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Show I 1 Lights of New York I by L L. STEVENSON j Mariners: At the beginning of the 'present war, a British skipper, who J had been retired because of his I years, was called back into service land placed in command of a freighter. freight-er. His four sons are also men of the sea. Eventually, two found fberths on their father's shin. That was satisfactory indeed to both fa-;ther fa-;ther and sons. It would have been far more satisfactory, however, had the other two been with them. But that was not to be. As a matter of fact, as the war progressed and it became more and more difficult for ' mariners to keep in touch with their families, the father lost track of his 'other two sons completely. For :more than two years, he did not hear a word from them. Recently, the veteran skipper brought his ship into the port of New York. And on the ship at the pier next to the one at which he docked was one of his two missing sons. Reunion: Naturally the coming to gether of the three brothers and their father caused a celebration. Then arrangements were made for shore leave for the captain and his sons so that they could go sightseeing sight-seeing together. Maybe it was just co-incidence. Possibly Fate took a hand in the matter. But whatever the motivation, in the course of the evening the captain and his three sons went to the Merchant Marine j Canteen at the Ritz Tower and well, you've guessed It, the fourth !on was there. Witnesses said that the father was so overcome that he went all to pieces. But he soon recovered and the five spent the rest jot the evening singing songs, slapping slap-ping one another on the back and I reminiscing. As this Is being written, writ-ten, the captain and his sailor sons are making arrangements for an-4her an-4her evening out together. I I Darndest War: At the traffic light at 72nd and Broadway, the taxi driver driv-er suddenly turned his head and remarked, re-marked, "This is the darndest war I I ever heard of. Can't dope it out ' at all. In the last World war, I en-I en-I listed in the coast guard and got sent to the Philippines where we saw no action at all. So I thought it a nice safe service and got my kid to enlist. en-list. And what happens? Well, this morning the wife and I get a letter I saying he's been one of the first to land in Sicily." ' Ramblings and Ruminations: Two girls looking admiringly at a costly Igown display in a Broadway win-dow win-dow , . . The short one remarking to her tall companion, "Maybe we could wear clothes like that if we were defense workers instead of hash (lingers" . . . and the tall one averring, "What I need most of all is a new pair of feet." . . . Two soldiers wandering up Broadway j munching apples . . . One comments com-ments that fruit from the orchard back home tastes much better . . . ,and the other, his eyes on a platinum plati-num blonde, remarking more or less absently, "You said it, buddy." . . . A young sun-burned soldier busily making snapshots of Broadway throngs with a miniature camera ! . . . Probably his first visit here and he's collecting something to send to the folks back home ... A 1 42nd street pitchman doing a brisk business in potato peelers . . . and suddenly shutting up shop when he sights a cop. I ... , The proprietor of a hole-in-the- :wall souvenir store chasing away a I couple of bootblacks because they detract attention from his window 1 display . . . The horse of a mounted policeman, who has dismounted to speak a few words to a motorist I who evidently has committed some I infraction of the rules, stepping up onto the sidewalk and giving the eye to each passing pedestrian . . . ' Maybe the horse is studying to be a detective ... A display in a res- I taurant window reminding me that again I have missed the Michigan melon season . . . and cantaloupes are my favorite fruit . . . Horse players huddled about a Broadway bookmaker whose office is right on the street . . . Broadwayites back from vacations displaying their sun tans. ... Feminine fall hats displayed in Fifth avenue windows lead me to the belief that there is no hope because women will wear anything that can be balanced on their heads . . . Something mighty nifty in mink with a price tag of $4,500 . Takes a I lot of dough to keep some ladies I warm . . A soldier and a civilian engaging in what looks like a game of fisticuffs in the shadow of the Pulitzer fountain . . . But, to the disappointment of those who stop to goggle, it turns out they are merely taking a bit of friendly exercise . tnd they depart arm-in-arm. Bell Syndicate. WNU Features. |