Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-12-13

serted street. That Is. the stree was
deserted 10 far Ms PenrOd was con-
cerned. Here and there people were
to be seen upon the sidewalks. but
they were adults. and they and the
shade trees had about the same quality
Of significance In Penrod's conscious
ness. Usually he saw grown people
In the mass. which is to say, they e
virtually invisible to him, though ex.
cepttons must be taken In favor OF
policemen, fremen, street-car cOnduc-
tors, motOrmen and all other men In
any sort of uniform or regalia. But
this afternoon none of these met the
rowing eye, and Penrod set out upon
his homeward way wholly dependent
fupon his own resources.
To n Of Periods inner texture, a
mere unadorned walk from nj point
to another was intOlerable. and he
had not gone a block without achlev-
ing some slight remedy for the tame
ness Of life. An electrlc-light pole at
the corner, invested with powers Of
observation, might have been surprised
to flnd itself suddenly ~enacting a role
Of dubious honor In ~improvised melO'
drama. Penrod, approaching, gave
the pole a look of sharp suspicion,
then one Of conviction; slapped 1t
lightly and contemptuously with his
open hand: passed on u few PAGES,
but turned abruptly and, pointing his
right forehnger, uttered the symbolic
word. "Bing!"
The plot was somewhat indefinite
yet nothing is more certain than that
the electric.light pole had FIRST at
tempted something against him, then
= growing bitter . when slapped, and
stealing after him to take him treuch'
erously in the back, had got itself shot
through and through by one too old
in such warfare to be caught off his
guard.
Leaving the body to lie where II
was. he placed the smoking pistol In
a holster at his saddlebow--he had de
cided that he was mounted--and pro
ceeded up the street. At intervals ht
INDUCED himself In other encounters
refining in at first suspicion of ambush
with u muttered, whoa. Charlie!" OF
"WhOa, Nike" or wen whoa, Wash
ington !" for preoccupation with tn
enemy outweighcd attention to the de
tails of theatrical consistency, though
the steed's varying names were a
least tremendously masculine, since
boy. in these creative moments, nevel
rides q mare. And having brough
Charlie or Mike or Washington to
standstill, Penrod would draw the sur!
weapon from its holster and--"Bing
Bling! Bling let them have 1t.
Early childhood Is not fustidiou
about the accessories of Its drama
a cane is wildly a gun which may In
stantly, as wildly, become a horse
but at Periods time of life the lat
sword is no longer satisfactory. In
deed, he now had a vague sense tina
weapons Of wood were unworthy t
the point Of being contemplate an
ridiculous, and he employed them onl,
when he was alone and unseen. 70
months a yearning had grown more an
more poignant in his vitals, aud TIL
yearning was symbolized by n Q
his most profound secrets. In the n
ne pockets of his Jacket he carried
bit Of wood Whitfield into the distan
likeness Of a pistol, but not even Sar
Williams had seen II. The wooden pis
toll never knew the light Of day, saw
when Penrod vas in solitude; and ye
It never left his side except at nigh
when 1t was placed under his pillow
Still. 1t did not satisfy; 1t was but tn
token of his yearning and his dream
With all his might and main Pcnro
longed for n thing beyond all other
He wanted a Real Pistol!
He passed from the sidewalk Int
his own yard, with a subdued Bling
inflicted upon the stolid person Of
gatepost, and. entering the hous
through the kitchen, ceased to bling f.
a time. However, driven back frOl
the fore part of the house by a dism'
sound Of callers. he returned to IL
kitchen and sat down.
"Della," he said to the cook, do yC
know what I'd do II you was n croc
and I had my Ottomatlc with mel"
Della was Industrious and preocc'
pied. III / was a cook !" she repeate
%ignorantly. and with no cordialit
"Well, I am a cook. I'm a.cooki
right now. Either g'wan In the houi
where y'b1ong, or GIT out In tn yard
Penrod chose the latter, and betOt
himself slowly to the back fenc
where he was greeted in a boistero,
manner by his wistful little old do
Duke, returning from some affair
his own down In the alley.
"Get down I" said Penrod coldl
and bestowed q spiritless "Bing!" up.
him.
At this moment a shout was hea,
from the alley, "Yay, Penrod!" and Il
sandy head Of conrad Sam william
appeared above the fence.
"Come on over" said Penrod.
Al Sam obedient!y climbed the fent
the little old dog, Duke, moved slow
away, but presently, glancing over !
shoulder and seeing the two bo
standing together. he broke Into q II
and disappeared round a corner Of {
house. lie was . dog Of long. and Z
tightening experience; and he ma
It clear that the conjunction Of Penn
and Sam %portended events which, FRI
his point Of view, might be unfort