Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1936-11-12
The Reporter and
the Bum
g
Rv NANCY RHODES
BY NANCY RHODES
@ Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.
HE Youngest Reporter was
fired. It amounted to that, for
the onlv condition under

W3Ce again IN the Guy TOOTH was W
have an interview with Lord Roos-
terhouse up her sleeve. And as for
an interview with Lord Rooster
house-the city editor might as well
have asked her to run out and bring
back hens tooth, for Roosterhouse
was an anomaly-an Englishman
who refused to talk.
This man was the thorn in the
side of every newspaper, in town. A
scion of an ancient family, a famous
hunter, man who had been the
center of a dozen International
scandals, and he refused to open
his mouth to the press. Every ruse
In the reportorial bag of tricks had
been tried on him, but he still re-
mained-the Englishman who re-
fused to talk.
The Youngest Reporter had had a
premonition of evil when she awoke
that morning. She had spilled her
orange juice, dropped the salt, and
tipped fried egg on her new gray
suede shoes. She had arrived at the
Office half an hour later than usual
and the city editor had glared. AS if
1t made any difference what time
enc got in when there was nothing
IN particular to do.
Nothing of Importance had hap
pened for weeks. Everyone hung
1estlessly around the city room. All
were morose and depressed and
went around with chips on both
shoulders. Even the Office boy was
quiet and subdued and spent his
time eating bananas with an air
Of melancholy. His bananas, in fact,
precipitated the crisis. He threw a
peeling towards the waste basket
and when it landed on the floor he
neglected to pick it up. The city
editor plunked a heavy foot on it
and sat down with great suddenness
and profanity.
She knew it was reprehensible,
but the Younger Reporter had never
been able to choke back chortle
when she saw anyone 60 down. A
crude and uncultivated sense of hui
NOR was behind this trait, she told
herself, but there it was. She could
not help it. A grin still broadened
her face when the city editor rose
wrathfully and looked around him.
"Come here, Miss Fox" he said
grimly.
1T wasn't my banana" protested
the reporter weakly. II don't eat
bananas"
''No one said you did," retorted
the city editor. 'What am about
10 say is this: there are altogether
zoo many hangers-on around here.
Too many people all dressed up with
no place to go. Too many nom
producers. You can put on your hat
and clear out and don't come back
again-unless," he added sardonic-
ally, unless you get an interview
with Lord Roosterhouse for us"
Thus the blow fell. The spilled
salt and the fried egg had been
birds of i'll omen, all right enough.
She started out in the rain; it had
been raining for five days and
booked as though the downpour
would last for five more. She wan
aered ainlessly to the common and
eat down on a wet bench to think.
Lord Roosterhouse was a tough
egg, no doubt about that. But he
must have a vulnerable spot. She
had heard that he was heavy
1rinker. Perhaps if she posed as
Dootlegger he might see her. If she
could see him she might wrangle an
interview out of him. This was not a
very brilliant idea, she knew, but it
was better than nothing at all, so
she started for his hotel. She took
eut her card and on the back of
+ wrote, sales, Wines, Liquors, Gig
ars." Then she sent it up to Lord
'1oosterhouse. It came back with the
message that he was not in.
She went to telephone and called
his suite. His secretary answered
and informed her that he was not
"A.
could I talk to you instead?" she
asked the man.
II have nothing to say" he an
OWered.
She got paper with q photograph
- Lord Roosterhouse on the front
cage and studied It intently, then
eat down to wait until he showed UP.
After she had waited an hour the
sum came out and she could see the
eeesh green Of the common through
ehe hotel doorway. So she strolled
W to the common and sat ON a
Nsnch again.
She found handful Of peanuts In
her pocket for the doves that
gwarmed around her feet, and en-
ooldened by the food, they came
nearer and perched on her lap and
shoulders.
"Pretty creatures" said q bury
voice At her side. She glanced at
eAe man who had spoken and found
Cat he fell into that class she de-
aned AZ buns. He had q struggling
graying beard and a bleary eye. His
ID tweed suit needed pressing and
ks shoes had seen their best days.
from him omsnated q strong odor
alcohol.
Why was Q burn3 she wondered.
What did he do and think? How did
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