Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-01-18

Bingism And Its Cure
froves Thriller for Penrod and Sam While 1t Lasts
By BOOTH HARRINGTON
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright 1871, Wheeler syndcat Incl


In for the unjust period Of twenty
minutes after school, emerged to q de
serted street. That is. the street WIS
deserted so far rs PenrOd was con
cerned. Here and there people were
10 be seen upon the sidewalks, bu,
they were adults, and they and the
shade trees had about the same quality
or significance in Periods conscious
ness. Usually he saw grown people
In the mass. which is to say. they were
virtually invisible to him, though ex-
ceptions must be taken in favor of
pohcemen. firemen, street-car conduc-
'or motOrmcn and all other men In
my sort OF uniform or regalia. But
MS afternoon none OF these met the
WIDE eye. and Penrod set out upon
""Ahomeward way wholly dependent
upon his own resources.
10 one Of Periods inner texture a
mere unadOrned walk from one point
10 another was intolerable. and he
mad not gone a block without achiev-
ing some slight remedy for the tame
ness or life. An electric-light pole at
the corner. invested with powers Of
observation, might have been surprised
to find Itself suddenly enacting a role
OF dubious honor I'm improvised melO-
drama. Penrod, approaching. gave
the pole a look Of sharp suspicion,
then one Of conviction; slapped II
nightly and cOntemptuOusly with his
open hand; passed on few PAGES.
but turned abruptly and. pointing his
right forefinger, uttered the symbolic
word, "Bing!"
The plot was somewhat indefinite;
yet nothing Is more certain than that
the electric-light pole had first at
in '"ainst him. then
growing bitter when slapped. and
stealine amer him 10 lake hIul treach-
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 he
INDUCED himself in other encounters,
refining In at first suspicion Of ambush
with muttered. "Whoa, Charlie" or
whoa. Mike" or even "WhOa, Wash
ingtOn!" for preOccupatiOn with the
enemy Outweighed attention to the de-
tails of theatrical consistency, though
the steed's varying names were at
least tremendously masculine, since q
boy. In these creative moments. never
rides mare. And having brought
Charlie or Mike or Washington to a
Penrod would draw the sure
weapon from its bS.ss, apd-"Bing!
Bling +! Bing ?-lstdhem hssis 4.
Early chIllhcS is nj tastidious
bout the accessories of its dfnma-
! cane is wildly a gun which may in
tantly. as wildly, become horse:
tut at Periods time of life the lath
word is no longer satisfactory. In
Iced. he now had a vague sense that
Weapons of wood were unworthy to
he point Of being contemplate and
idiculous. and he employed them only
When he was alone and unseen. For
months yearning had grown more and
nOre poignant In his vitals, and this
earning was symbolized by one Of
lis most profound secrets. In the in
er pockets. of his jncket he carried
it of wood whitfield into the distant
LIKENESS of Il pistol, but not even Sam
Williams had seen IL. The wooden piS-
oil never knew the light of day, save
ihen Penrod was In solitude; and yet
never left his side except at night.
rhen il was placed under his pillow.
till. ii did not satisfy; Ii was but the
oxen of his yearning and his dream.
With all his might AMI main Penrod
'nged for one thing beyond all others.
lie wanted a Real Pistol,
He passed from the sidewalk into
is own yard. with Subdued Fling"
afflicted upon the stolid person of a
ntepoSt. and. entering The house
Trough the Kitchen. c""Scd >, r'n' fn,.
time. However. driven back from ,
ne fore part of the house by dismal
Dund of callers. he returned ia the i
itchen and sat down. i
"Della." he said To the cook. "do YOU '
now what I'd do if you WAS a crook
nj ! had my ottomatic with me?"
Della was industrious and preoccu- !
led. IF | was cook ;" she repeated .
and with no cordiaIity. i
Well, | am cook. I'm a-cookin' |
CHI now. Either g'wan in the house (
here y'blong. or git out in tn Yard" Il
Penrod chose the latter. and bptook
msclf slowly To the back fence, "
here he was greeted in boiSterous +
amer by his wiStful little old dog. "
ulsr. returning from some affair OF
: OWE down in the alley. II
"Gct down, :" said Pcnrod coldIv {,
~ bestowed spiritlcss "Binc," upon :
IN. l.
NJ this moment Il shout WAS heard n
ON the alley. "lay. Penrod :" and the n
ndy head of conrad Sam Williams W
penrcd above the fence. "i
'Come on over" said Pcnrod Il
AS sam ohedicntly climbed the fence. r.
= little old dog. Duke. moved SLOWLY II
'ay. but presently, glancing over his AT
nuldcr and seeing the two bows ct
indinT together, he broke into Il trot IA
81 disappeared round Il corner Of The %
use. He WAS dog of long and en- II
htenlnG experience; and he made "
clear that The conjunction of penrnd
ii sam nDrtgudt1 ,y,uYS u Li.I fr,,,, y,