Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-09-25
: The Old Brass Kettle
Did Its Stuff
BY cLARIssA MAcKIE

IT WAS Jack Benson who named his
yellow car the 'brass kettle" Some
of his friends limited that because Jack
had bought the car when 1t was no
longer new, and had thus discovered
its weakness, he had given the car a
fiippant name and poked around her,
thankful because he had any car at
all.
Jack never denied the accusation,
and seemed to find lot of comfort In
the old brass kettle" The girls he
knew were rather uppish about riding
with him.
Jack went and came, free as a bird,
staying at the old Craddock farm be-
cause he had said that he liked the
home cooking and plain ways, and ev-
cry day saw him growing bigger,
browner, more like young god than
was quite necessary, as one irritated
spinster at the hotel remarked.
When one of the boys repeated that
remark to Jack, he blushed awfully,
and demanded to know what he could
do to help himself.
"Buy a new car, Jack" laughed
young Fred Spinner.
"What is the matter with this onel"
demanded Jack.
They all laughed. Jack regarded
Spinner's newest racing model with a
calculating eye. "The brass kettle
can beat your car up Satly's hill and
out to the lighthouse" he said fatty,
Spinner leaned back among his
crimson cushions and shouted gleeful-
ly. an take you on, Jack; what
about this afternoon2"
Now, II you like" said Jack
steadily. aee
"No-make 1t three o'clock this aft
ernoon, eh?"
fright" said Jack with his easy
smile.
you'll want to scrape little mud
Off your kettle, and put In some gas
and true her up" laughed Spinner in
an assured way, and then they sep
arated, he and his cronies to race Off
in riotous group, while Jack backed
the brass kettle, turned about and then
waited an instant, with a mlschievous
glance toward the group Of girls who
walked back to the hotel.
anyone want a rider asked Jack.
The girls laughed as If 1t were a
good joke and waved their hands at
him, but one arresting voice came from
the newest girl there, one whom Jack
had admired but never met.
"Thank you a lot, Mr.. Benson" she
said demurely, "but would like to
drive out to the farm II you are going
that wayl"
Certainly" said Jack, coolly, won
dering who in thunder the new girl
could be. and deciding that she was
the best-looking one that he had ever
seen. In another instant she was sit
ting beside him, waving little brown
hand to the girls as they went.
1t was not until they were out on
the Locust road that Jack dared to
steal glance ut her. Indeed, she
was lovely-all beauty of soft col
orlng kissed by the sun. wonderful
hazel eyes with thlckly curling lashes
Of jetty black to match the boylsh cut
Of her hair and the Impudent curl of
black against the rounded cheek. She
was dainty In every way, though her
clothes showed wear.
Then he stole a glance at the girl,
and surprised her own reconolterlng
eye, quickly withdrawn.
They both laughed then, and felt
better acquainted.
Jack fell to dreaming about the girl
what quiet little thing she seemed
to bel When they reached the farm,
she shook hands with Jack and
thanked him for the ride II shall be
on your side" she assured him, when
they parted, "and do hope that you
will win the racer
II shall win IT," he told her conf
IDENTIFY, "Just because you have faith
In us-ln me and my old brass
kettlev +"
Before the start of the race people
found the most strategic places along
the road. When the pistol shot broke
the stiffness and the two cars started
there was shout OF laughter that
was never afterward repeated Spin
ner's car shot up the hill, and the
brass kettle" lettering for an instant,
suddenly took breath, swoOped after
II and In an amazingly short time the
whole thing was over-the brass ket-
tie" going like the piece Of marvellous
ly tuned machinery that It was, won
the race! The first person whose
hand Jack held for one proud moment
was that Of Mildred, and then the re-
porters came up and the truth was
all out
Hello, Jack Benson" said the first
reporter, 1--WE heard that you were try
ing out new racing car, but why
the camounaged upper coat" And
then, very soon, the big yellow top to
the old kettle" was Off and there was
the new shining chassis with It's per-
feet engine. .......rE
"Oh, Jack Benson7 His dads that
millionaire who has just bought the
Blanck Motor works. He Is perfect
Ing this rncer--some car, ehp
After that, dozens OF girls and
young men looked eager-eyed at Jack
Benson and his old brass kettle"-the
Joke was on them; he had chosen that
locality because OF It's hills But the
girl who had been sorry for Jack and
his apparently old car would eventual
ly marry him, and Mildred was only a
pool little school teacherl
Id, BY Mcclure Newspaper syndicatob
(wNU seyics)
Seeds ...t
do you scatter seeds Of klndnessT