Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-08-10

there that could
"No; they amt. You better
T expect not then," said Penrod
quickly.
"You better expect not Didn't
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 ad-
vance, whereupon Penrod timidly Of
fered a diversion:
"Say, Rupe. got box of rats In our
stable under a glass cover, 30 you can
watch 'em jump around when you
hammer on the box. Come on and
look at 'em."
"All right" said the fat faced boy,
slightly notified well let Dan kill
EN-"
"No, 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"
"Yes, but WON'T
what won't your Rupe became
sinister Immediately. 1T 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
practieed "up ut the Third" and some
times also by young leading men upon
the stage.
Frowning 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
juxtapostion.
"Well, all right" said Penrod, swal-
lowing. II 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, Ruper he cried enthusias-
tically, as he climbed the fence. well
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 grufness:
"Any man that's maxim hunderd
dollars a month Is maxim good money
"What7" asked Mr.. schofeld, staring,
for the previous conversation had con,
| cerned the illness Of an infant relative
in Council Bluffs.
| "Any man that's maxim hunderd
dollars a month Is maxim good money
what is he talking aboutT Marga-
ret appealed to the invisible.
"Well," said Penrod, frowning, that's
what foremen at the ladder works get "
"How In the world do you known
asked his mother.
"Well, l know 1t. A hunderd dollars
a month is good money, tell you'll!
"Well, what Of it?" said the father,
impatiently.
"Nothin'. 1 only said 1t was good
money"
Mr.. Schofleld shook his head, dismiss.
ing the subject; and here he made
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 a boy makes his first
remark in new key.
"Good money!" repeated Margaret
curiously. what Is good money!
Penrod turned upon her a stern
glance. "say, wouldn't you be just as
happy II you had some sense"
"Penrod! shouted his father. But
Penrod's mother gazed with dismay at
her son; he had never before spoken
like that to his sister.
Mrs. Schofeld might have been more
dismayed than she was II she had re-
allied that 1t was the beginning Of an
epoch. After dinner Penrod was
slightly scalded In the back as re-
suit Of telling Della, the cook, that
there was a wart on the middle finger
Of her right hand. Della thus proving
poor material for his new manner to
work upon, he approached Duke in the
back yard, and, bending double, seized
the lowly animal by the forepaws.
II let you know my names Penrod
Schofeld," hissed the boy. he pro-
truded his underlip ferociously, scowl-
ed and thrust forward his head until
his nose touched the dogs. "And you
better look out when Penrod Scho.
fields around. or you'll get in big
trouble! You understan' that, Dor
The next day, and the next the In,
creasing change in Penrod puzzled and
distressed his family, who had no idea
of its source. How might they guess
that hero worship takes such formsi
They Were vaguely conscious that q
rather shabby boy, not Of the neigh
borhood, came to play" with Penrod
several times. but they failed to con-
meet this circumstance with the pc.
culiar behavior Of the son Of the house
whose ideals (his father remarked)
seemed to have suddenly become
identical with those Of Gyp the Blood
CHAPTER XIV.
The imltator.
~ r. EANWHILE, for Penrod him
| m self, "hfe had taken on new
V meaning, new richness" He
had become fighting man
In conversation at least. "Do you want
to know how / do when they try to
slip up on me from behindy he asked
Della. And he enacted for her un.
appreciative eye scene Of fistic ma
neuvers wherein he held an imaginary
antagonist helpless In net Of strata.
gems.
Frequently, when he was alone, be
would outwit and pummel this same
enemy, and, after cunning feint
land a dolorous stroke full upon face
Of air. "Therel guess you'll know
better next time. That's the way we
do up at the Thirdw