The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-12-27
By BOOTH HARRINGTON
Copyright, 1917 Wheeler Syndicate Inc.)

s4Sted street. That is, the street was
asserted so far as Penrod was con-
xeTned. Here and there people were
10 be seen upon the sidewalks, but
they were adults, and they and the
shade trees had about the same quality
81 significance in PenrOd's conscious
mess. Usually he saw grown people
An the mass, which is to say, they were
aSFtUally invisible TO him, though ex-
xeptiOns must be taken in favor of
R0licemen, iremen, street-car conduc-
asFS, motOrmen and all other men IN
any sort of uniform or regalia. But
ibis afternoon none OF these met the
rowing eye, and Penrod set, out upon
Ak3 homeward way wholly dependent
Bpon his own resources.
To one of Periods inner texture,
Kaere unadorned walk from one point
10 another was. intolerable, and he
had not gone a block without achiev-
ing some slight remedy for the tame
ReSs of life. An electric-light pole at
ahe corner, invested with powers OF
observation, might have been surprised
10 find itself suddenly enacting role
a& dubious honor in imprOvised melo-
Drama. Penrod, approaching, gave
she pole a look of sharp suspicion,
ahen one of convictions; slapped it
Nightly ind contemptuously with his
epen hand; passed on few PAGES,
aut turned abruptly and, pointing his
right forefnger, uttered the symbolic
word, "Bing"
The plot was somewhat indefinite;
yet nothing is more certain than that
The electric-Hght pole had first at
tempted something against him, then
growing bitter when Slappt I, and
stealing after him to take him each
arOusIy in the back, had got itsel shot
dhrough and through by one too old
in such warfare to be caught off his
guard.
Leaving the body TO lie where it
was, he placed the smoking pistol in
% holster at his saddlebQw-he had de-
eided that he was mOUnted-and pro-
eeeded UP the street. At intervals he
9ndulged himself in other encounters,
refining in at first suspicion of ambush
with muttered, ''Whoa, Charlie!" or
"Whoa, Mixer or even whoa, Wash
sngton!'' for preoccupation with the
enemy outweighed attention to the de-
halls of theatrical consistency, though
abe steed's varying. names were at
beast tremendously masculine, since
boy. in these creative moments, never
rides mare. And having brought
Charlie or Mike or Washington to
gt&adsti,l, Penfod would draw the sure
weapon from it's holster and-"Bing
Bing! Bing pet them have it.
Early childhood is not fastidious
about the accessories of it's drama
a cane is wildly a gun which may in
stantly, as wildly, become a horse;
but at Periods time of life the lath
sword is no longer satisfactory. In
deed, he now had a vague sense that
weapons of wood were unworthy to
she point of being contemplate and
ridiculous, and he employed them only
when he was alone and unseen. For
months yearning had grown more and
more poignant in his vitalS, and this
yearning was Symbolized by one OF
his most profound secrets. In the in
ner pockets of his jacket he carried
bit of wood whitfield into the distant
likeness of q pistol, but not even Sam
williams had seen it. The wooden pis-
TOD never knew the light of day, save
when Penrod was in solitude; and yet
it never left his side except at night,
when it was placed under his pillow.
Still, it did not satisfy; it was but the
Eokcn of his yearning and his dream.
With all his might and main Penrod
Ionged for one thing beyond all others.
He wanted Real Pistol!
He passed from the sidewalk into
his OWN yard with subdued Bling"
ERflicted upon the stolid person of a
satepost, and entering the house
through the Kitchen, ceased to bling for
q time. However, driven back from
ahe fore part of the house by dismal
sound of callers, he returned to the
Kitchen and sat down.
"Della." he said to the cook, ''do you
know what I'd do if you was a crook
and | had my Ottomatic with me?"
pied. IF was :" she repeated
ignorantly, and with no cordiality.
''Wch, l am cook. I'm a-cookin'
right ROW. Either g'wan in the house
where y'blong, or git out in tn yard :"
Penrod chose the latter and beto0k
himself slowly to the back fence,
where he was greeted in 4 boisterous
manner by his wistful little old dog,
Duke, returning from some affair Of
his own down in the alley.
= "Get down." said Penrod coldly
aaskbeStowed a spiritleSs "Bingw upon
aim.
AT this moment Il shout was heard
ssom the alley, "Yay, Penrod!" and the
sandy head of conrad Sam Williams
appeared above the fence.
1Eome on over" said Penrod.
' As Sam obediently climbed the fence.
sae little old dog, Duke, moved slowly
AWAY, but presently. slancing over his
SAogldcr and seeing the two boys
SHADING together, lie broke into a trot
Ezsi disappeared round corner of the
house. He was a dog OF long and en-
tightening experience: and he ceade
Il clear that the conjunction c: -:enrod
sad Sam portended evept: ,eSlfch, from
llis point of view. n.iSnt be unfortu-
Rzte. Duke haa forgiving disros;i-
tien, but he alec possessed Il melau-
cbalS wisdom. IN the company of
uSsSsnr penrod pr Salr- alDnp affec-