Evening star., 1917-06-03


thing rare and sacred. to be acclaimed
and pedestaled. In fact, the very first
thing that Schoneld and Williams did
was to find a box and a chair for him
to sit on.
The misgivings stirred in Roderick's
bosom by the subsequent activities Of
the firm were not bothersome enough to
make him forego his prominence as ex-
hibit A. He was not a "quick-minded"
boy and 1t was long (and much happen
ed) before he thoroughly comprehended
the causes Of his new celebrity. He
had a shadowy feeling that II the affair
were heard Of at home it might not be
liked, but. intoxicated by the glamour
and hustle which surrounds a public
character. he made no protest On tho
contrary, he entered wholeheartedly
into the preparations for the new show.
Assuming, with Sans assistance, blue
the painting of new poster, which.
supplanting the old one on the wall of
the stable, screamed bloody murder at
the passers in that rather populous
thoroughfare.
SCHoFiELD & WILLIAMS
NEW BIG Show
RoDERIck MAGsWoRTH BITS JR
ONLY LIVING NEPHEW
RENA MAGSwORTH
THE FAMOS
MUDERESS GOING To BE
HUNG
NEXT JULY killed EIGHT PEOPLE
PUT ARSiNECK IN THEIR MILK ALSO
SHERMAN HERMAN AND vERMAN
THE MICHIGAN RATS DOG PART
ALLIGATOR DUKE THE GENUINE
Indian Dog ADMISSION I CENT OR
MISS THIS CHANSE TO SEE ROD
ERiCK
ONLY LIVING NEPHEW Of RENA
MAGSWoRTH THE GREAT FAMOS
MUDERESS
GOING To BE
Prosperity smiled again. The very
first audience after the acquisition OF
Roderick was larger than the largest
Of the morning. Mr.. Bitts-the only
exhibit placed upon q box-was a
supercurio. All eyes fastened upon
him and remained, hungrily feasting.
throughout Penrod's luminous oration.
cash-paying adult, a spectacled young
man, whose poignant attention was
very fattering. He remained after the
lecture, and put few questions to
confusedly upon promptings from Pen
rod. The young man went away with
out having stated the object of his
interrogations, but it became quite
plain later in the day. This same OBJ
ject caused the spectacled young man
to make several brief but unsatisfac-
tory calls directly after leaving the
Schoheld & Williams Big Show, and
the consequences thereof loitered not
by the wayside.
only was the auditorium filled and
throbbing: there was an indubitable
line-by no means wholly juvenile
waiting for admission to the next puff
formance. A group stood in the street
examining the poster earnestly. and
ne0nIo In aut0nnhjIes and other We,
hicles had halted wheel in the street
to read the message 80 piQuantly given
to the world. These were the condi-
tions when a crested victoria arrived
nificent and highly flushed woman de-
scended, and progressed across the
yard with an air Of violence.
At sight of her the adults of the
waiting line hastily disappeared. and
most Of the pausing vehicles moved
instantly on their way. She was fol-
lowed by a stricken man In livery.
The stairs to the auditorium were
narrow and steep. and Mrs. Roderick
Magsworth Bits was a stout favor;
ing the ascent.
"Re-mem-ber, gentilmun and lay
deeze. each and all are now gazing
upon Roderick Magsworth Bits, Junior
Rena Magsworth. She stuck ars-nic
In the milk of eight separate and dis
tinct people to put in their coffee and
each and all Of 'em died. The great
arsenic murderess. Rena Magsworth
gentilmun and lay-deeze. and Roddy's
her only living nephew. She's a reia-
tive of all the Bits family, but he's
Der one and only living nephew. Re-
mem bur! Next July she's goin' to be
hung. and. each and all, you now see
before you"
Penrod paused abruptly, seeing some
thing before himseif-the august and
awful presence which filled the entry
way.
Before herself Mrs Roderick Mays
worth Bits saw her son-her scion
wearing a mustache and sideburns of
oiue, with plenty Of other colors upon
him variously. and perched upon a box
surrounded by Sherman and verman, the
Michigan rats. the Indian dog Duke, Her
man, and the dog part alligator.
Roddy also saw something before him
self. 1t needed no prophet to read the
eountenanee of the dread apparition in
the entryway. His mouth opened-re-
manned open-then filled to capacity
with calamftous sound of grief not un-
mingled with apprehension.
Penrod's reason staggered under the
crisis. For a horrible moment he saw
Mrs. Roderick Magsworth Bits ap-
preaching like some fatal mountain in