The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-04-22
- 80
Once in Every
Boys Life
80 I 4

y
ton, and donned the necktie which
his cruel parent had insisted upon as
part of his school attire. For some
obscure reason the small boy had de-
cided to wear no cravat whatever
that day, and had given in merely to
force.
He surveyed stonily this incompre-
hensible woman who could go cheer
fully on sticking pins into her hair
after her outrageous treatment of her
offspring. She even looked as tho
she were smiling!
Il wanta know something" he
burst out haughtily. standing very
straight.
"Well?" inquired his parent, po-
ntely. Yes, she was--she actually
had a smile on her face, the sort that
one wears when things are all right
and nothing tragic has happened!
81 wanta know" he proceeded cold
ly, whether when boy goes away
from home--N he has to have an aw-
full lot of money" There! Now there
would be an end to that infuriatingly
cheerful expression!
He was q trifle taken back when
she failed to shrek and clasp him to
her bosom. 'eH'm?" she asked, turn
ing. two long hairpins between her
lips. She surveyed him just as tho he
might have been the boy across the
street!
"Why, yes! / think 1t might take
quite lot of money! There would
be things to buy. you know-to eat
And he'd have to pay for place to
sleep-Oh, is 1t yourself you're
thinking about, Donald?"
"Yes!" he exploded the bomb at
her fair and square. She actually
went on doing things to her hair as.
tho he had not spoken. Il don't
think" he stated distinctly, that
you'll see me any more. l dcn'I
think Ill come back here againl"
"Oh!" said his parent, Seriously
turning around and abandoning hei
coiffure. well, that's sort of a SUI
prisel Where are you going2'
He glowed at her darby. "OA,
know of placeI" he said distantly
"They don't care II you wear col
lars or neckties or nothin'I MAJ be ]
won't even write you and your won
der and wonder where ami"
"Oh. suppose | might think about
it now and them" his parent told
him, calmly. "But Of course if you'd
rather go somewhere else wouldn't
have you stay here for worlds Only
it's pretty bad weather and wouldn't
try to go very far If / were you!"
"Mebbe I'll fall in creek and
drown to DEATH" he surmised hope
fully. II guess you'd be sorry then!
Mebbe they'd never find me and peo-
pie would say, oh, Mrs. White!
Whatever could have become of DON
aid! Don't you feel dreadful not to
know what has happened to him or
where he isY Then / guess you'd
wish you hadn't"
You'll want to take some clean
clothes to change into" his mother
interrupted practically. Don't for
get YOUR uduuhClCulclpp clthVFt A4nF "
you can get them in that little school
suitcase"
He kicked one heel against his
other foot and sweiled with wrath, 1t
was awful to find out such heartless
things about your own mother.
"TlI bet you'll be sorry" he insist
ed, when l don't come back any
more. bet you will"
ooh, no doubt" she said cordially.
But I'll simply have to stand it. If
you've made up your mind there's
not bit of use Of my saying any
thing, is there?"
mo" he admitted firmly. I'm
just going a !. ~ anu you can't stop
me. | just won't stay in a place like
this. And / don't care for my hand
kerchiefs or nothing"
He stalked to the spot where stood
his bank and began shaking out the
pennies and nickels valiantly. She did
not try to stop him by orders or per
suasion. Once when coin struck she
even handed oyer to him her silver
button hook with the advice to try
that. Why, she acted as tho she ac-
tually was trying to speed up his
preparations He jingled the money
into his pocket, stalked out and re-
turned In his cap and overcoat. For
a moment he stood In the door.
Good -bye," be said in what he
meant to be q loud and defiant
voice, but which somehow wasn't.
Goodbye, Donald" bis mother
said, just as tho he were Mrs. Jones
from downstairs or the laundress.
ITS too bad you're going because
we're to have dumplings for dinner
tonight And creamed potatoes"
"Huh?" the small boy asked. TAX
ing one step forward. Not really!
They wouldn't be so mean as to have
those two pet dishes on the very
night he ran away forever. He hest
tated.
WELL" he said at last, frostily,
"mebbe won't go today. Mebbe I'll
mt II off. guess I'll come home