Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-24
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Eccentric Youth


tesISlsSlSSSs1SsSlSIIlI
The older grow said the lady
in the sports skirI with large purple
spots. the more amazed find myself
al the remarkable eccentrielties OF
my children. They appear TO enjoy
such extraordinary thihgs7"
That's exactly the way with my
Arthur" declared the lady in the Itai
ian silk sweater. Now. Arthur"
My Robert" ruthlessly proceeded
the lad, with the purple spots. met
me the day that went down 10 his
high school graduating exercises. he
was with crowd OF lis friends. and
all OF theIn seemed eXtremel.. hilarious
and happy. l never boast about my
own children, but 10 make my point
l must state rish, Eere that Robert is
an exceptionally handsome boy! lie
would be noticed in any crowd"
That's exactly the way with Ar
thur" interrupted the lady in the
silk sweater. His eyes
Robert Is not handsome In mere
ly pretty way" his mother firmly In
sisted. He is going to be distin-
suished and stro. g.looking! So you
can imagine my horror when he met
me with bright green ribbon tied
across his forehead. crossed Ia the
back and dangling over his eass III
front! l. gave him Il sort OF u menag-
erie effect you expected he was going
to hold out his paw and demand pea
nuts! My gracious. cried. what
ever have you this. sort OF arrange
Iaen, on lory Take It Off"
Robert just grinned. and all his
friends grinned. He cant! they
shrieked joyously. He's pledge!
Hes "a pledge to Our society. and he
has to wear it till We tell him to take
1t Off
"'rhe awful thing was that Robert
seemed proud OF his Disagreement He
did rot seem to know how silly he
looked. And those awful. boys were
adamal TO my pleas that he be al
lowed TO take il off during the exer'
cises-I am sure it was because they
were jealous OF Roberts good looks"
80. hat is simply nothing 10 what my
Arthur had to go thru" said the lady
in the silk sweater, the instant the
other paused for breath. You can.
not imagine how embarrassed | was!
Mig. Ringbelt and | were visiting the
school together and you Know how
wonde" tul Mrs. Ringbelt is! They own
three limousines, and she is SO par
ticular about Angelica. her daughter.
Angelica is such sweet girl and will
inherit the Ringbclt fortune some day.
hlrs. Fjngbelt had been saying how
she simply refused TO let Angelica
lave an, thing TO do with the average
boy, because he was so urcouth and
not bit sentlemanly, and ! was tell
ing her how | thought she was en-
tirely li.tht and that the average boy
Mortified me and how had paid es
pccial aitention always to Arthur
manners, and il there ever vas a gen
tlcmanly, courteous boy he was one.
Why, Arthur has wonderful manners.
And Just then we turned into the long
corridor where the lockers are, and
WAT 10 you. suppose | saw? Ny Ar
Et,r 1, .iy ,,tH ii,s. tt+s ....
legged, way up on top of the 10, ,.els,
with oranse-colored donkey ears at
tached to their heads! They were
wigglins their fingers in the silliest
way and chanting something about ii
the ocear were one sea o, beer how
they would love to be little subma.
rnes! And my Arthur never tasted
beer in his life! thought | should
drop thru the floor, but | managed to
call family and ask what. on earth he
was doing. He stopped chanting
long enough to say he was being ini.
tsatcd into something or other, and
then he went right on with his awful
s1Dg!
Arthur" shieked. Stop it, and
come down this minute!'
He actually looked annoyed. He
stopped again and explained that he
couldn't get down til some one came
and helped him. Arthur is rather
plump you know. Wnen ! naturally
inC.l.ol how he got up. they all
stopped chanting and just yelled They
said Toodles and Snaps--dii you ever
hear such frlghtful names Toodles
and Snaps had permanently sprained
backs from hosting Arthur up. and
that nobody dared risk getting him
down. Then they sighed tremendous
J., and said he probably would have to
pass the summer up there, but was
lot to worry because they would
carry him bread and water every day
and then somebody whisted at
them, and then instantly began sway.
Ing and chanting again! never shall
forget Mrs. Ringbelt's plare-that
~ A,,xt> ~ nt,r