Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-12-29
PART Il-contlnued.
10

II don't say we will and I don't
say we won't" Henry added. "That's
the way look at 1t. My father and
mother are always talkin' to me; how
i got to be polite and everything, and
/ guess maybe it's time began TO
pay some 'tention to what they say.
You don't have your father and moth
er for always, you know, Herbert"
Herbert's mood at once chlmed with
this unprecedented flial melancholy.
mo, you don't, Henry. That's what
/ often think about, myself. No, sir,
a fellow doesn't have his father and
mother to advise him our whole life,
and you ought to do a good deal what
they say while they're still alive"
''That's what / say" Henry agreed
gloomily; and then, without any al
teration of his tone or of the detected
thoughtfulness Of his attitude, he
changed the subject in a way that
painfully startled his companion.
"Have you seen Wallie Torbin today,
HerbertT
"Whatl"
"Have you seen Wallie Torbin to-
dayT'
Herbert swallowed. "why, what
makes-what makes you ask me that.
Henry?" he asked.
"Oh, nothln'." Henry still kept his
eyes upon his gloomily scuffing toe
'T just wondered. because 1 didn't
happen to see him in school this after
noon when happened to look in the
door of the Eight-A when It was open.
] didn't want to know on account of
anything particular. / just happened
to say that because I didn't have any
, thing else to think about Just then, so
/ Just happened to think about him,
the way you do when you haven't got
anything much on your mind, and
might get to thinkin' about you can't
tell what. That's all the way 1t was
] just happened to kind of wonder IL
he was around anywhere. maybe"
Henry's tone was obviously, even
elaborately, sincere; and Herbert was
reassured. "Well, l didn't see him."
he responded. Maybe he's sick"
"No, he isn't" his friend said.
"Florence said she saw him chasin'
his dog down the street about noon."
At this Herbert's uneasiness was
uncomfortably renewed. Florence
did? Whered you see Florence?"
Mr.. Rooter swallowed. "a little
while ago" he said, and again swal-
lowed. "On the way home from
school,
"Look-look herew Herbert was
fnrried to the point of panic. Henry
did Florence-did she go and tell
you-did she tell you-Y
81 didn't hardly notice what she
was talkin' about" Henry said. dog
Redly. "She didn't have anything to
say that I'd ever care two cents about.
She came up behind me and walked
along with me ways, but 1 got too
many things on my mind to hardly
nav the least attention to anything
she ever talks about. She's a girl
what think about her the less people
nav any 'tentiOn to what she SAYS the
better off they are"
"That's the way with me, Henry
". Il
never pay any notice to what she
saws. The way ] figure it out about
her, Henry, everybody'd be a good
deal better off If nobody ever paid
the least notice to anything she saws.
| never even notice what she SAYS.
myself"
II don't either" said Henry. "ATl
/ think about is what my father and
mother say, because Pm not goin' to
have their advice all the rest o. my
life, after they're dead. If they want
me to be polite, why, I'll do 1t and
that's all there is about it."
"It's the same way with me, Henry.
If she comes fappin' around here
blattin' and blubbin' how she's goIn' to
have somep'm to do with our news
paper, why, the only reason I'd ever
let her would be because my family
say I ought to show more polIteness
to her than up to now. / wouldn't
do It in any other account, Henry"
Neither would /. That's just the
,ame way look at It, If l ever begin
TO treat her any better, she's got my
father and mother to thank, not me.
That's the only reason I'd be willing
TO say we better leave the plank down
and let her in, If she comes around
lene like she's liable to-"
"Well," said Herbert, "Tm willing.
don't want to get In trouble with the
family"
And they mounted the stairs to
their editorial, reportorlal, and print
irg rooms; and began to work In a