The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-10-07
Lowenthal Solves
A Problem
By SCOTT W. RYALL
Released by Mcclure Syndicate
WNU Service.)


financial duties to find his one great
hope roosting in jail.
"Lowenthal," Captain Atkinson
began without preliminary, "your
kid got up another gang. You know
he was president of the outfit called
the Night Riders we broke up?"
The Ninth wards jeweler nodded
his head duly.
"Sure. Sure. But isten-what can
l do with him? l busted a brush.
I gotta belt that don't make no i'm
preston except he howls."
"Well, that's your problem!" the
captain said angrily. We've had
just about enough of him. Last
night he broke into a cigar stand"
Il already paid Blumley for the
damage" Lowenthal said hastily,
land it wasn't just Izzy."f
''No, it wasn't just Izzy!" the Of
ficer snapped, "but those other boys
wouldn't have been there if your
son hadn't thought the scheme up.
Their fathers will tell them where
they get off but, Lowenthal, Pm get
ting sick of turning Izzy's case back
to you. There's another way"
"You mean" the old man said
painfully, "the reform SCHOOL,"
Gas sure as I'm running this sta
ton. Better that one goes up than
the whole bunch. This time" he
said gruffly to the woeful father,
"he's going home with you but the
next time-Lowenthal, the next time
1 won't even call you in! Come
along"
Lowenthal followed meekly out to
the cells and when his son, Izzy,
popped up from the cot it needed
no second glance to see that his
captivity had bred impotence but
not repentance.
Eli, Pop!" he called through the
bars. "Jeez! It's about time you
got around"
The policeman had the keys in
his hand but stood looking thought
fully, coldly, at the thin arrogant
face of the boy.
"Izzy," he said forcefully, I'm
not letting you out just because you
want to go. You don't like it in
there but have you thought how it
would be if you were cooped up I'M
til you were twenty-one?"
saw, gee, Cap, we were just hors-
ing around"
Ivy" Lowenthal said hoarsely,
"you hear what Captain Atkinson
says?"
Sure, I heard it," the boy num-
bled angrily. II heard enough of
what Cap says. Let's get out Of
here"
Suddenly Lowenthars face set
grimly
Captain" he said firmly, twill
you get me a belt, please?"
Atkinson's eyes twinkled.
Gladly" he said briefly and
quickly detached one from his trous-
ers.
The boy looked startled at the inn
pending and semi-public indignity.
He started to blubber and when his
father made the threat more real
istic by asking the officer to open
the door, he howled in earnest.
Izzy tried to dodge but four walls
penned him close and in a moment
he was wriggling helplessly under
his fathers firm grasp.
When Lowenthal had finished, he
tossed the belt to the policeman and
forcibly sat the boy back on the iron
cot.
"Izzy!" he called sharply, then
repeated it as a sterner command
while the boy ignored him.
"Yea?" he asked tearfulIy.
That's from me. A good licking.
You got it coming. You got a lot
more coming. You're smart boy,
amt you? A wise Teller, too clever
to be decent"
He stepped briskly from the cell
and slammed the door.
Pop" Izzy started.
"All right" the father persisted,
81 give you your licking, you wise
teller that thinks it's horsy to be a
thief! Now, you think maybe I'm
going to haul you home? Home with
me? "Yah," he tainted, "think
again, Izzy. The reform school for
you and we'll have no more"
The boy burst into a deafening
howl of fear; of hasty repentance,
Lowenthal took the captains arm
and quickly guided him back into
the corridor.
'Lowenthal," Atkinson remon.
strated, don't you think he's had
enough?"
Listen" the merchant said ex.
citedly, 81 licked him and left
him in prison. All alone, see? Well,
he'll think now. He'll think about
his sore bottom, anyway"
"Still," the other said hesitant.
ly, II kind of hate sending kid to
the school without giving him one
last chance"
"The school doesn't come in. You
keep him three days. Then bring
him around and say you persuaded
me to take him in again. You
see, he'll believe I'll let him go to
prison next time instead of trotting
down here to haul him out"
Atkinson was grinning broadly.