Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-01-04

seph long ago.
IF you can find him to give 1t tor
Aunt Harriet suggested. Nobody
knows where he goes when he gets
the way he did this afternoon when
we were discussing 1t all with him.
only hope he'll be back tonight"
HE can't stay away forever" Aunt
Fanny remarked. THAT garage is
charging him five dollars an hour for
the automobile he's in, and surely even
Joseph win decide there's limit to
wildness some timel"
II don't care when he comes back,
Herbert's father declared grimiy.
whenever he does he's got to take
that printing press back--and Herbert
will be let out of the house long
enough to carry it over. His mother
or win go with him."
Herbert bore much more than this I;
he had seated himself on the third
step of the stairway In the hall, and
maintained as much logged silence as
he could. Once, however, they got a
yelp of anguish out of him. 1t was
when Cousin Virginia said:
''oh, Herbert, Herbertl How could
you make up that terrible falsehood
about Mr.. Crum7 And, think OF 1t (;
right on the same page with your
cousin Florence's pure little poemi"
Herbert uttered some sounds, totally
lncoherent but loud, and expressive Of
supreme revulsion The shocked
audience readily understood that he
liked neither Cousin virglnia's chiding
nor Cousin Florence's poem.
/ "Shamei" said his father.
4 Herbert controlled himself. II
could be seen that his spirit was not
broken, even when Aunt Fanny
nOHrned, shaking her head at him,
smiling ruefully:
"oh. If boys could only be girlsp
/ Herbert just looked at her.
1.-THE worst thing" said his father
-"that is, If there's any part Of II
/ that's worse than another-the worst
thing about II is this about Noble
Din"
4 "Wlrat about that poor thingf"
Aunt Harriet asked eve haven't
/ heard.
'Nhy, | walked up from downtown
with old man DILL" said Mr.. Atwater,
''and the Din family are all very much
worried. II seems that Noble started
downtown after lunch. as usual, and
pretty soon he came back to the house
and he had copy Of this awful paper
that little Florence had given him
"who gave II to hlm?' Aunt Fanny
asked. "Whof"
little Florence"
"Whs, that's curious" Cousin Virgf-
MIA murmured II must telephone and
! ask her mother about that"
The breeding Herbert looked up.
and there WAS CLEAN In his dogged
eye: but he said nothing
$50 on" Aunt Harriet urged. -What
did Noble dor"
"why, his mother said he just went
up to his room and changed his shoes
and tie
IL thought So" Aunt Fanny whis-
pered hurriedly, but solemnly.
Crazy"
"And then" Mr.. Atwater continued.
''he left the house. and she supposed
he'd gone down TO the Office: but she
was uneasy. and telephoned his IA.
Their. Noble hadn't come. He didn't
come, all afternoon, and he didn't go
back 20 the house; and they tele-
I phoned around to every place he could
90. that they know of-and they
i couldn't find him or hear anything
about him." Mr.. Atwater coughed, and
paused.
| "But what" Aunt Harriet cried,
"what do they thinks become of himr'
"Old man DIN said they we're all
pretty anxious" said Mr.. Atwater.
They're afraid Noble has--disap-
peared."
! Aunt Fanny screamed.
Then, In perfect accord, they all
| turned to look at Herbert, who rose
and would have retired upstairs had
he been able.
To be continued
/