Mechanic Arts High School - M Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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CGM!! Really?,' yawned Reggie. Seems to me there are hotels scattered in wild confusion. I distinctly remember seventeen in the last two blocks, ah well, laddie, toddle along. We'll have a stab at this one, too. The brigand, gratified, swung his car into a staggering lope, nearly taking a fender off the car ahead. The gentleman in the car ahead stated under many oaths that he was aggrieved, whereupon the brigand told Reggie that he had but to say the word and he would go back and mash the manis head off. The head mashing process, which was merely to serve as a prelude to further unpleasant blemishes on the man's person, did not meet with favor in Reggie's eye, and the brigand, perforce, contented himself with airing a vocabulary which Reggie, who had been forcibly addressed by various brass hats during the war, found admirably original. At the hotel Reggie again propounded his connundrum concerning the where- abouts of Alcibiades Spectikson. To Reggieis sur rise, the clerk confessed that Mr. Spectikson was indeed staying in the hotel, and Iiad just stepped out. Reggie, he- lieved the clerk, could overtake Mr. Spectikson by hurrying. Reggie, after a really remarkable brain storm, during which he asked for Spec- tikson's description, hurried forth and espied his prey a short distance ahead. Reggie gave chase. I say! roared Reggie, donit walk so dashed fast. Absolutely tiring yourself and me too.', Reggie was red with embarrassment. This barging up to chappies absolutely strangers was not on the books, and yet here was he doing itl Spectik- son turned, surprise and suspicion written on his face. You know, laddief' began Reggie ingratiatingly, it's not right, you know. You shouldn't do it, dashed mulish, if you know what I meanf' I thoughtf' pondered Spectikson, these city slickers were smartf' Eh, what?,' demanded Reggie. I do notf' continued Spectikson firmly, want to buy the Brooklyn Bridge. uReally,,' said Reggie. ':Odd, but I've never wanted to buy it either. Rum coincidence. what? What I mean, sort of a bond between us, don't you know. And I don't want, went on Spectikson doggedlv-he had memorized all this in Running Horse- to buy anv shares in the city hall, neitherf' No?', said Reggie politely, the man was absolutely drivveling. Reggie had read somewhere that Westerners rambled. This fellah, though, it seemed to Reggie was doing more than rambling: he was absolutley running wild. Entranced by this delightful financial monologuef, continued Reggie, but the stock. laddie, the jolly old oil stock. You will disgorge, yes, no? Spectikson stopped short and lustily shouted 'LPolice, coos. cops! An officer, blissfully dozing in a doorway, came to with a start, and dashed forward. This crook, accused Spectikson, is trying to sell me some phony oil stock. You can't fool me, no sirf' Reggie stood petrified. Come along theref' ordered the preserver of the peace, placing a hand on Reggie's shoulder. Reggie snapped out of his daze. It was absolutely not in Reggie's plans to spend any hours in jail. As the officer reached, Reggie gave a spasmodic leap backwards. Spectikson grasped him with somber triumph. observing, I've got him! At the moment, Reggie wanted to be elsewhere and had a syndicate com- nosed of Dempsey, Strangler Lewis, and one-half dozen gorillas attempted to stay Reggie's progress at the moment. they would have found reason to curse themselves. It was but the work of an instant to kick Mr. Snectikson in the ankle and to smite him in the eve. lVIr. Spectikson let go and adopted a reclining position on the ground. Reggie was off. Behind. the sounds of pursuit swelled as Reggie reached his taxi. Quick.', gasped Reggie, get me out of here, and I shouldnat wonder if I gave vou a 3510 tip. Only SHO? demanded the brigand with a touch of austerity. Page Fourteen

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THE HMM 'glfactlw asserted Percy. Dashed serious. You want to go easy with the old lad, handle with silk gloves and all that. Good Lordf' said Percy, easy with him! What I mean, I don't treat him with criminal brutality, what? I try to look like a piece of fluff whenever I see him. Rather think if you did him a bit of good-smoke a peace pipe with a gift of pajamas or some other whatnot-he ought to ease up. Odd,', said Percy, thought of that myself. The old boy wants some bally stock of something or other. If I get it for him, he ought to fall on my neck and weep copiously and all that for forgiveness, what? N '6Fru1ty schemef' agreed Reggie, 'can eggl Who owns the stock? Some rustic from Running House, Iowa-rum names these western cities have. Laddiels name is Demosthenes, no Launcelot, no!.'7 John, Benjamin, Richardfp' suggested Reggie. KNO, no, it's Alcibiades Spectiksonf' Impossible, said Reggie firmly incredulous. Why the devil is it? demanded Percy. Why it stands to reason, asserted Reggie, as one reasonable thinker to an- other. Alcibiades Spectiksonl What I mean, I seriously doubt whether the law would allow such a name. Dashed well impossible. Well, that's it, asserted Percy, and we've got to find the blighter and un- screw the stock from him. You spray about a few bars of some touching song, and Iill work on the laddie's softened emotions, nothing to it. He'll probably pay us for taking away the stock, shouldnit wonder! 