Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-08-31

what seemed to Penrod its principal
purpose was accomplished, and an enor-
NOUS shadow, vanishing westward
over its surface, marked the dawn Of
his twelfth birthday.
10 be twelve Is an attainment worth
the struggle. A boy. just twelve, Is
like q Frenchman just elected to the
academy.
Distinction and honor wait upon him.
Younger boys show Difference to per-
son Of twelve. His experience Is guar
anteed, his judgment, therefore, mel
low; consequently his influence is pro-
found. Eleven Is not quite satisfac-
tory. It Is only an approach. Eleven
has the disadvantage Of six, Of nine
teen, Of forty-four and Of sixty-nhe.
But, like twelve, seven h an honorable
age, and the ambition to attain 1t Is
laudable. People look forward to be-
ing seven. Similarly, twenty is worthy.
and so, arbitrarily, is twenty-one; for
ty-fve has great solidity; seventy Is
most commendable and each year
thereafter IN increasing honor. Thir-
teen Is embarrassed by the beginnings
of q new colthood. The child becomes
a youth. But twelve is the very top Of
boyhood
Dressing that morning, Penrod felt
that the world was changed from the
world Of yesterday. For one thing, he
seemed to own more Of 1t. This day
was his day. And 1t was day worth
owning The midsummer sunshine.
pouring gold through his window, came
from q cool sky, and breeze moved
pleasantly In his hair as he leaned
from the sill to watch the tribe Of
chattering blackbirds take wing, fol-
loving their leader from the trees In
the yard to the days work in the open
country. The blackbirds were his, as
the sunshine and the breeze We're bis,
for they all belonged to the day which
was his birthday and therefore most
surely his. Pride suffused him. He
was twelve!
His father and his mother and Mar
garet seemed to understand the differ
ence between today and yesterday.
They were at the table when he de-
scended, and they gave him a greeting
which Of itself marked the milestone.
Habitually his entrance into room
where his elders sat brought a cloud of
apprehension. They were prone to
look up in pathetic expectancy, as II
their thought was, "What new awful
ness is he going to start now" But
this morning they laughed. His moth
er rose and kissed him twelve times.
So did Margaret. And his father
shouted: "Well. welll How's the
MANI
Then his mother gave him q Bible
and 1.-The Vicar Of Wakefield" Marga-
ret gave him a pair Of silver mounted
hairbrushes, and his father gave him
Pocket Atlas" and small compass.
"And now, Penrod," said his mother
after breakfast, I'm going to take you
out In the country to pay your birth
day respects to Aunt Sarah Grim"
Aunt Sarah Grim, Penrod's great
aunt, was his oldest living relative.
She was ninety, and when Mrs. Scho-
field and Penrod alighted from q car
riage at her gate they found her dig
ging with spade In the garden.
I'm glad you brought him." she said,
desisting from labor. "Jinny's bak-
Ing a cake I'm going to send for his
birthday party. Bring him in the
house. I've got something for him.
She led the way to her sitting room,"
which had a pleasant smell. unlike any
Gher smell, and opening the drawer OF
a shining old whatnot took therefrom
a boys "slingshot," made Of forked
stick, two strips Of rubber and bit
Of leather.
"This isn't for you," she said, plac-
Ing 1t in Penrod's eager hand. mo.
It would break all tc pieces the first
time you tried to shoot 1t because tt Ia