Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-06-22


envy at Duke, his wistful dog.
A bitter soul dominated the va
rious curved and angular surfaces
known by a careless world as the face
of Penrod Schofeld. Except In soil
tude, that face was almost always
cryptic and 'emotionless. for PenrOd
had come into his twelfth year wear
Ing an expression carefully trained to
be inScrutable. Since the world was
sure to misunderstood everything,
mere defensive instinct prompted him
to give it as little rs possible to lay
hold upon. Nothing Is more impene-
trable than the face of boy who has
learned this, and Penrod's was habitu-
ally as fathomleSs as the depth Of his
hatred this morning for the literary
activities of Mrs. Lora RewbuSh, an
almost universally respected fellow
citizen, lady Of charitable and poetic
inclinations and one Of his own moth
ers most intimate friends.
Mrs. Lora RewbuSh had written
something which she called "The
Children's Pageant Of the Table
Round" and it was to be performed
in public that very afternoon at the
Women's Arts and Guild hall for the
benefit of the Colored Infants Better
ment society. And if any flavor of
sweetness remained in the nature of
Penrod Schofield after the dismal
trials Of the school week just past,
that problematic, infnftesimal rem
nant was made pungent acid by the
imminence Of his destiny to form q
prominent feature of the spectacle and
to declaim the loathsOme sentiments
Of character named upon the pro-
gram the Child Sir LancelOt.
After each rehearsal he had plotted
escape, and only ten days earlier there
had been a glimmer Of light Mrs.
Lora Rewbush caught very bad cold,
and 1t was hoped It might develop into
pneumonia, but she recovered so quick
ly that not even rehearsal OF the
Childrens Pageant was postponed.
Darkness closed in. Penrod had rather
vaguely debated plans for self mutt
lation such ass would make his ap-
pearance as the Child Sir Lancelot in
expedient on public grounds. 1t was
a heroic and attractive thought, but
the results Of some extremely sketchy
preliminary experiments caused him
to abandon 1t.
There was no escape, and at last his
hour was hard upon him. Therefore
he brooded on the fence and gazed
with envy at his wistful Duke.
The dogs name was undescriptive
of his person, which was obviously
the result of singular series OF mes
alliances. He wore grizzled mus
tache and indefinite whiskers. He
was small and shabby and looked like
an old postman. Penrod envied Duke
because he was sure Duke would new.
er be compelled to be a Child Sir
Lancelot. He thought dog free and
unshackled to 60 or come as the wind
listeth. Penrod forgot the life he led
Duke.
There was long soliloquy upon the
fence, a plaintive monologue without
words. The boys thoughts were ad-
jectives. but they were expressed by
q running Aim of pictures in his mind's
Eve, morbidly prophetic of the hideosi-
ties before him. Finally he spoke
aloud, with such spleen that Duke rose
from his launches and lifted one ear
In keen anxiety.
"I hight Sir Lancelot du Lake. the child.
Gentul hearted. meek and mild.
What though I'm but littul child.
| Gentul hearted, meek and Oof!"
All of this except "oor' was quota
ton from the Child Sir Lancelot, as
conceived by Mrs. Lora Rewbush.
Choking upon it, Penrod slid down
| from the fence, and with slow and
thoughtful steps entered one storied
wing Of the stable, consisting OF SIN
gle apartment, floored with cement
and used as a storeroom for broken
brio. .a-brac, old paint buckets, decayed
garden hose, wornout carpets, deao
furniture and other condemned odds
and ends not yet considered hopeless
enough to be given away.
In one corner stood large box, q
part of the building itself; 1t was eight
feet high and open at the top. ana II
had been constructed as sawdust
magazine from which was drawn ma
terial for the horses bed In q stall on
the other side Of the partition. The
big box, 20 high and towerlike, 20 com
modious, so suggestive. had ceased to
fulfll Its legitimate function. though
providentially 1t had been at least hall
fun Of sawdust when the horse died
Two years had gone by since that pass
ing, an interregnum in transportation
during which Psnrod's father wai
~thinking.' (hs s1plainsd lan4kimA1l q