her love and devotion. At last he
Strengthened himself and called the
name Of the prodlgal.
"Henry Hutton" The call went
ringing through the night, and the lis
teners held their breath. Henry Hut
ton Henry"
Zlnklefoot's voice seemed to fall
into bottomless chasm as the black
head rose in the center Of the crowd.
The head had the same effect upon
him as blow from q clenched fist,
and he staggered
"rm Henry Hutton said the man
standing.
Weehawpville will not forget the
scene that followed. The discovery
Of the prodlgal was intensely dramatic,
and as the inhabitants Of the town
had few opportunities for letting them
selves go, they seized upon the one
made by Zinklefoot. Men struggled
to get near the wanderer; women
wept Historically. Hutton was car
rled shoulder high to the platform,
and the preachers commands for 81
lence were lost in cheers and sobs.
Women sobbed, men sobbed, and the
prodlgal sobbed. Only Zlnklefoot was
calm, but Zlnklefoet's endeavors to
calm the others were unheeded. He
had stirred monster tidal wave Of
sentiment that beloved around Hut
ton and left Zlnklefoot stranded on
the cold stone Of neglect. Instead Of
being the leading actor he dropped back
into the shade and stood there with
out a part.
The genius who always discovers
the psychological moment, discovered
II at that instant In the interest of
Henry Hutton. He may have been a
friend OF the prodlgal, for Weehawp-
Vile was unsuccessful In locating him
amongst It's citizens on the following
day, but over the tumult the genius