The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-12-11
,ss.ssls,
He Went Calling

carefully. Breathlessly he watched
the contortions of his older brother.
aged il, who was engaged in adjust
ing a neckte.
oLo, kid" said the elder, abstract
eddy.
Hello!" said the very little boy.
settling back, delighted that he APP
parently was 10 be allowed to stay.
you're going out, aren't you,
Ned?"
! "Uh-huh," agreed the other, twist
ing at his refractory tie.
"You-youre going to call on a girl,
aren't yoa?" breathlessly yentured the
small boy. Gee! It's great to be bis
/ enough to go calling! Why-why did
they laugh at you at dinner?"
The elder scowled. Jaw they're just
nuts!" he said fiercely. They think
they're funny, that's ALL"
"Do you think they're funny?" in
uuired the small boy, with interest.
His brother whirled on him, but calm
ed before the innocent gaze that met
him. He laughed negligently as he
I picked up the hairbrush.
81 don't pay any attention to them"
he said scornfully. why should /? A
"a man has to overlook foolish pee
pie and foolish things!"
'Is dad foolish?" asked the small
boy, supposedly. "He laughed When
Bert was teasing"
"The ideal" said the elder hotly.
Bert teasing me! AS tho he could say
anything that amounted to anything!
Why l don't have any moro use for
Bert's opinions than-than that!"
The small bop blinked at the snap
of the fingers you're awful brave,
aren't you, Neddie?" he asked admir-
ingly. q don't suppose you'd be afraid
of-of a lion, now, would your"
mo" said the elder, in gretifed
tones. "Not mel" Bring on your
lioni"
'.Then why" persisted the small
boy, "did Bert say he bet your knees
would knock together when yoG ask
ed for Alice? Is Alice worse than
lion? Is"
See here!" broke in the other. with
a seowl. You've got to be respect
full to older people! You must say
Miss Bimson instead of being SO fresh
and using her first name!"
"All right" said the small boy hur-
riedly. q didn't know Al-Miss Bim-
son was grown up! She swings in
Tommy Bimson's swing sometimes
You didn't tell me whether dad was
foolish, too"
Don't be silly" said the elder, s.
gerely.
"All right" said the little boy,
quickly. 1T doesn't scare you to call
on Al-Miss Bimson, does it, Neddie?"
Suppose you cut out that tNeddie!"
ordered the other. ITS time this
family remembered my name is Ed
ward. OF course it doesn't scare me-!
It's perfectly simple thing to call on
a girl and"
"How do you do it?" asked the
small boy, with interest. The other
IduSueu CO0uGSCDuQlQ$lys
my, you're just a kid, aren't your"
he commented. "Why, you walk up the
steps and ring the bell and ask if Miss
Bimson is in-and you so in. That's
ALL"
"Then what?"
The young man with the necFtio
stared at his own reflection. "Why, -
he said slowly, you, you Just talk!
Gee! I wonder girls are SO queer.
You can't always tell what they like
to talk about, and a pause is fierce.
Harold says there always comes an
awful pause when you try to talk to a
girl, and you want to jump thru the
window"
"Are you going to jump thru the
Window" excitedly asked the small
boy. His brother recalled his pres
ence with a jump. "No!" he said
grizzly. Certainly not! Don't be fool
ish! Calling on. a girl is nothing to a
grown man! It's perfectly sinple!"
Il wish l was grown up" said the
little boy, admiringly. 'Why did you
get so red when they laughed at you,
Ned Edward?"
The other coughed. 'You just imag-
ined it," he said. "I wasn't paying
any attention to theml Bert thinks
he's SO smart. He forgets I'm man!
I'll have to knock his head off some
day, just to show himi"
Really" asked the small boy, aw-
ed.
Sure" said his brother, hereely.
"I'll show him! ="
Haven't you gone YETI" inquired
Bert, himself sticking his head inside
the door. you'd better hurry, son!
Little girls like Alice have to go to
beddy-by-by early, you know!"
"Aw!" growled Edward, whirling on
his heel so that his indignant back
greeted the tormentor.
aren't getting cold feet?" came
the falsely sympathetic inquiry.
cav, you!" choked the 17year-
old r.
why" broke in breathlessly the
very little boy from the chair edge.