The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-10-28
PenrOd Wandered in q labyrinth.

words were dumfounding, and O
course there was no way for him t.
know that he vas really listening t.
her mother. 1t was his first meetins
with one Of those grownup little girls
wonderful product Of the winter apart
ment and summer hotel, and Fanchon
an only child, was a star Of the brand
He began to feel resentful.
IL suppose" she went on, 'IIl find
everything here fearfully western
Some nice people called yesterday
though. DO you know the Magswortt
Bittses? Auntie says they're charm
ing. viii Roddy be at your partyT"
81 guess he WILL" returned Penrod
finding this ineligible. THE mutt
Really Fanchon exclaimed airily
Aren't you great pals with himr"
whats 'pals'Y"
Good heavens! Don't you know
what 1t means to say you're great
pals with any one? You are an odd
chlld!"
1t was too much.
"Oh, bugs!" said Penrod.
This bit of rufiianism had a curious
sudden favor.
81 like you, Penrod," she said In an
odd way, and whatever else there may
have beer In her n there certain.
ly was no shyness.
"Oh, bugs!' This repetition may
have lacked %gallantry, but 1t was ut
tered In no very decided tone. Penrod
was shaken.
Yes, dot" She stepped closer to
him, smiling. Your hair is ever so
pretty"
Sailors parrots swear like mariners,
they say, and gay mothers ought to re-
alize that all children are initiative, for
as the %precOcious Fanchon leaned to.
ward Penrod the manner In which she
looked into his eyes might have made
a thoughtful observer wonder where
she had learned her pretty ways.
Penrod was even more confused
than he had been by her previous mys.
teries, but his confusion was Of a dis.
tinctly pleasant and alluring 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
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.
Marjorie 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 all.
81 do" breathed Fanchon softly.
She seemed to him a fairy creature
from some roster world than this. So
humble is the human heart 1t glori-
ies and makes glamorous almost any
poor thing that says to 1t, ~ like
you"
Penrod was enslaved. He swallow
ed. coughed. scratched the back OF his
neck and said d~isjointedly:
"Well-I don't care-if you want to.
| just as soon"
We'll dance together" said Fan
chOn, lat your party"
IL guess so. | just as SOON"
Don't you want to. Penrod?"
well. I'm willing to-"
mo. Say you a to!
"Well'-
into the ground. his wide open eyes
staring with intense vacancy at a but
ton on his sleeve. His mother appear.
ed upon the porch In departure, cali
ing farewells over her shoulder to Mrs.
Gelbraith. who stood in the doorway.
Say It," whispered Fanchon.
We'll, | just as soon."
She seemed satisfied.
A dancing floor had been laid upon a
platform In the yard when Mrs. Soho
field and her son arrived at their own
abode. and a white and scarlet striped
SuIOpS was III ploSeSS VI eIeCtlOu over
head to shelter the dancers from the
sun. Workmen were busy everywhere
under the direction of Margaret. and
the smitten heart Of Penrod began to
beat rapidly. All this was for him
He was twelve!
After lunch he underwent an elab
crate toilet and murmured not. For
the first time in his life he knew the
wish to be sandpapered. waxed. and
polished to the highest possible degree.
And when the operation was over he
stood before the mirror In new bloom,
feeling encouraged to hope that his re.
semblance to his father was not so
strong as Aunt Sarah seemed to think.
The white gloves upon his hands had
a pleasant smell, he found. and as he
came down the stairs he had great
content In the twinkling Of his new
dancing slippers. He stepped twice
on each step the better to enjoy their
effect, and at the same time he deeply
inhaled the odor of the gloves. In spite
Of everything Penrod had his social ca.
pacities. Already 1t is to be perceived
that there were in him the markings