The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 23, 1965, Image 18
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SEC. B—PAGE 2 The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, December 23, 1965
CRristuvas
Storxj
.e
i I
j —i ~ • -
By Lea Walker
flashlight play about the room.
Now, this was more like it. A>
portable typewriter. If there’s
nothing smaller, this one item
will’take care of everything. No
need to appear too conspicuous
walking down the street. With
the case closed, he could be a
businessman returning home
from a late engagement. Just the
ticket.
D linky Ames slipped through
the window with the ease of
long experience, flicked on the
pencil flashlight and surveyed his
new surroundings.
Nothing fancy, but there should
be several items of value about
the place. After all, he didn’t
want much for this Christmas
. . . cash, if he could And it; if
not, a few trinkets, enough to
hock for the price of a fancy
meal and a little something to
cheer his insides.
He moved silently to the bu
reau. The right drawer produced
some cuff links, a tie pin and a
few other items, none of apparent
real value. Nothing on the left
but a collection of old letters,
neatly wrapped. Blinky put them
back. He didn’t have time for
reading, even if they might be
love letters. He was on business.
Second drawer. Shirts. Wrong
size, but no matter. Blinky could
turn them into a buck or two
if nothing else turned up. Noth
ing did in the third drawer; pret
ty much the same.
Discovery
Blinky let the beam of the
8 JiflRPR«R\
Blinky pulled the paper from
the typewriter and set it aside.
He reached for the typewriter,
paused, extracted the paper from
the roller and set it aside. Then,
cautiously, he picked up the pa
per and began to read the neatly-
typed letter.
Dear John:
How’s this for a sad story?
We were all set to make our an
nual visit to the folks down on
the farm. Everybody comes for
the holidays, you know. This was
two weeks ago. That’s when I
lost my job. Old Skinflint let me
go without a day’s notice or a
day’s pay. Before I can pack and
get out, the wife calls to say the
hmise is on fire. One of the kids
got into the closet with a lighter
and everything’s up in smoke.
The kid is in the hospital. I lost
my hospitalization plan when I
lost the job and I didn’t have
any insurance on the house. And
now, it’s Christmas Eve. Wanna
hear how all this will end? Don’t
go away. I am going to leave the
hotel room long enough to call
my wife and then I’ll give you
the grand finale ....
Improved
Some hours later Joe James
let himself into his hotel room.
The movie had lasted longer than
he’d planned. He’d have to get
right back to work. He didn’t
notice anything wrong until he
sat down and reached for the
typewriter. A moment later, he
was reaching for the phone.
“Harry, the greatest idea you
ever had was for me to rent this
hotel room and stay here until
I get the plot worked out for
that New Year story.
“Have I got it? Well, I thought;
I had. But I want to take a new
turn. I can give you a real hu
man interest angle, real great, so
great you won’t believe it.
“No, it isn’t far-out. It’s for
real. It actually happened. Let
me give you the picture. Listen
to what I had picked out on my
typewriter earlier this evening.
Ready . . . .”
Coming Up
“You’re right. Without an end
ing it’s nothing. But do I have an
ending. You won’t believe it. I
left this message in my type
writer, went out for a while and n ote that says, “Buddy, you need
guess what I found when I got ^ more’n me!”
back? Someone had been in my “All right, if you won’t buy it
room. as a New Year story, I’ll save it
“Sure, I still got a typewriter. un td next Christmas. Yeah, Har-
I’ve also got five dollars and a r y> Merry Christmas to you, too.”
It’s time to wish
many friends the best!
H & H MACHINE & WELDING SHOP
Willie and Jack Hawkins, Owners
1502 Martin Street Newberry, S. C.
i* f m
May Holiday
cheer be yours
throughout
this Yuletide