The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-08-05

aides OF the Table Round Woulu not
make SO much noise. Now, children,
we must begin to take our places on
the stage. Is everybody here?'
Penrod made his escape under v
Of this diversion. He slid behind Mrs.
Lora Rewbush and, being near a door,
opened it unnoticed and went out
quickly, closing it behind him. He
found himself In a narrow and vacant
hallway which led to a door marked
"Janttors Room"
Burning with outrage, heartsick at
the sweet, cold blooded laughter OF
Marjorie Jones, Penrod rested his ell
bows upon a window sill and specu-
lated upon the effects Of a Leap from
the second story. One Of the reasons
he gave it up was his desire to live on
Maurice Levy's account; already he
was forming educational plans for the
Child Sir Galahad.
A stout mau in blue overalls passed
self petulantly. II reckon they'll md
that hall hot enough nowv" he said,
conveying to Penrod an impression
that some too feminine ONE had
sent him upon an unreasonable errand
to the furnace. he went into the jani-
tors room and. emerging a moment
later minus the overalls, passed Penrod
again with a bass rumble-"Dern 'em-'
it seemed he said-and made a gloomy
exit by the door at the upper end OF
the hallway.
The conglomerate and delicate rustic
of a large, mannerly audience was
heard as the ~janitor opened and closed
the door, and stage fright seized the
boy. The orchestra began an overture,
and at that Penrod, trembling violent
ly, tiptoed down the hall into the jan
itor's room. It was a culde-sac; there
was no outlet saw by the way he had
come.
Despairingly he doffed his mantle and
looked down upon himself for q last
sickening assurance that the stockings
were as obviously and disgracefully
Margarets as they had seemed In the
mirror at home. Fol a moment he was
encouraged; perhaps he was no worse
than some Of the other boys. Then he
noticed that a safety pin had opened;
n of those connecting the stockings
with his trunks. He sat down 10 fasten
1t, and his eye fell for the first time
with particular attention upon the
trunks. Until this instant he had been
~preoccupied with the stockings
Slowly recognition dawned In his
eyes.
The Schofelds' house stood on a
corner at the intersection Of two main
travelled streets, the fence was low and
the publicity obtained by the washable
portion Of the family apparel on Mon
days had often been painful to Penrod,
for boys have a peculiar sensitiveness
In these matters. A plain. matter Of
fact washerwoman, employed by Mrs.
Schofield. never left anything to the
Imagination Of the passerby, and of all
her calm display the scarlet Haunting
of his fathers winter wear had most
abashed Penrod. One day Marjorie
Jones. all gold and starch, had passed
when the dreadful things were on the
line; Penrod had hidden himself, shud-
dering. The whole town. he was cOn-
vinced. knew these garments intimate
ly and derisively.
And now. as he sat in the janitor's
chair, the horrible and paralyzing
recognition came. He had not an in
stant's doubt that every fellow actor.
as well as every soul in the audience,
would recognize what his mother and
sister had put upon him. For as the
awful truth became plain to himself
it seemed blazoned to the world, and
far, far louder than the stockings, the
trunks did fairly below the grisly
secret: whose they were and what
they we're.
Most people have suffered In a dream
the experience Of finding themselves
very inadequately clad in the midst
Of a crowd Of well dressed people, and
such dreamers' sensations are compar-
able to Periods, though family, be-
cause Penrod was awake and in much
too full possession Of the most active
capacities for anguish.
A human male whose dress has been
damaged, or reveals some vital lack,
suffers from a hideous and shameful
loneliness which makes every second
absolutely unbearable until he Is again
as others Of his sex and species, and
there is no act or sin whatever too
desperate for him in his struggle to at
tain that condition. Also, there Is alb
solutely no embarrassment possible to
a woman which Is comparable to that
Of a man under corresponding cir
cumstances, and In this a boy Is a
man. Gazing upon the CHASTITY trunks,
the stricken Penrod felt that he was
a degree worse than nude, and a great
horror Of himself filed his soul.
"Penrod Schofeldv'
The door into the hallway opened,
and a voice demanded him. H. could
not be seen from the hallway, but the
hue and cry was up, and he knew he
must be taken. 1t was only a cues
ton Of seconds. He huddled in his
chair.
"Penrod Schofeld!' cried Mrs. Lora
Rewbush angrily.
The distracted boy rose, and as he
liz