Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-01-03
THE ToW-Line to
revb Romance u
By LEETE STONE
(Copyrishtl


(Copyrightl
John LESTER had never had time
- to take vacation. Being the
Oldest son Of widowed mother with
four younger children who were al
ways needing q pair of shoes, or
something, John had tended strict.
ly to business in the glove factory
ever since he was fourteen. Religious
~, ever since, he had turned over
the weekly pay envelope to his moth
er. Now he was twenty and he craved
a vacation. a
Friends there were In the factory
who had been allowed time off to 20
abroad and sojOurn few weeks in
their native land others who received
a day or two of now and then to
crafty fishing hobby in the nearby
ponds and lakes; but he, John Lester.
had stuck to the Job. His only Sat-
urday afternoon and Sunday relaxa-
tion was his old hivver of the vintage
of 1921.
A dangerous curve near the Main
street Of Johns old New England
home town had yielded what was left
Of the car. There had been a colii-
sion; result: the partial wreck Of this
early flivver. John happened to pass
BY, on foot The owner and driver Of
the damaged motor, shaken and dis
illusioned, had hailed John and told
him he could have the shaky remains
for the taking away. Then the dis
gruntled survivor had hoped on tho
first bus heading Hartford way, leav-
Ing his wreckage and his cares he
hind him. tta v tM
For John Lester all events wore the
cloak Of opportunity. and this chance
donation was no exception. For a
year the MANNED and musty hivver
had been blocked up In the backyard
OF the Lester home. With John It be-
came a passion to rehabiiitate the
crippled car.
Johns working companions at the
factory. his boss, and all the neigh
bors came to regard Johns hobby
With warm interest Stopping at the
boys bench one day, the boss said:
"How's she comm. John-the fiv-
yer, ! meanT ri.
shell be o. X. In a week."
swell, let me know when she's right.
John. You've got two weeks vaca-
ton with pay coming when you want
IT. You've been q mighty steady
hand"
Before seven one morning, while
the sunrise birds were still chlrping
and chatterfng in the tall naples John
Lester stepped on the starter button
OF his homemade car aa1 rolled
proudly down the road on the first
vacation Of his life after years of
earning and striving to swell the Les
ter family budget. 9 g b..
Near evening Of Johns day Of
dreams, after spinning over every in
viting country road that presented IT.
self at many little crossroads, John
nearly rammed the rear end o: an ex-
pensive, heavy touring car parked
Just around a bend. A smartly
dressed, slim young man leaned from
the driving seat and called to John
as he was endeavoring to pass:
"Will you be so good as to try to
tow me to the nearest state road ga
rageT" the request registered in high,
distressed tones. MY ignitiOn-or
something, is dead-please
"Do my best" was Johns quick
reply. a7ta
he fished an old tow-rope from un-
der his back seat and attached 1t to
the touring car-all the while wishing
that he had had the fiction-luck to
find beautiful girl In distress in
stead Of this delicate looking young
man.
All went well until the procession
struck low, long grade. Part way up
a vicious upstart in the shape Of a
high rock in the left-hand road track
spelled the inevitable-the old tow
line parted with an angry twang. Bad
enough; but the shrill, feminine shrek
that penetrated Johns ears. instead
of the Disguised expletive he instinc-
lively expected, caused him to turn
around In complete wonder.
The violet blue eyes Of the person
he was attempting to salvage met his
appealingly, and he was still further
amazed to note a distinctly girlish
gesture Of the trim head. bidding him
come back.
An instantaneous survey OF the
slim, welI-contoured figure in checked
lumber shirt. knickers and golf shoes
was completely revealing to John
II know" her words leaped out,
"rm girl-got my brothers clothes
on. Trying to run away-they want
me. my mother, anyway. wants me TO
marry some one don't like. Listen I
Whoever you are-help me out Of
this. won't your"
IF this old can I assembled from
a roadside wreck will carry on. ri
be back in half an hour with a me-
chanic thatfl know your car--how'll
that dor"
~Oh, 6nel Only hurryi OF course.
your car will make It. Why, II looks
like new. My dad makes cars, and II
you can do that well with wrecked
one. he'll give you 4 real Job In his
factory--do hurry, won't your Right
there at the end Of the broken tow
line the girl In boys clothes flashed
John dazzling smile that started
something in his heart.