BOBBIE SMITH may not be the
handsomest guy in the world
but he sure is the luckiest. That’s
what the gang said when they
found out he was going to marry
Penny Shelley. Not only was Pen
ny easy on the eyes, but she was
about as nice a kid as you’ll find
anywhere. The only one in. town
who wasn't exactly wild about the
idea was Benny Blake. Benny had
been sweet on Penny for a long:
time.
T
T
Bobby got his ginger ale and
for a time all went fine.
The night Benny came storming
into Charlie’s Place we all knew
what had happened; Penny had
told him she loved only Bobbie
Smith and that was that. ,
“Here it is New Year’s Eve,”
complained Benny, “and I ain’t
even got a date. A handsome guy
like me with plenty of money and
a new car. What’s the matter with
girls in this town?’*
“Well, you’re not exactly a
church-goer,” observed Charlie,
“and if you’re talking about Pen
ny Shelley, as I believe you are,
you know as well as I do that she
steers clear of guys who drink.”
“Hates ’em like poison,” I
agreed.
Benny scowled at me.
“Anyway, it’s still early,” said
Charlie. “Why don’t you call a
few numbers to see if they’re
booked for tonight? No girl wants
to sit home alone on New Year’s
Eve.”
Benny ducked into the phone
booth. About this time Bobbie
Smith sauntered in.
Benny, who had come out of the
phone booth, began to choke. I
had to pound him on the back to
bring him round. Then, to every
one’s surprised he turned to Bob
bie with a big smile:
“Hello, Bobbie old pal! How
about a drink on me?”
Charlie and I looked at each
other. Things like this just didn’t
happen.
“Well—O. K. Benny. I’ll have a
ginger ale.”
Trapped
Bobbie got his ginger ale and
for awhile everything went fine.
He and Benny got to talking about
this and that, while Charlie and I
made fishing plans for the follow
ing summer. Suddenly we noticed
Bobbie had his arm around Ben
ny’s neck. His talk was thick and
his eyes were glassy and he didn’t
look good at all.
“What you been feeding him?”
asked Charlie, glaring at Benny.
“Of all the dirty tricks!” I cried,
running over to Bobbie. I sniffed
his *ginger-ale.’ It was loaded.
“Look at the clock!” groaned
Charlie. “Penny will be here in
five minutes. You steer this guy
over to a table and I’ll get some
black coffee.”
Well, we were .pouring black cof
fee into Bobbie, slapping his face
and telling him to snap out of it,
when Penny walked through the
door. She was dressed like a doll,
although the effect was spoiled by
the look in her eyes. I thought
she was going to break down and
cry right there. Charlie and I felt
like crying ourselves.
Then she turned slowly and
walked out into the street.
It was six o’clock in the morning
when we got Bobbie home. He was
back to normal, but still very sick.
Charlie and I didn’t say anything
about Penny; what was the use?
As we turned to go, the door
opened, and there she was!
Forgiving
She looked as lovely as ever.
Bushing across the room to Bob
bie, she threw her arms around
his neck. Charlie and I just
blinked; we never did start a year
out feeling better.
After promising to be their best
man I asked Penny: “What made
you change your mind about
Bobbie?”
“Benny called me," she said,
with her eyes still wide from look
ing at the ring Bobbie had given
her. “He said that he’d done a
mean thing—that he’d like to start
the New Year with a clean slate.”
Funny thing. Benny got to be
a pretty dependable guy after
that; didn’t drink much either.
Makes me kind of proud. Benny,
you see, is my big brother.
«**««**«**««***»€***€****
Se#&
ALASKA STEAMSHIP
SAILINGS
ei^WEEK
Serving Alaska Via
Seward or Valdez
MS GALENA. Fri., Jan.
6. calling at Ketchikan,
Petersburg, Juneau and
Seward (ARR and San
Juan Docks)
SS NADINA, Tues., Jan.
10, calling at Valdez and
Seward (ARR Dock)
STEAMSHIP COMPANY
WASILLA CALENDAR
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30
GIRL SCOUTS, Wasilia Road
house, 3:30 p.m.
BOY SCOUTS, Wasilia School, 7
p.m.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 1
NE'fa YEAR SERVICES, Presby
terian Church
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3
BROWNIE SCOUTS, Wasilia Li
brary, 3:30 p.m.
THURSDAY. JANUARY 4
WASILLA GRANGE, Grange
Hall, 8 p.m.
CUB SCOUTS, Mrs. Barnes, Mrs.
Combs, 3:30 p.m.
WASILLA HOMEMAKERS, 1:30
p.m.
X<tfXX***KX*X*'*XK****i*XXi*
ALWAYS BRING RESULTS
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS
f
YOUTH RETREAT
HELD IN PALMER
PAST TWO DAYS
About 50 young people of jun
ior-senior high school age from
Palmer, Anchorage, Fairbanks,
Big Delta, Wasilla, and other
points, are meeting at the United
Protestant Church in Palmer
this week in a mid-winter retreat.
The retreat began Wednesday
morning at 9-30 and continued all
day and through today. ^
The .theme of the retreat is
“This Is Your Life” and was set
up like a television program. The
Rev. Neil Munro of Big Delta was
retreat leader and the Rev. Brians
Cleworth of United Protestant]
Church, was the inspirational j
speaker each evening.
Women of the church prepared]
--—-—-i
2
!
OLYMPIA BREWING COMPANY. Olympu, Wash.U.S.A.*®
now fcr Olympial
Sparkling refreshment coming up.
Take a moment to enjoy the satisfying
good taste of Olvmnia ..
then
i
and served meals for the youths
and housing was provided in the
church building.
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS
ALWAYS BRING RESULTS
HOT WATER ALL THE TIME
with one of our
Hot Water Heaters
Electric or gas models in 30 or SO gal. size
We have floating water heaters for stock
tanks - Submerged heating elements keeps
water from freezing
Have you seen the new
1956 WESTINGHOUSE DRYER?
It’s Here! Stop in soon!
Also - Westinghouse - Fully Automatic
WASH-N-DRY-combination
Space Saver - Convenient and time saving
Wash and Dries Each Load
Co-Op Warehouse
MATANUSKA VALLEY FARMERS
CO-OPERATING ASSOCIATION
I
MAY WE ALL JOIN IN A PRAYER FOR
PEACE AND HAPPINESS IN 1956
Matannska Valley Farmers Cooperating Assn.
# CREAMERY * TRADING POST • WAREHOUSE * GARAGE
..in.... mi