The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-10

PenpOd was even more confused than he had been by her previous mys- teries, but his confusion was of dis tinctly pleasant and al1uring nature. He wanted more of 1t. Looking inten- tionally into another persons eyes is an act unknown to childhood. and Pen rods discovery that 1t could be done was sensational. He had never thought of looking into the eyes of I Marjorie Jones.
 Despite all anguish, contumely, tar and Maurice Levy he still secretly thought of Marjorie, with pathetic constancy, as his beau though that is not how he would have spelled 1t. Marjorfe was beautiful; her curls were long and the color of amber: her nose was straight, and her freckles were honest; she was much prettier than this accomplished visitor. But beauty is not ali.
 q do,'' breathed Fanchon softly.
 She seemed to him a fairy creature from some rosier world than this.l So humble is the human heart 1t glor1- fes and makes gIamorous almost any poor thing that says to it, T like you!''
 Penrod was enslaved. He swallow ed, couxhed. scratched the back of his
 
 we'll don't care-if you; want to. just as soon.''
 Well dance together" said Fan chon, .'at your party.''
 1T guess so. just as >soon. Don't you want to, Penrod?" Well, I'm willing to-" 'tNo. Say you want tot' "WeIl"-
 He used his toe as girnlet, boring j into the groand, his wide open eyes l staring with intense vacancy at but ! ton on his sleeve. His mother appear l ed upon the porch in departure. call i ing farewe1ls over her shoulder to Mrs. i GeIbraith. who stood in the doorway. Say ft.'' whispered Fanchon. Well, I just as soon
 She seemed satisfied.
 A dancing floor had been laid upon platform in the yard when Mrs. Scho- l field and her son arrived at their own abode, and a white and scarlet striped canopy was 4ia process of erection over I head to shelter the dancers from the l sun. workn1en were busy everywhere I under the direction of Margaret, and 1 the snnitten heart of Penrod began to beat rapidly. All this was for hsm. 1 He was twelve!
 I E After lunch be underwent an elab4 crate toilet and murmured not. For the first time in his life he knew the 1 wish to be sandpapered. waxed, and 1 polished to the highest possible degree. l And when the operation was over he I stood before the mirror in new bloom, ] feeling encouraged to hope that his re semblance to his father was not so I strong es Aunt Sarah seemed to think. The white gloves uI,un Iris hands had pleasant smell he found. and as he l came down the stairs he had great 1 content. in the twinkling of his new l dancing slippers. He stepped twice on each step the better to enjoy their effect, and at the same time he deeply of everything Penrod had his social ca I pacities.s Already 1t is to be perceived l that there were in him the makings l or a. cotillion leader. a1@e-
 Then came from the yard q sound of l tuning instruments, squeak of fiddle, ! croon of cello, falling triangle ring 1 ing and tinkling to the floor, and he i turned pale 3 Chosen guests began to arrive, while T Penrod, suffering from stage fright and
 perspiration,S stood beside his mother f in the drawing room,' 2 to receive them.
 He greeted unfamiliar acquaintances
 and intimate fellow criminals with the
 same frigidity, Inurmuring NJ glad
 to see y'''- to all alike, largely increas
 ing the embarrassment which always
 prevails at the beginning of ehildren's
 festivities His unnatural pomp and
 circumstance had so thoroughly upset
 him, in truth, that Marjorie Jones re
 ceived a distinct shock now to be re
 lated. pr. Thrope, the very kind ol6
 clergyman who had baptized Peprod came in for q moment to congratulate
 the boy and had just, moved away
 when it was N1arjorie's turn, in the
 line of children, to speak to Penrod
 She gave him what she considered 2
 forgiving look and, because of the oc
 casion, addressed him in a perfectly
 courteous manner
 T wish you many happy returns O,
 the day, Penrod. z
 Thank you, sir!' he returned, fol
 lowing pr. Thorpe with a glassy star,
 in which there was absolutely no rec
 ognition of Marjorie. Then he greeted
 Maurice Levy. who was next to Mar
 jorie. {" M glad to see y'y'
 Dumfounded. Marjorie turned asid and stood near, observing Penrod witt gravity. It@was the first great surpris of her life. Custonarily she had seem ed to place his character somewher between that of the professional riote and that of the orang outang. Never theless her manner at times just hint ], ed a consciousness that this sCalibal was her property, wherefore she stare
 at him incredulously as his head bot bed up and down in the dancing schoo bow. greeting his guests. Then sh , heard an adult voice near her exclainl l What an exquisite childy' : Marjorie glanced up-a little COT
 sciously. though she was used 4to it naturally curious to ascertain who wa
 speaking of her. It was Sam Wi Hams mother addressing Mrs. Basset
 both being present to help Mrs. Schc
 field make the festivities festive.