Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1915-07-22
PEN ROD
BY BOOTH
HARRINGTON
Copyright, 1914, by Doubleday,
Page & Company.

rather weakly, busting his knees.
"You. would. too
mo, | W.
"Looky here said the fat faced boy,
darkly what you mean. counterdick-
ing me?"
He advanced a step and Penrod hast
lily qualified his contradiction.
II mean. l don't think l would. r
You better look OUT Rupe moved
closer. and unexpectedly grasped the
back of Penrod's neck again. Say.
I would run home yellin' MON
muh"'
''Ow l would run home yellin' Nom
muh.
"There"' said Rupe. giving the help
less nape final squeeze. That's the
way we do up at the Third
Penrod rubbed his neck and asked
meekly:
Can you do that to any boy up at
the Third?'
~See here now said Rupe in the
tone of one goaded beyond all endur
ance, you say if L can. You better
say it quick orr
II knew you could" .Penrod inter
posed hastily. with the pathetic SEM
5lance of a laugh. Il only said that in
fun
"In fun" repeated Rupe stormily.
you better look out how you
well l said l wasn't in earnest"
Penrod retreated Il few steps. II
knew you could all the time. l expect
could do it to some of the boys up at
the Third myself. CouHnt I?'
mo; you couldn't"
"Well, there must be some boy up
there that 1 could
mo; they amt. You better
81 expect not. then" said Penrod
quickly.
You better expect not Didn't l
tell you once you'd never get back
alive if you ever tried to come up
around the Third? You want me to
show you how we do up there. boz
He began a slow and deadly adj
vance, whereupon Penrod timidly of
fered Il diversion:
"Say, Rupe. got box of rats in our
stable under a glass cover. so you can
watch 'em jump around when you
hammer on the box. Come on and
look at EN-"
"All right said the fat faced boy.
slightly Modified. well let Dan kill
EN-
mo, sir! I'm goin' to keep 'em.
They're kind of pets. I've had 'em all
summer l got names for 'em and
"Look here. DO. Did you hear me
say We'll let Dan kill 'em:"
Eyes, but 1 WON'T
"What won't you?' Rupe became
sinister Immediately. "It seems to me
you're gettin' pretty fresh around
here"
"Well, don't want
Mr.. Collins once more brought into
play the dreadful eye to eye scowl as
practiced "up at the Third" and some
times also by young leading men upon
the stage
browning quite appallingly and
thrusting forward his underlip. he
placed his nose almost in contact with
the nose Of Penrod. whose eyes natu-
rally became crossed.
Dan kills the rats. Seer Kissed the
fat faced boy, maintaining the horrible
juXtaposition.
"Well, all right" said Penrod. swal-
lowing. 81 don't want 'em much" And
when the pose had been relaxed he
stared at his new friend for moment
! almost with reverence. Then he bright
| ened.
"Come on RUPEE" he cried enthusias
| tically. us he climbed the fence. We'll
! give our dogs little live meat-'bo"'
At the dinner table that evening Pen
rod surprised his family by remarking
in a voice they had never heard him
attempt-a lawgiving voice of interna-
tional gruffness:
ANY man that's maxim a hunderd
dollars month is maxim good money"
WHAT" asked Mr.. Schofield, staring.
for the previous conversation had con-
! cerned the illness of an infant relative
in Council Bluffs.
amy man that's maxim a hunderd
dollars month is maxim good money"
what is he talking about" Margak
ret appealed to the invisible.
We'll" said Penrod. frowning. that's
what foremen at the ladder works get"
How in the world do you know
asked his mother
'Well, l know it. A hunderd dollars
month is good money, 1 tell you!"
"WelI, what of it?' said the father,
impatiently.
"Nothin. I only said it was good
money"
Mr. Schofeld shook his head, dismiss
ing the subject; and here he made a
mistake; he should have followed up
his sons singular contribution to the
conversation.
That would have plainly revealed
the fact that there was a certain
Rupe Collins whose father was a fore
man at the ladder works. All clews are
important when boy makes his first
remark in a new key.
"'Good money!" repeated Margaret
| curiOuSly what is good mOney2"