The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-12
(Copyright.)

'f2s (Copyright.)
 "HE day was here when Little Dan
 had become man, though no one \ recognized 1t except himself and Big Dan, the person whom he most wished to impress with the fact, proved obdurately unimpressionable-an, more over, had just spanked him.
 To be 12 years old and oe spanked had, oddly enough, never struck Little Dan as outrageously until today, which proved to him that he was now man.
 Heretofore he had taken his fathers s few and well merited chastisements as matter of course-almost an entertaining matter of course. He had undoubtedly squrmed and howled a great deal dur ing the embarrassing processes, but al- ways through motives of strategic eau- tion having discovered very, very early in the game that the more intricately he suuirmed and the louder he howled the less he was scourgec. After it was over there had generally followed pleasant ly important hour or so of detection and humility, in which he watched furtively for the first sign of truce. Seeing It, he had rushed tumultously into the big arms held open to him, and the whole thing was over and done with.
 But today, without premonition, every thing went differently everything that concerned Little Dan-that Is, Big Dan went about it ill the same way.
 To his own unfeigned surprise, the boy found that the first blow awakened mur- derous resentment in him. As for crying out, he would have died rather than ut ter a protest. His gentle and genuine dignity felt crushed to the earth, but fierce, fighting pride rushed to the rescue and bolstered 1t up. The worst thing about the whole performance was that Little Dan felt not only scorrifully amused at It's futility and stupidity, but also felt rather ashamed of his father.
 That father was himself too proud and gentle not to notice at once that some- thing was wrong, so he stopped and re- marked suggestively:
 q can't whack you unless you yelp, you know, old man."
 But no answering glint of good humor showed in Little Dams eyes. He was too much hurt. He was a man now, and the dignity of man after having been knocked about requires some time to adjust itself He looked steadily at 4.is father, not de- fiantly but with a calm and frank resent ment of so temperate and judicial qual- ity that Big Dams handsome face grew redly and quizzically confused.
 And now" he remarked, temptingly.
 Have you done with me, father?'
 Quite done, I think It looks that way"
 Then I'd like to go out for a walk by mysef-unless you want me to stay In the house."
 'No, I guess not. I'll see to it that the house staggers along without you for a while.''
 Well, then, good morning."
 'Is 1t I hadn't noticed; but if you say so-good morning 1t is."
 With courteous inclinations of the head say which of the two felt more queerly miserable.
 Of course Little Dan had no doubt but that he was the one. As soon as he got out of the house and into the sunshine and turned his steps to the friendly woods, the radiance of nature contrasted so cruelty with his own gloomy reflec- tions that they changed inkily to black and he felt that the only joke he could appreciate at the present would be death
 And he remembered. too. that he was not allowed to keep rabbits In his sane and happy moments he was not so certain that he wanted to keep rabbits; they were too nervous with their chins, but wher sorrow laid heavy hand upon him, this rabbit lack seemed more than he could bear. And he had so much to bear. There was that accidentally overheard conver- sation of last night, for instance. Bu. he would put that out of his mind for 8 few minutes, at least until he had reached and straddled his favorite fallen beech It was his agony seat.
 Meantime. while he walked slowly on