Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-11-28
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By J. t. BARBER
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

TT WAS not known where little Dan
ny Ahern, turning six. had picked
up his offffensive habit, but in mo
ments of stress in his perceptions he
would flatten a plump palm spiked
with stiffly distended fingers and touch
the tip of his nose with an eloquent
thumb.
And nothing apparently was going
to be done about it until this woman
came to NEEDLE into his family affairs
and snare his widower father with GER
tain wiles and Establishments which
even he, a hard boiled detective ser
geant of the Hammond Hill station.
could not resist.
It was this woman then who sug-
gested the discipline in that hot-but'
ter drawl of hers that seemed to make
the sergeant a soft gentleman OF
graces and not a trace Of copper.
Danny found himself looking up at
her that fateful afternoon and hold
ing to his fathers hand with stiff
alarm.
She had spoken to him sweetly until
she found out what Danny liked best
in all the world and Danny freely ad-
mitted that for the moment 1t was
strawberry jam. She had looked at
his father then and said that this was
the way to punish him. There was
to be no jam If, as and when he
thumbed his way through one Of his
innumerable daily crises. Danny felt
rather than understood the horror that
swept over him when the sergeant
readily agreed with this woman who
seemed to know SO much about dis
cipline and penalties.
What actually made Danny resolve
to live better life was the sergeant's
worried face, the good nature Of It
being all buried and distorted by some
unpleasant anguish that tore at his
soul. Q
Finally the housekeeper was telling
Mrs. Ellins about 1t. "And II he can't
find this thievin' gang why sure he'll
be gettin' the sack, he WILL the house
keeper said. stirring her tea.
"Now, isn't that too bad, indade,
Mrs. Ellins said. "And they must be
a clever lot to be stealing the best
kind of silks and laces How will he
ever be indin' thin. ="
81 know" Danny said, looking up
from his tiny fingerprint outfit and
thinking how much better it would be
to be eating jam which was forbidden
at the moment. II know" Danny said.
"You do, now?" the ladies said po-
.litely, smiling down on his yellow head
But they went on talking.
81 do" Danny said 1.-THE sergeant
gives people degrees. Did you ever
hear of the third? That gets EN- he
said, winking smartly at Mrs. Ellins'
hat.
He kept thinking about that for a
long time until he fell asleep and
when he woke up the sergeant was
there He was just sitting there in
chair and paying no attention to
anyone at ALL
Danny made no move. He watched
the sergeant silently through tht Sits
of his eyes so that the sergeant
thought him asleep. So in this way
he heard the sergeant say to the
housekeeper in a slow, heavy way,
How would it be If brought home
wife, Mrs. Cowan? I'm thinking
Danny needs a mothers care, and with
all your troubles, you haven't the time.
Isn't that SOP"
ut is not" Mrs. Cowan said. "And,
besides, Big Dan Ahern, woman like
that is no wife for a man on the
force"
Danny's inability to do anything
about the whole matter led him into
trouble again the next day. It was
little Willie Blitz again. But no one
saw it and Willie would be too shocked
to tell, so Danny felt rather sure of
his jam when he got home.
Eut he didn't go home then. TIE
sergeant picked him up at the kinder
garten and took him to the w0mars
place. 1t was to be little get-really-
acquainted supper, she said, and Dam
ny was to make himself right at home.
Just like that. But when Danny asked
for his bread and jam she told him
and the sergeant, too-about Willie
Blitz
Danny was never more surprised
and he stayed that way even after she
relented and grandly took him to the
kitchen where he might eat his jam
in peace and comfort.
Without preamble Danny pushed
aside the big slice Of bread and Jam.
saying abruptly, "Who told you about
about what I did at Willie%
The woman was shocked but she
tried to put him Off with a smile.
Danny was scowling: "Only three
people knew about that-God, Willie
and me. Now, how did you find II
OutT'
The woman smlrked. II was riding
by. You see little boys must"
"Yahr' Danny cried. "You stool pig
eonl" and he rushed her. She got
crammed into the corner under the