'cYou're sure that is his name? demanded Reggie, still incredulous. Quite. Heis in the jolly old Metrop now, so we ought to round him up in no time, what? We'll buzz to and fro in the various hostelries and innsf' Righto,,, agreed Reggie. Feel like a bally chump, asking for a name like that, he hrooded. What time is it? Percy glanced at his wrist watch, jogged it slowly, and then with commendable vim, after which he asserted definitely: 32:4-6. Reggie looked at his own watch. It is 3:17, said he. What I can't under- stand, chappies flitting about with onions that don't keep time, bally nuisance. It is now,', said Percy with hauteur, H224-6. I assure you, insisted Reggie, it is 3:17. I say there, waiter, summoned Percy, pop out and locate the exact distance the jolly old sun has totteredf' Sir? queried the startled waiter. The time, laddie, the time. I would have the time. Why is there this delay?,' Immediately, sir, assured the waiter, and melted away. The waiter returned immediately. The time, sir, has just been announced on the radio, it is exactly 2315 minutes after twelve. -I' 'I' -ll' 'll' I' -I' it Reggie was in low spirits. All afternoon he had taxied to New York's second class hotels seeking a farmer with an extraordinary name. Reggie had more than a suspicion that some of the hotel clerks believed he was a detective. To a sensitive young man such suspicions are apt to be trying. Percy was making the rounds of another set of hotels. After meeting failure and some more or less dirty looks at the last hotel, Reg- gie was quite willing to call it a day and seek the well-earned comfort of his bed. Home, Caesarf' Reggie languidly instructed the brigand driver of his taxi cab. The brigand regretfully eyed the meter, which'was gaily singing a song of sixpence and doubloons. Say, mister, offered the brigand with an eye to business, there's another hotel just around the corner there. Page Thirteen

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GSM!! Twenty, or possibly twenty-fivef' The taxi shot forward, and Reggie ceased trying to withdraw his head into his collar, a maneuver so capably performed by turtles. At the club, Reggie told Percy all, and Percy promptly got in touch with Spec- tikson on the phone. The Iowan stated that a brokerage firm, Leeds, Bingham, Leeds, and Leeds had taken charge of the stock. Percy, mercilessly arousing the dozing Reggie by the simple expedient of pour- ing some of the water out of the goldfish bowl down Reggie's neck, hailed a taxi and dragged the somnolent Reggie into it. At the brokerage firm, Percy and Reggie, still dozing, were admitted to the pres- ence of the Hon. Mr. Bingham. In the latter's office, there was another individual, a gangling person with protruding front teeth. Percy had a nebulous idea that he had seen him some place before. Mr. Bingham smiled cordially. ' You wish to purchase 500 hundred shares of B and S oil? Quite, agreed Percy. This gentleman, too, would like to buy the stock fpointing to the individual with teeth, who smiled suspiciouslyb. He has offered 37.50 a sharef' I'll raise him 32.50 a sharef' said Percy. The person with the teeth promptly topped Percy by another 35.00 a share. Percy, eyeing him with increasing disfavor. went up 32.50 a share. The teeth im- perturbably mentioned another 155.00-a share. Percy, after waking up Reggie for a conference, went up another 32.50. The teeth again topped Percy by another 35.00 a share. Mr. Bingham was beaming delightedly. Come sir, addressing Percy, surely you won't let the five hundred shares of his valuable stock go at 313,500.9 'Tm dashed well cleanedf, Percy glumly admitted. Bare to the bone, if you know what I mean. I say, though, how much will you allow me for my watch? Keeps time with absolute precision, and all that. It does not, Reggie woke up and promptly fell asleep again. Pm sorry, sir, said Mr. Bingham frigidly, but I am not a pawn broker. This gentlemen gets the stock. Good day, sirf' Percy moodily walked out with Reggie after shooting a look at the gentleman with the teeth, which, had he been susceptible to such things, must have pierced that gentleman on the spot. Later in the afternoon, Percy again entered his father,s office. Horace Van Slyn was in a sunny mood. He even smiled when Percy came in, a proceeding so un- usual that Percy immediately suspected that his valet had made some glaring error in dressing him. Horace was happy because his agent had just telephoned that he had secured the 500 shares of B and S oil. Almost immediately, a knock sounded on the door and in stalked the long individual with the teeth. With a start of horror Percy recollected who he was and forthwith tried to hide behind the hat rack. Well, you got it, Horace boomed. That's fine. How much was it? Thirteen thousand, seven hundred and fiftyf' briefly stated the person with the teeth, a man of few words. h Thirteen thou-have you gone crazy? barked Van Slyn, nearly falling off his c air. You gave me carte blanche, sir. Yes, but thirteen thou-on pure speculation! I would have secured the stock at 37.50 a share, sir, but some fool, why there he is by the hat rack. also bid, and I had to top him. Do you know the gentleman, sir? Oh, rather, bit of a relation. explained Percy. You worm, bellowed Van Slyn, why the devil did you bid?', We thought it over, Reggie and I. and we thought it was a ripe wheeze, doing you a bit of a favor and all that, said Percy. Page Fifteen