New Britain herald., 1929-07-29

Molly plugged in the percolator, and cut bread for the electric toaster. The little roast chicken looked tempting, and the big apple pie. Red lit a cigaret, and while they waited for the coffee to boil,
 There's a boy" he said, named began his story
 Perry 1ngersoll, junior at the Uni versity. Perry got very, very drunk tonight, and talked his head off. I've parked him now in my own lit tie bed, with Slim Boynton, to see that he doesn't wander off. Because, just between you and me, Molly, I don't know what we'd better do with the kid
 Did he know Bernice Brad ford ?" he interrupted eagerly.
 Did he know herr" repeated Red dramatically. Dear woman, he was going to marry her."
 "Red! He wasn't"
 i've seen the marriage license"
 But why didn't someone find out before? A marriage license, Why 1t must have been taken out in her name"
 Ut was,' he interrupted dryly. "Only her name wasn't Bradford Our fair Bernice had been married before. Her husband, since dead. was man named Bones. Nice, romantic name - Bones. And Ber- nice's first name was Mary. Every one always called her Bernice. It was her middle name. Naturally the clerks at the registers office never connected Mary Bones, widow, with the deceased Bernice Bra dford."
 My heavens' Did the Ingerso,l boy know about Barrows?"
 Red nodded. Yeap. But he was in love with her just the same. Can you beat that, Molly? Here's guy - handsome kid. too- proud old family and all that sort of thing-and he goes off his nut about a woman old enough to be his mother"
 "Bernice was s4," Molly remind ed him.
 Well, anyhow,' pursued Red, this kid fell head over heels in love with her. Used to write poetry, and all that mush'
 How do you know?"
 "Aint I telling you? He told me" Red looked hurt. Here [ am, spilling a story that hasn't beat this side of the Rue Morgue. and you throw questions at me like a blooming prosecutor"
 Go on,' she besought. T won't say another word. Start at the be- ginning. Red. Where did you meet this Great Lover?"
 Up on Beacon Hill. In one of those socalled Bohemian dives. The kid was crying like fool. He looked like 3. decent sort, and he was alone. Slim and I were sitting opposite him, and you know Sims big heart"
 T know yours" interrupted Molly.
 "No, it was Sims" he insisted. Slim says, There's a poor son of a gun, making fool of himself over some woman. most likely. What do you say, Red if we take him for a walk?'
 Well. the proprietor was all set to kick him out, so it looked like good idea. Just coupla nice boy scouts-me and Slim. We got him between us, and we walked down the Hill. And pretty soon he stopped his crying, and he began to babble. Kept talking about 'Bernice.' Naturally Slim and I perked up our ears.
 T gave Slim the high sign. and we began to propel our fine young lad over to my room He'd begun to sober off little by the time we reached there, Not much, but so he was half rational. Then he got talking jag. Nothing would do but he must talk
 And of all the people he picked to talk to-" hrea he'd MollN
 Now, see here,' protested Red, that's no way 10 talk. We've been darn white 10 that kid. me and Slim. We've fed him black coffee and. aspirin. And Sims there, watching over him like q guardian angel. until such time" amended Red honestly as we decide what we're going to do with him."