“He just came walking into this department,” was the answer. “And went right up to the radio and stood there and listened. Bless his heart.” She actually hugged him and kissed the top of his head.
Joan knew she should say something, but she didn’t know just what. “Clothes do make the man,” she began, remembering that quotation from her English class. “The Journal staff all contributed and we picked out his things this morning before he got lost.”
“Is he a relative of yours?”
“Oh, no!” It was evident that Mrs. McNulty hadn’t half listened to them yesterday, so Joan told the whole story over again, beginning with her visit to the Juvenile Court, then telling about the crowded Day Nursery, and how the Judge had permitted her and Amy to take Tommy by the day. “Couldn’t you reconsider about the Historical Building?” she finished up.
“No. I think the county needs that building. It’s educational. I will not give up an inch on that.” The old head wobbled positively. “But I will help out about the Day Nursery. In a city the size of Plainfield, there ought to be some place else we could get.”
Suddenly a half-memory stirred Joan’s brain. “There is!” she assured her. “I’ve thought of the dandiest place.” She bent her lips to Mrs. McNulty’s ear.
The old witchlike face was frozen with horror at Joan’s whispered words, but after a minute she smiled, and when she smiled, she was uglier than ever. “I never would have thought of it, but I believe it would do. I know the mayor personally, and I know he’ll fix it so we can have it.”
“Have what?” Amy wanted to know.
When they told her, she shuddered. But Joan was sure it would make a wonderful day nursery.
In less than two weeks, everything was ready. Aunt Effie hadn’t had to have the operation after all, so Tommy stayed on with them until the last minute. Joan and Amy, each hugging a package under her arm, hurried along north on Market Street. They’d been raiding the Ten Cent Store for something for Tommy. Something for Tommy meant that all the other babies in the new, bigger and better Day Nursery would enjoy the new playthings, too.