Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-07-06

ret. She leaned forward suddenly.
narrowing her eyes to see the better.
"What is that thing hanging about bis
left ankleT' she whispered uneasily.
"How queer! He must have got tan
gled in something"
"Where?" asked Mrs. Schoneld In
alarm.
"His left foot. It makes him STUN
BILE. Don't you see? 1t looks-it looks
like an elephants foot~
The Child Sir Lancelot and the
Child Sir Galahad clasped hands BE-
fore their child king. Penrod was con-
scious Of a great uplift; in moment
he would have to throw aside his man
tie, but even 50 he was protected and
sheltered in the human garment Of a
man. His stage fright had passed, for
the audience was but an indistinguish-
able blur of darkness beyond the dax-
cling lights. His most repulsive speech
THAT in which he proclaimed himself a
'tot) was over and done with, and
now at last the small, moist hand OF
the Child Sir Galahad lay within his
own. Craftily his brown fingers stole
from Maurice's palm to the wrist. The
two boys detained in concert:
I'VE are two chuldrun Of the Tabul Round
strewing kindness all around.
With love and good deeds striving ever
for the best
May our httui efforts e'er be bleet
Two littul hearts we offer. See.
United In love, faith. hope and char-OwF
The conclusion Of the duet was mar
red. The Child Sir Galahad suddenly
stiffened and, uttering an irrepressible
shrek of anguish, gave brief exhibi-
ton of the contortiOnist's art. Giles
twistin' my wrist! Dern you, leggor}
The voice of Mrs. Lora Rewbush was
again heard from the wings. 1t sound
ed bloodthirsty. Penrod released his
victim, and the Child King Arthur,
somewhat disconnected, extended his
scepter and, with the assistance OF tpe
enraged prompter, said:
'SW6ot ClllQ IElcuuc VI tho 3oooi AsSeAAS'
In brotherly love and kindness abound:
Dir Lancelot. you have spoken well.
Sir Galahad. too. as clear as bell.
30 now pray doff your mantles gay.
You shall be knighted this very day"
And Penrod doffed his mantle.
simultaneously a thick and Vastly
gasp came from the audience, as from
500 bathers in wholly unexpected
surf. This gasp was punctuated irreg-
ularly over the auditorium by imper-
fectly subdued screams both Of dismay
and incredulous Joy and by two dismal
shrieks. Altogether 1t was an extraor-
dinary sound, a sound never to be for
gotten by any one who heard It. It
was almost as unforgetable as the
sight when caused 1t, the word sight"
being here used In its vernacular sense,
for Penrod, standing unmantled and
revealed in all the medieval and arts-
tic glory Of the janitor's blue overalls,
falls within Its meaning.
The janitor was heavy man, and
his overalls upon Penrod were merely
oceanic. The boy was at once swad-
died and lost within their blue CULTS
and vast saggings, and the left leg,
too hastily rolled up, had descended
with distinctively elephantine effect,
as Margaret had observed. Certainly
the Child Sir Lancelot was at least a
sight.
1t Is probable that great many In
that hall must have had even then a
consciousness that they were looking
on at history In the making. A su-
preme act Is recognizable at sight; It
bears the birthmark Of immortality.
But Penrod. that marvellous boy, had
begun to declaim, even with the ges-
ture of finging of his mantle for the
accolade:
IT first, the Child Sir Lancelot du Lake,
Will volunteer to knighthood take.
And kneeling here before your throne
vow to-
He finished his speech unheard. The
audience had recovered breath, but
had lost self control, and there ensued
something later described by partici-
pant as sort of cultured riot.
The actors in the pageant" were not
30 dumfounded by Penrod's costume
as might have been expected. A few
precocious geniuses perceived that the
overalls were the Child Lancelots own
comment on maternal intentions, and
these were profoundly impressed.
They regarded him with the grisly
admiration of young and ambitious
criminals for Jail mate about to be
distinguished by hanging. But most
Of the children simply took 1t to be the
case Ia little strange, but startling)
that Penrod's mother had dressed him
like that-which Is pathetic. They
tried to go on with the pageant"
They made a brief, manful effort
But the irrepressible outbursts from
the audience bewildered them. Every
time Sir Lancelot du Lake the Child
opened his mouth the great, shadowy
house fell into an uproar and the chill
dren into confusion. Strong women
and brave girls in the audience went
out into the lobby, shrieking and cling
ing to one another. Others remained,
rocking In their seats, helpless and
spent The neighborhood Of Mrs. Scho-
field and Margaret became tactfully
desert. Friends Of the author went
behind the scenes. and encountered a
hitherto unknown phase Of Mrs. Lora
Rewbush. They said afterward that
she hardly seemed to know what she
was doing. She begged to be left alone
somewhere with Penrod Schofeld, for
Just little while.
They led her away.