Newspaper Article on Rescue

Originally Aired: September 12, 1935

Lum & Abner #194, "Newspaper Article on Rescue,"

Lum basks in his newfound status as Pine Ridge's hero after orchestrating a fake kidnapping of his partner Abner to restore his reputation, which had been tarnished by his involvement with fraudulent silver mining stock. When the county newspaper calls for details about the dramatic rescue, Lum eagerly writes his own account, filling it with grandiose headlines and lavish praise for himself while barely mentioning that Abner was the one actually kidnapped. Dick Huddleston drops by to congratulate Lum and hear the story firsthand, but his innocent questions about the details begin to expose cracks in Lum's fabricated tale.

As Dick presses for specifics about the number of kidnappers, their location, and how the rescue unfolded, Lum struggles to keep his story straight, offering contradictory answers and evasive responses. When Abner arrives and Dick prepares to question him too, Lum quickly distracts everyone with an offer to sing together, barely escaping exposure of his elaborate hoax.