Men of Boys Town Page #4

Ted, I'd like to make a little deal with you.

You've been manhandled by a lot of people

who didn't know their business.

I'd like to have you looked over

by two of the best doctors in the country.

No. No doctors!

I see you're interested in football.

- Yeah.

- Do you know Trem Fellows?

Yeah, I know him. He was all-American.

Played for Nebraska.

Read all about him in a magazine.

He was great.

Yeah.

Just as great a surgeon

as he was a football player, too.

- Then that makes him tops, huh?

- He's tops, all right, Ted.

Yeah...

but I guess he costs a lot of money

and I haven't any.

I think maybe that could be handled.

Now, Ted, I want you to be

the boss of this thing.

Just let Trem Fellows look you over.

Talk to him.

He'll tell you

whether he can help you or not.

And send for me,

and I'll abide by your decision.

I won't try to force you

one way or the other.

Whatever you say goes.

What do you say, Ted?

Bring on Trem Fellows.

We'd better leave them alone.

I'm beginning to believe in miracles.

Father Ed can pull any kind of a miracle

out of an old boot.

Except if it has to do

with meeting a contractor's bill.

- And that, I suppose, is your department.

- Strictly.

Well, we contributed to this one.

You did, or you will?

We did. At least, it's our dog

the boy's playing with.

I wonder how the pup got up here.

I took him. Excuse me.

I didn't know he was anybody's

and then I thought of Ted and...

so that's how it was. I didn't really mean

to keep him for good or for keeps.

- I see.

- And then Ted asked me for him...

and I told him, yes, he could keep him.

And I...

- Look Mr...

- Maitland.

Mr. Maitland, I can't ask Ted

to give him back now.

It's the only thing

that ever made him smile.

That's an awful funny-looking dog.

I'll pay you for the dog.

I've got about $4 saved up...

and I make a little

doing extra printing jobs around...

and I'll send it to you, every cent,

if you'll only let me buy him, please.

- What is he worth?

- That pup?

About $100, I guess.

A hundred dollars?

He's worth a lot more than that

to you though, isn't he, dear?

Not as much as he's worth to Ted.

We'll call the deal then,

just as it stands now, even-steven.

You mean he can keep him for nothing?

I'd like to see somebody

try to take him away.

Thank you, sir. And thank you.

I mean, isn't that swell of them. Yeah.

I gave him a tough moment there

about the $100.

- But he stood up to it well.

- Very well.

You know, dear...

he's about the same age

our boy would have been.

Yes, about the age.

Whitey's a fine boy.

Of course, Whitey could never take

the place of your own son, no boy could.

He's an individual with his own character,

a very well-defined character.

He's a manly boy,

and if he can learn to love us...

we're both only too ready to love him.

It will make room here for one more boy.

I understand from Mr. Morris

that you need room badly.

If Whitey weren't the mayor

of Boys Town...

People have to get over giving up

lots of things.

He edits the school paper, too, you know.

I'm sure you've taught some other boy

here how to write English, Father.

And he's a great quarterback.

He's the best we've had here in years.

They play football up our way, too.

We've tried to do

what we could for people...

and there's a satisfaction in knowing

that we have accomplished something.

There's so much of a case history

about them.

And I'm selfish enough

to want something warmer...

something closer to me.

Of course, the final decision rests

with the boy himself.

Naturally.

- Yes, Father?

- Send Whitey Marsh in right away.

Yes, Father.

Of course, the boy will have to

readjust himself to...

a wholly new environment and...

that's something that he couldn't do

in a minute.

Who could?

I think it would be fairer

to you and to him...

if we fixed a sort of trial period...

of about three months.

That seems very fair to everyone.

There's something else

I think I ought to tell you.

And that's about Whitey's older brother.

He was in trouble all of his life.

As a matter of fact,

he was sent to the electric chair.

You think a lot of that boy, Father.

Yes, I do.

Yes. You're painting so black a picture

I suspect you of wanting to hold onto him.

- Whitey is...

- Anything wrong, Father?

No, Whitey.

How long have you been here now,

Whitey?

Three years. You know that, Father.

I suppose sometimes you've thought of

the day when you'd leave Boys Town?

After I graduate, sure.

Yes, others have gone before you,

others will go after you.

What do you mean, Father?

There comes a...

I guess you'd better tell him.

Whitey, my husband and I had a boy...

about your age.

- We lost him two years ago.

- I'm very sorry.

We're very lonesome without him...

and we have many advantages to offer

a boy who could take his place with us.

Yes, ma'am. I see.

You remind us very much of him.

About the same age. And Father Flanagan

tells me you're very interested in radio.

Yes. I've had the radio bug

for a long time now.

There's a set up over the garage

of our home. It can get anything.

If there are any more gadgets you want,

we'll get them.

We want you to come home

with us, Whitey. Will you?

- And leave Boys Town?

- Yes.

- For good?

- We hope so, Whitey.

- It's up to Father Flanagan, isn't it?

- No.

No, I think that's up to you, Whitey.

You always told me

what to do before, Father.

About important things, I mean.

I think this is too important.

I think this decision rests with you.

What do you feel?

What do you think I should do about it?

Do you want me to leave here?

Whitey, it isn't a question

of what I want you to do.

It's what's best for you.

I thought I was doing pretty good here.

You are doing good. Splendidly, Whitey.

You're the best helper I ever had.

About six months I'd graduate.

You can carry on your studies

in another school.

Another school?

Different fellas, everything.

You'll never have any trouble

making friends now, Whitey, ever.

If you don't like it with us after a fair trial,

you can come back here.

Is that the way you want it, Father?

Yes, Whitey, I do. I think that's best.

I'll be ready tomorrow.

- You found a name for him yet?

- Yeah.

- I call him Bohunk.

- Bohunk. That's pretty good.

Where you going to?

It's a place about a 1,000 miles

away from here.

- Marysport.

- Yeah.

I know. I was there.

Sorry, Ted.

- Say, could you do me a favor?

- You know I would.

I got a pal in the Reform School up there,

Miles Fenely.

- Would you go up and see him?

- Sure I will.

He can have visitors

if he hasn't lost privileges.

- What was the name again?

- Miles Fenely.

- F-A-N?

- F-E-N-E-L-Y.

Gee, I sure wish we could get him up here.

I'll look him over

and then I'll write Father Flanagan.

That's great.

- Now take good care of yourself, Ted.

- Sure.

You too, Whitey.

Bohunk.

Tell the new editor, I guess it'll be Mo,

to put this in the next issue of the paper.

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