The Coolidge examiner., 1933-03-24
Brick Buys a
KinOnO
By KATHLEEN MALLORY
g by Mcclure Newspape Syndicate.
WNU Service

/ x
- two weeks ago. 1t wasn't really
a kimOno. That was just Bricks
appellatiOn. II was really gorgeous
blue chiffon velvet peignoir. Mr..
Bonner had brought it. 1t was late,
at night, and Brick had tiptoed to
the kitchen for a drink of water.
Drinking the water, he had over
heard Mr. Bonner talking to Mumsy.
He liked Mr.. Bonner. He never for
got to bring him something. 1t was
always there on the breakfast table
next morning. The most wonderful
things. He was listening: Jerry,
/ you angel e.. It's too sweet of
you for words, but | can't let you.
You're a darling the best
friend a woman ever had. But it's
impossible. I'll shut my eyes
and pretend forever after that
its mine, when I'm wearing that
ragged, shabby old thing in there
Bricks breath expelled on long
breath that was almost sob. He
peeked through the crack of the
swinging door to the living room.
His mother began folding it care
fully back into its tissue wrappings.
Don't be absurd, Sylvia" Jer-
some Bonner was speaking, gruffy.
That's my birthday gift to you. |
shall be away next month. and
wanted you 10 have it in time"
please, Jerry" Bricks mother
said thickly, don't. Bring me some
little trinket that's inexpensive"
Sylvia let me take care of
you always! Please, dear.
love you So"
Now. Jerry! You know how
things are. I'm going to bring
Brick up, first. My first duty is to
him. And why Jerry, I've a
fine young man to take care of me-
| want nothing in this world, be-
yond my home. here, and Brick !"
Brick had crept off to bed, shiv-
ering. Gosh. She had said he was
enough.
Then he saw it again. Three
days later 1t was in a shop win
dow, and there was nothing else
there. Only the blue kimono. Some
way. somehow, he must get that
blue kimono for mumsy.
vranf nrioo1 un
nearly fell over when the lady said
twenty-five dollars. She might as
well have said twenty-five hundred.
Gosh. That was the same price as
the bicycle.
But now the bike was forgotten
Each night, when he was through
peddling his papers. he went to
stare, fascinated, at the blue kimo-
no. Mumsy's birthday was next
week, too.
Then several things happened
Mumsy was working In a store, part
time, and he was alone one night
In the closet, looking fol a book
stored away he came across the pic
ture. 1t was his father, he knew
that. Mumsy had told him. Her
eyes had looked all scrunchy when
she told him. He never asked her
any more about him. But he knew
he was alive.
Then one day Bricks father
bought a paper from him. Brick
knew him instantly. The same face,
only the hair was gray now. Ex-
pensive fur coat. Costly clothes.
"A Post. sonny. Keep the change"
two dimes.
The day before mumsy's birth
day. the man stopped again. 1t was
cold. Bricks fingers were numb
with cold. He dropped his papers.
and his hat fell off. The man bit
off an explanation. MY Cody he
said. "the same hair even" Then
hoarsely, Here, Sonny get
yourself something. A bike :.
shoes !" Brick stared at the fifty
dollar bill, as the man jumped into
a taxi and drove off. Only that
noon he had seen the mans smiling
face in the tabloids he had sold
along State street. "Noted actor
celebrates new hit by marrying
leading lady,"
He began to shiver, but not with
cold. Frantically, he searched his
paper bag and found the tabloid !;
the last remaining one. There it
was, "State Street Theater," Brick
started toward State street. He
! borrowed an envelope from the
cashier. On 1t, he wrote his own
name. It was also his fathers. He
knew that, now, from the tablOids.
Rick Chandler, star of New Moon.
Inside. he tucked the fifty-dollar
bill. II was his defeated hope OF
ever owning the blue kimono or
the new bike. But he did not fal-
ter, mumsy would want him to.
On the way he saw the sign. 1--WE
buy old bikes" Brick went in. He
came out. minus his dilapidated old
bike, but richer by ten dollars. He'd
get another. some day. Now he'd
get mumsy a birthday present A
blue kimOnO.
Brick raced to the shop. He
nearly suffocated with joy. Marked