The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-10-30
HALLOWEEN
BY LAURA GRAY

"A pTciHOIllIlOIl uldue MT. HoHuUDS
throw down his paper and go to the
door. Moonlight lit up the scene and
glistened on the frost on the roof Of
his two-seater, parked before the
door, ready to rush him to the early
morning train.
tered, struggled up into the sky,
curved and exploded, dropping a
shower of stars. A packet of fire
crackers went off down the road. Chill
dren's voices seemed to be every
where. Halloween, of course! "Bur-r!"
He shivered, and was turning in
when two figures moved away from
the car, and the patter Of feet faded
into the darkness.
"Huh!" Snubbs ran down the path.
Air was fzzling from the tires.
Gradually the car sank, and finally
rested forlornly on four flat tires.
"Confound it! Every boy in the
country should be locked up on Hal
loween!" What was he to do now
with no pump, and the garage miles
away? Perhaps he could borrow a
pump.
Mrs. Brian answered his knock at
the door of the little white cottage
down the road. "Sorry," she said,
"Mr. Brian has taken the boys to a
show. This is Halloween, you know,
and he likes bit of fun himself, too. "
you're telling me it's Halloween"
growled Snubbs, and poured out his
grievances, only to learn that the
Brians had no pump.
There were the Merrils, in that
large dilapidated house on the corner.
Snubbs decided to try there. He got
a slight shock when a lighted pump
kin grinned from the gatepost. The
Merrils were certainly at home.
Lights blazed from every rickety Win
dow. Laughter and shouts came from
within.
A rumble like thunder followed his
knock. The door flew open, and a
crowd of grotesque faces looked out
Surprised "Oh's" arose, masks were
torn off-evidently this was not the
visitor expected. "Give him something
anyway" was suggested. A tray
laden with cellophane bags of candy
peanuts and popcorn, was pushed in
front of him.
"No, no, don't want anything.
want to see your father"
"Daddy's painting Ronny-for ar
Indian. Daddyw shrilled small girl
Snubbs was ushered into room
gay with Halloween decorations
There was a blazing fire, ans
youngsters were everywhere. Merri
| thin and partly bald-rose from his
knees before wee lad in Indian suit
and feathers, whose face was half.
painted-a realistic red-brown. Merri
looked as happy as anyone there.
81 want to borrow your pump
Once more Snubbs related his
troubles.
That's too bad, Mr.. Snubbs
Youngsters don't mean any harm
really. They get overexcited in then
eagerness to have bit of fun. They
don't think. | have no pump. Pm
sorry"
Snubbs had scarcely settled himself
once more by his own fireside when 9
sharp knock startled him. "Confouno
it! If they think they can get any.
thing here"
Two lads stood without. "We are
Dick and Pete Merrill" spoke the
taller. dad sent us to pump up youl
tires--we borrowed pump next door
Then Dads going to dress up and &C
around to the doors with us!' How
their eyes sparkled.
"Thanks, that was good Of youl
father" Snubbs grinned. "This Hal
loween business is pretty rough or
some of us" But they were already
hard at work.
A party, a show, community bon.
fire-with fireworks and fun for al
and where young and old enter into
the spirit of the night-are good ways
to serve this natural craving for fur
and to prevent hoodlumism and de-
| structiveness.
WOMAN