The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-22
Truthful Tommy

K, Sc
Tommy lis the pride of his mnther g
Eheaft andsthe bane of everybodg else y
exlstence. When his mot cher INVITED
Miss Perkins to- luncheon the latter de-
Youtly hoped that ToMny would be
away at school or consigned to. some
Relative for the day. 80. 80 -
But the first object that greeted cher
| eyes as she entered the small apart
ment was Tommy sitting on the piano
stool, one leg curled under him and
Ethe.,other swinging back and; forth
While WI both chubby hands were en-
p Iae; 81 1n sb 3 forth discordant
Tommy, take Miss Charlotte purse
and gloves for her, called his mother
her voice raised high in competition
| with tTommy's musical efforts, :.
On, LII just lay them here on the
|. couccil, said the visitor, who remem.
bered we'll that the last time Tommy
mad performed S4the gentlemanly task
tor her,,a small penknnife, a memoran n.
dun book, tWo.Gforeign coins and a
stamp book mysteriously disappeared
from her purse. s.. !: ~: - II
E Tommy seemed disappointed as he
le at lmselfdoWn from the piano stool
:, ..t Have got "a kiss for. me-
tommy ~ asked! Miss Perkins, smiling
at m nm aa i1g E stiatin .II,y -.
". Then, seiaing Whistle w sac, snort
round his neck On a string, he blew
series of long, piercing shrieks.
Tommy, talk to Miss 4 Charlotte
lsWhlle | go see about .lunc heo1n,.,, said
MS mother. sNow, be mama IS own
boy and tell her all about what Won
saw when Uncle. Jack; took Won to
the circus. - Then she left the room.
won't you sit on my lap, dearg''
- Sit off my elephum,'' Tommy said
shaking the arm Of her chair. WYou 're
sitting on his tail. - -.
| Miss Perkins arose hastily. Then
she noticed several 'appendages tied t.
u by strlngs-two pieces of cardboard
long strip Of tape and razor strap
your ELEPHANT she said. w.
too skinny; he conldn It. feel YOU.
He proceeded to turn the chair for.
ward until the front of it rested on the
tloor. Then he climbed upon the rung
Are you. going to stay here to eat 81
he asked. Then, without WAITING for
an answer, he brought the whistle into
service again. ~
Here Tommy s mother returned
uCome. to luncheon now,' she said
ZONE, Tommy, and remember that lit
tie boys should be seen and not heard. .
! ',Yop!" answered the pride Of his
/ mothers heart, turning somersault.
During the luncheon Tommy anniied
himself with diligence to the contents
of his plate. -.*>..
Won't you have an olive, dear?':
asked Miss Perkins, passing the dainty
cut-glass dish. =
Tommy took the dish, looked at il
curiously, then put it down. He glanced
quickly toward his mother, then at the
visitor, who smiled reassuringly. Next
he, elevated his eyebrows with a pc
cullarly knowing expression, looked to
ward the ceiling as if to draw Miss
Perkins attention to something, anl
then gave a deliberate wink. Miss Per
nothing.
.sDrink your chocolate, sweetheart
said his mother. :, -.a. ~
Tommy took up. the tiny, gold-bowlet
spoon, gazed at it as if fascinated, the1
plunged it into his chocolate. He tool
a sip, looked at the: spoon, then looked
at the visitor, who smiled again. AT
ter that he went thru the same perform
ance Of trying to draw her attention
to- something up above. $50. u. ),
Tell me-. Tommy said Miss Per
k1ns, when his mother had left then
alone for a few moments in the parlo
after the. luncheon, what did you Sc,
on the dining room ceilings'. =
Tommy climbed up on his elephan
and .2clutched his whistle. ~ didn ;
&C. nothing" he said, twisting hi
limbs into seemingly impossible posi-
lions: 'sDidn't you catch on?''
/ II IN afraid didn It, Tommy.o
Tommy united the knots in his leg
fnd arms and went over to Miss Per
kins' chair. He glanced furtively GU
| In the other: room.
4 .tWell, did you like the little disl
with the olives in it7'.'' he asked.
! "Why, yes, Tommy;s didn't youg'
i :. And did you like the little spoons
with the gold on 'em?''
| They were very pretty. I suppos,
they: were presents to mama?D :
i Tommy looked at the visitor ouizzi
cally for a moment, then stuck out hi
under lip. ."They ain It ours he said
They belong to the lady upstairs
l Say, what s an old maid9 Mama sait
you were one. Chicago News.
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