Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1942-11-12

mo, Madam" we replied with
composure We did not feel, "a dead
duck"
That was that. We might have
blandly announced that we had a
box full of maggots! At any rate,
we got six more square inches of
space until we reached Philadel-
phia.
Editors Note:- Another guest
at Red Bank, who came down from
New York, said he had all the room
he wanted on the train. He was
bearing gift of very smelly cheese
for his hostess-)
The baggage room in 30th Street
Station was our destination, since
we had a three-hour wait-over in
Philly for that Newark train, and
had planned to meet Stimpy Car
row, accompany him to a nearby
church where he is taking organ
lessons from the church organist,
and then have dinner.
"See here" we said to the bag
gage clerk" this is a duck, and"
"Haw haw haw. Any relation to
Joe Penner? Anybody wanna buy
a duck ?" the baggage clerk below
ed to the people in the next block.
We made mental reservation to
wish fervently that at the next re-
incarnation this man would waddle
and quack.
and could you put it in the
coolest spot in the baggage room
please, because it might spoil in
the heat, and"
Don't worry. If it cooks, I'll
eat it."
Oh well. Anyhow, we parted
company with the duck at the bag
gage room-not without some fuzz
on our conscience and worry-lines
on our forehead. So Stimpy took us
to dinner and walked us around
downtown Philly until nearly train
time. We muttered finally about
our anxiety and wanting to get
back to the duck. Besides, we ex-
planned, we wanted to allow plenty
of time to catch that train.
We had plenty of time, all right.
AS a matter of fact, it turned out
that we had over 10 hours! All
north-bound trains were over an
hour late, which would have meant
missing the connection in Newark
for the last train to Red Bank. So
we telephoned Mr.. and Mrs. Carrow
to kill the fatted calf, and Stimpy
and I set forth with the fatted
duck for Mt. Airy. After taxis,
subways and buses, plus about ID
miles of hoofing, we finally arrived.
The duck had to be unpacked and
put to bed in the refrigerator, and
we had to unpack the suitcase that
had required sitting on to close,
and fall into Betty Louis bed.
At the crack of dawn the next
with bright-eyed Betty
Lou and Bobby offering advice, we
were obliged to get the duck up
and dressed again, and sleepy and
decidedly out-of-sorts Stimpy &C
companied us to the North Philly
station, a trip that required first a
crowded bus, then crowded sub
way, then a long trek through cat
acombs and up countless steps to
the trains.
We waved CHEEKY CD goodbye
to Stimpy, who looked glum and
fought our way to a
seat on the train (by use of the
ll-placed-elbow method) and be-
fore too very long, helped the duck
off the train at Newark. We stood
on the platform in the cold air,
waiting for the train. 1t was only
35 minutes late, and the duck was
cold-that is, if the duck felt the
same as we did. After struggling
through three or four cars, we nm
ally beat another fellow to vacant
seat, and settled the duck in the
aisle beside us.
We can't be absolutely sure, but
it did seem that we heard the duck
sigh with relief when we stepped
off the train at Red Bank. We
were so exhausted that it seemed
like heaven to splurge and take a
taxi to Hubbard Park. But two
blocks from the Park was a sign,
off the road under repair
The taxi driver stop |
ped, calmly told us we would have
to take up our duck and walk,
charged us full fare, and departed. |
Anyone who challenges the fact /
that Muscovy duck can not weigh /
lis pounds will have us to fight.
Our arm is just now getting so that
it will bend!
Anyhow, the duck was delicious
tho we had sentimental qualms