OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH.
ESTABLISHED 1874.
Registered at the G.P.O., Perth, for transmission by post as a newspaper. NO. 2,274.
'PHONE B69150 Perth, Box A35, G.P.0, Perth
450 Hay Street,
Wednesday, March 12, 1947
PRICE THREEPENCE.
SEVENTY-FOURTH
YEAR.
The Boy Who Beat Father Flanagan Boys' Town Rocked By An Eight -Year-Old Bandit
C4lmost "Does the little fellow learn the level, I might have been a anything?" he asked the sisters. sucker, at that. I almost fell "Somehow he is getting . his for your line. But last night I
B C's," they reported. "In got to thinking it over and I fact, he's learning more than he see the joker in the whole thing." lets on. But he's just eaten up There was something terribly with hate." earnest and manful about Eddie This was not the first tough now; this was not insolence but case Father Flanager had dealt despair. With a stab of hope with. One youngster had shot the priest noticed for the first his father, a wife beater, tome a quiver on the twisted lips. through the heart. A murderer "Father Flanagan, you're a One winter night a long dis die browbeat them into petty "Eddie," began Father, "you -but only because the lad loved phony!" tame* call came to that Nebraska crimes which he planned in de- are welcome here. The whole his mother. When the priest had "You'd better prove that Eddie village known all over the world tail. place is run by the fellows, you understood, he had been able to -or shut up!" ss Boys Town. About six months before the know. Boy mayor. Boy city coun- work things out. There must be "Okay! I just kicked a sister something in Eddie, too, that in the shins. Now what do you "Father Flanagan? This is law caught up with him, his rule cil. Boy chief of police." "Where's the gaol?" grunted could be worked oat. Sheriff Hosey-from Virginia. had been challenged by a new say?" member of the gang. Eddie. Got room for another boy-im"I still say you're a good boy" "I'll away the have to throw "You never do anything your"We haven't a gaol. You are mediately?" "What book of rules,- grumbled Father keep on did I tell you? You self. You're no leader." going to take a bath and then that lie and you "Where is he now?" try know it saying "I'll show you," replied Eddie. get supper. Tomorrow you start Flanagan. "I'm going to be true. Don't "In gaol. He's a desperate "I'll do something you wouldn't in school. You and I can become spoiling the little devil-with that provecan't you're a phony?" character-robbed a bank, held dare. I'm going to rob a bank." real friends-it's strictly up to love!" Dear Heavenly Father, this is up three stores with a revolver." The bank was housed in an you. Some day I hope I can Boys and teachers watched the honest logic! How can I ansold-fashioned building. When take you to my heart. I know new strategy as if it were a his "How old is he?" wer it? How defend my faith in most of the clerks were at you're a good boy!" sporting contest, and the home him-and "Eight and a half." lunch, Eddie entered unseen and The reply came in one shock- team was Father Flanagan. now or in You? Because it's never with Eddie--Ged The gaunt, blue-eyed priest crossed to an unattended slot ing syllable. Upon those weeks and months give the grace to say the stiffened at the telephone. of the cashier cage. So small About 10.0 o'clock next morn- of planned treats the priest looks right me thing. "He's what ?" that he had to chin himself up, ing Father Flanagan's °ince door back with a reminiscent shudFather Flanagan cleared his "Don't let his you. he thrust in one grimy paw, pupil swag. der; the scores of second-rate He's all I said he was, and seized a packet of bills and hid gered in. His hair had been cut movies they sat through; the throat. "Eddie, you're smart enough to more. Will you take him off them in his jacket. Then he and neatly combed and he was hot dogs and hamburgers, candy our hands?" walked out to divide 200 dollars clean. With an air of great un- bars, ice cream and soft drinks know when a thing is really For years the Rev. Edward among his comrades. But the ex- concern he tossed onv the desk that Eddie stuffed inside his proved. What is a good bey? A good boy is an obedient boy. Joseph Flanagan has been tak- ploit was a flop; the bank con - a note from one of the teachers. puny body. Right? ing unwanted boys off the hands "Yeah!" of baffled society: youths of all "Always does what teachers ages, races, creeds. tell him to do?" "If I can't manage an eight "Yeah!" year -old by this time, I ought "Well, that's all you've ever to quit," he said. "Bring him done, Eddie. The only trouble on!" is that you had the wrong teachThree days later Sheriff Hosey ers-wharf toughs and corner and his wife set down their bums. But you certainly obeyed prisoner in Father Flanagan's them. You've done every wrong office-an unnaturally pale boy and rotten thing they taught with a bundle under his arm. He cealed the theft and there were "Dear Father Flanagan: We Yet never once did Eddie give was no higher than the desk; no headlines. have heard you say a thousand a sign that anything was fun. you to do. If you would only frowsy hair of chocolate brown "You're only' cracking your times that there is no such thing In summer dawns that smelled obey the good teachers here in dangled over the pinched face: jaw," the gang jeered. "You as a bad boy. Would you mind of pines and wild clover, he the same way you'd be just fine." sullen brown eyes were half shut found that dough somewhere." Those simple words of unargutelling me what you call this would trudge stolidly down to beneath long, dark