The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-08-26

~ a. aS X "a tSi dloy bAbohSh
they sat In Il courtroom 200 miles
away, and he had 1t In mind-so frank
he waste ask Roderick Magsworth
Bits, Jr., II the murderess happened
to be n relative.
The present encounter, being merely
IN Of apathetic greeting, did not af-
ford the opportunity. Penrod took off
his car, and Roderick, seated between
his mother and one OF his grownup
sisters, nodded sluggishly, but neither
Mrs. Magsworth Bits nor her daugh-
ter acknowledged the s~alutation of the
boy in the yard. They disapproved of
him as n person Of little consequence,
and that little bad. Snubbed, penrod
thoughtfully restored his cap to his
head. \ boy can be cut as elfcctually
as Il man, and this one was chilled to
a low temperature. He wondered If
they dcSpised him because they had
seen Il last fragment Of doughnut In
his hand; then he thought that per
haps il was Duke who had diSgraced
him. Duke was certainly no fashion
able looking dog.
The resilient spirits of youth, how
ever, presently revived, and, discover
ing a spider upon n knee and a bee
tie simultaneously upon the other, Pen
rod forgot Mrs. Roderick Magsworth
Bits in the course OF some expert
ments infringing upon the domain of
DR.. Carrel. Periods efforts, with the
aid OF Il pin, TO effect II transfcrcnce of
living organism We're unsuccessful, but
be convinced himself forever that Il
spider cannot walk with n beetles
legs. Della then enhanced geological
interest by depositing upon the back
porch a large rat trap from the cellar,
the prison OF four live rats awaiting
execution.
Penrod at once took possession, retir-
ing to the empty stable, where he In
stalled the rats in a small wooden box
with n sheet Of broken window glass,
held down by a brickbat, over the top.
Thus the symptoms of their agitation
when the box was shaken or hammer
ed upon could be studied at leisure.
Altogether this Saturday was starting
s~plendidly.
After a time the students attention
was withdrawn from his specimens by
a peculiar smell, which, being follow
ed up by a system OF selective shifting,
proved to be an emnation leaking into
the stable from the alley. He opened
the back door.
Across the alley was a cottage which
y thrifty %neighbor had built on he
real line of his lot and rented to ne
groes, and the fact that a negro family
was now in process Of knowing In"
was manifested by the presence Of a
thin mule and n ramshackle wagon,
the latter laden with the semblance of
a stove and a few other u~npretentious
household articles.
A very small darby boy stood near
the mule. In his hand was a rusty
chain, and at the end Of the chain the
delighted Penrod perceived the source
of the special smell he was tracing-a
large raccoon. Duke, who had shown
not the slightest interest In the rats,
set up q frantic barking and simulated
a ravening assault upon the strange
animal. 1t was only a bit Of acting,
however, for Duke was an old dog,
had suffered much and desired no I'M
necessary sorrow, wherefore he con-
fined his demonstrations to alarums
and excursions and presently sat down
at a distance and expressed himself by
intermittent threatentngs In a quaver-
ing falsetto.
whats that coon's manner" asked
Penrod, intending no discourtesy.
"Aim gommo NAME" said the small
darby.
"What?"
Aim gommo name"
"What?"
The small darby looked annoyed.
Aim gommo name, I hell YOU" he
said i~mpatiently.
Penrod conceived that insult was in
tended.
whats the matter of your he de-
manded. advancing. you get fresh
with me and I1l"-
"Hyuh, white boyy" A colored youth
of Penrod's W. age appeared in the
doorway Of the cottage. you let at
DIOLuuu IHiuc diOLe. ne diH w uotu-
in to you"
"Well. why can't he answerT'
"He can't. He can't talk no better'n
what he was talkin'. He tongue tie"
"Oh" said Penrod, Modified; then,
obeying an impulse SO universally
aroused In the human breast under
like circumstances that 1t has become
q Quip, he turned TO the afflicted one.
''Talk some more" he begged eagerly.
81 hoe you ackoom aim gommo
NAME" was the prompt response, In
which a slight ostentation was mani
fest. Unmistakable tokens OF vanity
had appeared upon the small, swart
c~ountenance.
whats he mean?" asked Penrod,
enchanted.
"He say he tole you at coon ain got
no name"
whats your name?"
TIN name Herman"
whats his nameY' Penrod pointed
to the tongue tied boy.