Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1915-10-07
CHAPTER XVII.
Little G%entleman.s

IlISLt6 1outtoWans"
EANWHTLE the brooding PEN
rod pursued his homewardi
I way; no great distance, but
long enough for several one.
sided conflicts with malign tnsuiters
made OF thin air. You better not call
me thatr' he muttered. You just try
It, and you'll get what other people.
got when they tried 1T You better
not ack fresh with me. oh, you viii.
will you7" He delivered q vicious
kick full upon the shins OF an iron,
fence post, which suffered little,
though Penrod instantly regretted his
indiscretion. "Oofv, he grunted, hop.
ping, and went on after bestowing q,
look Of awful hostility upon the fence,
post. u guess you'll know better next
time" he said in parting to this an
tagonist. you just let me catch you,
around here again and Pip His
voice sank to inarticulate but ominous
murmurings. He was in a dangerous
mood.
Nearing home, however, his belliger-
ent spirit was diverted to happier In
terests by the discovery that some
workmen had left a caldron of tar in.
the cross street close by his fathers
stable. He tested Il, but found It In
edible; also as a substitute for profess
sional chewing gum 1t was unsatisfac-
tory, being in~sufhciently boiled down
and too thin, though of a pleasant,
lukewarm temperature. But it had an.
excess OF one quality-it was sticky.
1t was the stickiest tar Penrod had.
ever used for any purposes whatsoever.
and nothing upon which he wiped his
hands served to rid them of 1t, neither
his polka dotted shirtwaist nor his
knickerbockers; neither the fence nor
even Duke, who came. u%nthinkingly
wagging out to greet him and retired
wiser.
Nevertheless tar is tar. Much can
be done with it. no matter what Its
condition. So Penrod fingered by the
caldron, though from q neighboring
yard could be heard the voices Of com-
rades, including that Of Sam Williams.
On the ground about the caldron were
scattered chips and sticks and bits OF
wood to the number Of a great multi
tude. Penrod mixed quantities Of this
refuse Into the tar and interested him
self In seeing how much OF it he could
keep moving In slow swiris upon the
ebon surface.
Other surprises were arranged for
the absent workmen. The caldron was
almost full and the surface Of the tar
near the rim. Penrod e~ndeavored to
ascertain how many pebbles and brick.
bats dropped in would cause an over
flow. Laboring heartily to this end,
he had almost accomplished 1t when
he received the suggestion for an ex-
pertinent on a much larger scale. En-
bedded at the corner Of a grass plot
across the street was a whitewashed
stone the size of a small watermelon
and serving no purpose whatever save
the questionable one of decoration. 1t
was easily pried up with a stick,
though getting it to the caldron tested
the full strength Of the ardent laborer.
Instructed to perform such q task, he
would have sincerely maintained Its
impossibility, but now, as it was unbid.
den and promised rather destructive
results, he set about 1t with uncon.
querable energy, feeling certain that
he would be rewarded with a mighty
splash. Perspiring, grunting yehem,
emily, his back aching and all muscles
strained, he progressed In short stages
until the big stone lay at the base OF
the caldron, He rested q moment
painting. then lifted the stone and was
bending his shoulders for the heaye
that would lift 1t Oyer the rim when 9
i sweet, haunting voice close behind hin
startled him cruelty.
How do you do. little gentleman?"
Penrod squawked, dropped the ston.
and shouted, aShut up, you dern fool!'
purely from instinct even before bill
about face made him aware who hal
so spitefully addressed him.
Itwas Marjorie Jones. Always dain
tn, and prettily dressed, she was II
speckiess and starchy white today, an
q refreshing picture she made, witt
the new shorn and powerfully scentet
MitchysMitch clinging to her hand
They had stolen up behind the toile
and now stood laughing together Il
sWeet merriment. Since the passing
of Penrod's Rupe Collins period he ha,
experienced some severe qualms at th
recollection Of his last meeting witt
Marjorie and his Apache behavior
truth, his heart instantly became a
wax, at sight of her and he would hay
offered her fair speech. But, alas. +
Marjorie's wonderful eyes there shon
a CONSEQUENCES Of new powers for hi
nndoing, and she denied him oppor
tunityl
s0h, OH" she cried. mocking hi
panied cutlery. What a way for
little gentleman to talk. Little gentle
men don't say wickedp
sAfarjorieyss Penrod, enrnged and dis
mayed. felt himself stung beyond a
endurance. Insult from her was bitter
ar I'd endure than from any other
snans von rail me- That asainiv