lashes. From the lake, but no grunt of ex- able truth were like an exorcism Eddie's answer was to dis- one?" ene side of his mouth a cigarfor several days. SomeBack in the classroom Father citement came when he landed a driving out devils from the room ette drooped at a theatrical appear trout. An apathy settled upon and cleansing the air. At first angle. "Don't mind the smok- one had sold him a revolver, and Flanagan found the atmosphere him; he became more silent the tiny human enigma looked he was out in the fields beyond tense. The teacher described how ing," pleaded the sheriff. "We dumbfounded. Then came a glisthan ever. had to bribe him with cigar- town, practising markmanship. Eddie had sat quietly in his seat ten Only once towards the end of the of sheer, downright relief in This time the local front pages for about an hour; suddenly he ettes." brown eyes and he edged The sheriff's wife had a long were full of him. Slouching into began parading up and down the that unhappy experiment did man around the side of the sunlit desk. a restaurant at a quiet hour, aisle, swearing like a longshore- and boy come closer together. And with the very same relief envelope on the desk. man and throwing movable ob- At a street crossing Eddie was Father Flanagan's soul was cry"There's a complete report he aimed his gun at the terrified jects on the floor, finally pitching looking in the wrong direction she snapped. "And that's not the counterman and was handed the an inkwell which landed accur- when a truck bore down on him; ing, he held out his arms and the day's take from cash registhe child half of it. This good for nothing climbed into them and ately on a plaster bust of Cicero. Father Flanagan yanked him out laid a tearful face against his criminal is not worth helping. ter. Next he dragged a roll of Replacing Eddie in his seat, of harm's way. For one instant heart. It's my personal opinion be hills from the pocket of a quaka light of gratitude flickered in That was a long time ago. For ain't even human! Good-bye and ing tailor. His third call was Father Flanagan apologised: the startled brown eyes, then the good luck-you're going to need on an old lady who kept a candy "It was my fault. I never told dark lashes fell again; he said ten \tears Eddie remained in store. it!" Boys' Town. There well near he mustn't throw inkwells. nothing. "Put that thing down," this him Now the heart of Father Flan the sop of his class. he left to The laws of Boys Town will, of cried, "before you grandmother Even it to the man of faith join the United States Marines. 'ran is warmed by his love of course, be enforced with him. as Cod and man, and especially hurt yourself!" with all the rest of us. But he began to seem that here was an or blood -smeared beaches he young ones. Looking upon this She smacked the gun out of has to learn them first. We inherent vileness beyond his won three promotions. patched wraith of childhood the his hand and grabbed him by must never forget that Eddie is reach. Hope had fallen to the "His chest," boasts Father lowest possible point when one Flanagan, priest thought that never had the hair. Savagely he struggled; a good boy." covered with ree soft spring morning Eddie ap- cerations. "isNothing he seen such a mixture of the he might have killed her, but strange "I.ike hell I ant!" screamed peared in the office, boldly ancomical and the utterly squalid her screams brought policemen. Eddie. that, for he has plenty of nouncing that he wanted to have about Now Eddie had wound up in and tragic. courage. Rut God be for praised The child made no friends it out with Father Flanagan. something else: he had the love Waving the newcsmer to a Boys Town. among boys or And the eyes were teachers. This time brown of Putting aside the the men in his outfit-brother chair, Father Flanagan began to report, Father Flanagan he reserved glowing with indignation. te the whole hunch. He is an read the report. People had for- Father Flannagan looked at the for his supreme insult-"a damned "You have been trying to get upstanding Christian Character. gotten the boy's last name; he villain of the piece. In the dim- praying Spare time around me," he began, "but now And still the toughest kid I ever was just Eddie. Born in a slum mish light Eddie sat unmoving, he spent Christian." roaming about stealth- I'm wise to you. If you was on knew!" near the docks, he had lost head lowered, so that it was ily, looking for a run chance mother and father in a flu epi- hard to see much of that sullen away. He stood aloof to in the demic before he was four. In face. As the man watched, the gymnasium and on and waterfront flats he was shunted child produced a cigarette paper football fields: "Kidbaseball stuff!" he HE ANT" from one family to another, liv- and a sack of tobacco. One hand. muttered. nor Neither choir ing like a desperate animal. cowboy fashion, he deliberately band could stir him; the farm it, bored him. And in all that first Hardship sharpened his cun- rolled a cigarette and lit ning and his will. At the age thumbnail to match; he blew a six months, not once a laugh or of eight he became the boss of plume of smoke across the desk. a tear. Soon the question in comes to a gang of boys, some nearly The long eyelashes lifted for Boys Town was whether Father twice his age. Coached by older a flash to see how the priest Flanagan had met his match THE toughs of the neighborhood, Ed - was taking it. at last.
How Persevering Charity Won The Toughest Delinquent
A
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"There is no Such Thing as a Bad Boy"
"IS
WEE GEORGIE WOOD TIVOLI