Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-08-05
CHAPTER XIX.
The Quiet Afternoon,

punishments and sorrows, for he pro-
longs neither beyond their actual dura-
ton. With a boy, trouble must be OF
homeric dimensions to last overnight.
To him, every next day is really new
day. Thus, Penrod woke, next morn
ming, with neither the unspared rod,
nor Mr. Kinosling in his mind. Tar,
itself, so far as his consideration of it
went, might have been an undiscovered
substance. His mood was cheerful and
mercantile; some process having work
ed mysteriously within him, during the
night, to the result that his first wax
ing thought was Of profits connected
with the sale Of old iron-or perhaps
a ragman had passed the house, just
before he woke.
By 10 o'clock he had formed part
nership with the indeed amiable Sam,
and the firm Of Schofeld & Williams
plunged headlong into commerce
Heavy dealings in rags, paper, old iron
and lead gave the firm a balance Of
% cents on the evening of the third
day, but venture is glassware, follow
ing, proved disappointing on account Of
the skepticism Of all the druggists in
that part of town, even after seven
laborious hours had been spent in
cleansing a wheelbarrow load of old
medicine bottles with hydrant water
and ashes. Likewise, the partners were
disheartened by their failure to dis
- 90 q
they had uprooted specimens Of that
decorative and unappreciated flower,
the dandelion, with such persistence
and energy that the Schofelds' and
Williams lawns looked curiously hag-
gard for the rest Of that summer.
The fit passed, business languished,
became extinct. The dog days had
set in.
One August afternoon was so hot
that even boys sought indoor shade. In
the dimness of the vacant carriage
house of the stable lounged Masters
Penrod Schofield, Samuel Williams,
Maurice Levy, George Bassett and
Herman. They sat still and talked.
It is a hot day, in rare truth, when
boys devote themselves principally to
conversation, and this day was that
hot.
their elders should beware such days.
Peril hovers near when the ferceness
Of weather forces inaction and boys
in groups are quiet. The more closely
volcanoes, western rivers, nitroglycerin
and boys are pent, the deadlier is their
action at the point of outbreak. Thus,
parents and guardians should look for
outrages of the most singular violence
and Of the most peculiar nature during
the combining weather of February and
August.
The thing which befell upon this
broiling afternoon began to brew and
stew peacefully enough. All was in
nocence and languor; no one could have
foretold the eruption.
They were upon their great theme:
when 1 get to be a man!' Being hui
man, though boys, they considered
their present estate too commonplace
to be dwelt upon. So, when the old
men gather, they say: when / was a
boy" 1t really is the land Of now
adays that we never discover.
"When I'm a man." said Sam Will
liams, 'I'm goin' to hire me a couple
of colored walters to swing me in
hammock and keep pourin' ice water
on me all day out O. those waterin'
cans they sprinkle flowers from. I'll
hire you for one of 'em, Herman"
mo; you ain goin' to-" said Herman
promptly. You ain no flowuh. But
new min nat, anyway. Aim nobody
goin' hiah me whens I'm man. Coin
be my own boss. Pm go be railroad
man!'
"You mean like a superintendent, or
sumpthing like that, and sell tickets?'
asked Penrod.
"Sup'in-nv' min nat! Sell ticket?
No sub! Co be a po'tuh! My uncle
a po'tuh right now. Solid COLE buttons
oh, OH"
Generals get lot more buttons
than porters," said Penrod. Gen
erals
man interrupted. "My uncle spen' mo-
money n any white man mis- town."
"Well, I rather be general" said
Penrod, cor a senator. or sumpthing
like that"
Senators live in washington" Maui
rice Levy contributed the information.
ST been there washington amt so
much. Niagara falls is a hundred
times as good as washington. Sos
'Tlantic City. I was there too. been
everywhere there is. r.
"Well. anyway" said Sam Williams,
raising his voice in order to obtain the
floor, anyway, I'm goin' to lay in a
! hammock all day and have ice water
sprinkled on top O. me, and I'm go1n
to lay there all night, too, and the
next day I'm goin' to lay there cou-
pie o years maybe