Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-02-22
CHAPTER XIV
Nlckey's Social Ambitions.

10 Mickey. the Maxwells were in ths
8akure of revelation. At his I'M
questionable stage Of boyhood, and be-
sause of their freedom from airs and
g1aces of any kind, he was quick to
notice the difference in type-"some
class to them; not snobs or dudes,
bat the real thing" as he expressed 1t.
His ardent admiration Of Donald, and
Ais alteration of Mrs. Betty, gave him
ambition to find the key to their Sc.
sret, and partake Of it.
He was too shy to speak of ito
his mother last Of all, as is the nature
Of q boy,-and had to rely on an OBJ
servant and respective mind for the
earlier steps in his quest. When Max.
we'll boarded with them, Mickey had
discovered that he was wont to exer-
else with dumb bells each morning be-
fore breakfast. The very keenness Of
his desire to be initiated, held him
silent. A visit to the town library, on
his mothers behalf, CHANGED to bring
his eyes-generally oblivious Of every
thing in the" shape of a book-upon
u
70 instruct in various parlor feats of
physical prowess.
The book was borrowed from the
Hbrarlan,-a little shamefacedly. The
next. morning Mrs. Burke was some
what alarmed at the noise which cane
from Nickey's room, and when there
o1, hn ho, "A
fallen, she could stand it no longer,
and hurried aloft. Mickey stood in the
middle of the floor, clad in swimming
trunks, gripping large weight (pur-
loined from the barn) in either hand,
very red in the face and much out of
breath.
AS the door Unexpectedly opened he
dived for bed and pulled the clothes
under his chin.
Land Sakes" Hepsey breathed, ag.
hast. whats all this about? If there's
. nail loose in the flooring l can lend
you hammer for the asking" and
she examined several jagged dents in
the boards.
"Say ma" urged Mickey in moving
tones. III had pair of dumb bells
Nike Mr.. Maxwell's, l cd hold onto
EN-. I've pretty near smashed my
fset with them things-gosh darn it,
Ae added ruefully, nursing the bruised
member under his clothes.
II guess you can get 'em next time
you go to Martins Junction; but If it 5
exercise you want" his parent remark.
Cd unsympathetically there's plenty
Of kindlin' In the woodshed wants
choppin'."
She retired chuckling to herself, as
she caught glimmer of what was
working in her sons mind.
The reading habit" having been In
sulcated by this lucky find at the Ii
brary. it was not long before Mickey
acquired from the same source yer
table collection of volumes on the
polite arts and crafts-"The Ready
Letter Writer; Manners Maketf
Man; Seven Thousand Errors oi
Speech; Social Culture in the Smart
Bet.' and the like.
Mickey laborously studied from
these authorities how to enter bal
room. how to respond to toast at .
dinner given in ones honor, how tc
propose the health of his, hostess. and
how to apologize for treading on Ia
dy's train.
In the secrecy of his chamber he
put into practice the helpful sugges
tions OF these invaluable manuals. He
bowed to the washstand, begged the
favor of the next dance from the towe
rack, trod on the window shade ant
made the prescribed apology. Then ht
discussed the latest novel at dinner
with distinguished parsonage; ant
having smoked an invisible cigar, in
terspersed with such wit as accord'
with walnuts and wine, after the La
dies had retired, he entered The draw
ing room, exchanged parting ameni
ties with the guests. bade his hostes'
soedi'lnighiIV and agfaeefuI,y Withdrew