Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-10-22

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show himself their superior. And he
faithfully kept his resolution, as we shall
see.
From that day forward, he became to
his sisters, to use a slang phrase, "a
holy terror" All cringod in his pres
cncc, and to them his will was law.
When they were small, they blacked his
boots, and unqucstionably obeycd his
every bohcst; when they were larger,
they asked his permission regarding the
books which they might read, or the
company that they might keep.
Time passed. Edward had graduated
from the village academy, rs Lucy had
done the torn before him, as Jenny
would do the term after him. Then it
was dccrced that he should study mcdi-
cine. So, his mamma and sisters rcso-
lutcly packed his trunk for hlm, and he
went away to the city, soon finding
himself in the fourth story of big
boardng-house, with three other stu
dents. For the first time in his life he
could actually live with real boys-or,
perhaps, these boys would have pre-
fcrrod being styled young men.
Two of the three other boys were
quite ordinary-that is, not very hand
some, not very ugly, not very br ght,
not very dull. Walter Jones and Will
Lewis represented the average boy,
from respectable family in good cir
cumstanccs, the boy whom you sec
every day and never think of remark
ing. But Percy Roy-oh, he was n
characterl So chil1likc, so simple
minded, so stupidity good naturcd that
one could scarcely forbcar asking, not
"What possessed him to undertake the
study OF mcdicincP" but "lIow did he
ever have wit enough to lsarn sis alpha
bctP" Percy was tall and ungainly,
with pink baby-facc, and mop of
white hair, which alone would have
rendered him conspicuous among the
trio with brown locks.
Upon the fourth floor Gf this big
boarding-house were two small rooms
and one l;Tgc one. The two small
rooms were occupied by Walter and
VIII respectively, while the two beds in
the large room were taken by Edward
and Percy; the large room with its CEN
tcr-tablc and lounges being also used as
a common study by the four. They
could thus have the whole floor to them
selves, undisturbcd by any body.
Edward specially found that not only
was he boy with boys, but also, that
he was boy above boys. Not one of
the other three could compete with him
in intellect and strength of character.
And, in recognized sovereignty, he for
n time was happy But he soon realized
that recognized sovereignty, excellent
rs it was, was still unworthy to be COM
pared with actual sovereignty, to which
| he had long been accustomed. If his
IgiCt hp pnnlI nt ct
order them to black his boots; but, al
were boys, and inscnsibly bowed
to his authority, he could not very
well command them to wait upon
| him. Percy, to be sure, would ma Ike
an excellent scrvant-Pcrcy would do
| teasing was desirable; but then Percy
was not yet in Edwards power Once
in Edwards power, however, and Wal
ter and VIII would aid in fastening the
yoke upon his neck.
Lets play trick on Percy" sug-
| gested Edward one day, when that un-
fortunate wights back was turned.
| The thoughtlcss Walter and the indif-
fercnt Will smiled an assent, and Ed
ward reached across the table and
picked up poor Pcrcy's nnatomy-his
textbook upon anatomy, / mean.
There, between the pages, just rs he
had left it, lay II card rs marker. Ed
ward moved the card few pages
toward the front of the book, and re-
placed it. Guilclcss Percy came in, re-
sumcd his chair by the table, opened
his book at the card, and read on in ST.
lcnce for an hour. Then he inserted
the card between the leaves where he
| had left OIL, closed and put away his
book and prepared for lecture. As
Percy passed out into the little entry,
Edward laughed slipped the card a
| few pages toward the front for the sec
ond time, and was rewarded by his con-
federatcs' appauding smiles.
This went on for weeks. Edwards
amazcment deepencd, and Walter and
Will looked at him, at each other, and
at Percy in plying incrcdulity The
question began to assail them all as to
whether they had any right to continue
such farce. Finally, VIII broke the
spell by asking;
Percy, how do you like reading
anatomy"
"It's very nice,n drawlcd Percy; "but
don't you think it's-a leetSe-monoto-
1;OuSP"
As the story-writers say, "we draw
n vail over the climax" that is,
We would, if this were the end. But
when the fit of hysterical laughter
greeting this speech had subsidized
boys do laugh Historically sometimes
Walter challenged the victim thus:
"I'll bet you don't know the name of
n single bone you've read about!'
IN bet do" declared Percy, vehe-
mently.
"Name it, then"
"The-Peter-y-g -goidn' enunciated Per-
cy, decidedly, with the accent on the Y.
"Thc-what?n cried the mystiiied trio.
''The-Peter-y-goid!" repeated Percy,
firmly.
What does he mcan?" quericd viii,
turning to Edward.
"I'll show vou," blurtcd out poor
Percy, his pink face growing positively
red, ms he snatched the big book from
the table and tore it open. "Therem
he exclaimed in triumph, as he pointed
to Il single word in italics.
"Ptcrygoid.
(Which, for the information of un-
learned readers, will state should be
proL Junccd tcrygoid, with the accent
on the ter The name is applied to II
part of one of the bones of the skulD.
Climax! This time we do "draw n
vail"
Percy was, then, hopelcssly stupid, n
natural-born "luny." That fact had
been demonstrated -hcnccforth il was
quite allowable to make his harmless
life Just as miserable rs possible Rccog-
nized sovereignty soon became actual,
and actual sovereignty was shared with
Edward by Walter and Will, for Percy
proved docilc fag to all, lie blackcd
boots and run crrands TO perfection.
I True, all commands We're disguised by
such sugar cOatings MS "Plcasc," or
} "Thats II good fellow" but they were
none the less commands, Edward was
happy. The atmosphere suited him ex-
| acty. He could live with real boys, and
at tho Same l. ma rprnivo thn ministra-