The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1912-01-27
This Complex
Existence


stairs and called Mother" in voice
which to the uninitiated might have
indicated that he was one OF those
gentle, retiring children known gen.
orally as not daring. to speak above
q whisper.
There was no answer. So, mutter-
ing 10 himself, Well, guess she
Amt at home, or guess she said she
WAS going downtown today" he made
q very subdued, genteel exit.
But Kendall had reckoned without
his host. Before he had reached the
street he was stopped by voice from
the front upstairs window. Mrs. Boyd
had not been Kendalls another twelve
years without having become more or
less acquainted with his ways.
Kendall, dear" she said, where
are you going?"
Kendall halted on the lower step
and kicked the newell post viciously.
Then he regarded the toe OF his shoe
with great disfavor.
Play ball." he said. over in the
lot with the fellers."
But, you know, dancing school be-
gins today" and his mother, sweetly.
You must come in and get ready"
She withdrew her head discreetly
in time to avoid being convicted of
hearing her son respond. "A~, rats
on dancing school! | amt going!"
Then Kendall sat down on the step
and bumped the railing with his bat
for several minutes. There was no
further sound from the house and he
repeated his former remarks in loud
er tone: Jaw, rats on old dancing.
school! l amt going this year."
Say, mother" he shouted. bellig-
erently. Il amt going to change my
clothes. anyway. These is good
enough for old dancing school"
There was no response.
law, rats" Kendall said once
more. Il wish there hadn't never
been an old dancing school. Then
maybe wouldn't have to CO."
After relieving his mind by giving
the steps several much louder knocks
than before, he rose and went into the
house, kicking each step as he went.
He draped himself about the banisters
and swung there noisily until the sound
of the maternal voice came to him
from the upper regions.
Come up, Kendall. and begin dress
ing"
"Aw, | don't want to go to old dane
ing school," Kendall reiterated. Ken
dall's vocabulary was somewhat limit
ed. Say, mother, don't make me go
this year Nobody but sissy boys go
to dancing school"
There was no reply Mrs. Boyd was
past mistress of the art of coercion
by silence
We'll, anyway. I'm just going to
wear my school clothes. I'll take my
pumps, but these clothes is good
enough
Clump, Clump, Clump,
Say, mother" said voice from the
depths of Kendalls closet Il don't
have to wash my neck, do /? Say,
gee! I gave it good wash this morn
ing l amt going to wash it again
this afternoon"
Silence
We'll, anyway, amt going to wash
it tonight before | go to bed If ! have
to wash it this afternoon. l don't
see what difference it makes I'm
clean enough to go and dance with
lot of girls and lot of sissy boys"
Splash, splash, splash, from the
bathroom.
Say, mother. I amt going to dance
with no girls this afternoon. Maybe
I'll dance with the teacher, but l bet
/ won't dance with no girls. Girls,
they make me tired."
Silence.
Say. mother. don't have to put on
clean shirt, do /? | don't see what
makes you want me to put on a so
many clean things. Gee! l bet dad'll
be mad when he sees how big the
laundry bill u.s.
Silence.
Say, mother. this stockings got
hole in It," Can't l wear the ones
l have on? Well, anyway, bet If l
do have to dance with the girls I'll
pinch their fingers SO they won't want
to dance with me again. Girls make
me awful tired"
Say, mother, my foot hurts me aw-
full, l bet my ankles sprained. Any
| way, l bet it will be If l dance all
afternoon
I'm going to wear my pumps over
to the hall and then ! won't have to
- r.