.VXJSS-.1 ...
Page 6
OREGON CITY ENTERPRISE FRIDAY. DECEMBER 28, 1917
Bingism And Its Cure
Proves a Thriller for Penrod and Sam While It Lasts
By BOOTH TARKINGTON
(Copyright 117, Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.)
Penrod Schofleld, having been "kerf
In" for the unjust period of twenty
minutes after school, emerged to a de
serted afreet. That Is, the street was
deserted so far as Penrod was con
cerned. Here and there people were
to be seen upon the sidewalks, but
they were adults, and they and the
shade trees had about the same quality
of significance In Penrod's conscious
ness. Usually he saw grown people
In the mass, which Is to say, they were
virtually Invisible to hliti. though ex
ceptions must be taken In favor of
policemen, firemen, street-car conduc
tors, motormen and all other men in
any sort of uniform or regalia. But
this afternoon none of these met the
roving eye, and Penrod set out upon
his homeward way wholly dependent
upon his own resources.
To one of Penrod's inner texture, a
mere unadorned walk from one point
to another was Intolerable, and he
had not gone a block without achiev
ing some slight remedy for the tame
ness of life. An eloctrlc-light pole at
the corner. Invested with powers of
observation, might have been surprised
to find Itself suddenly enacting a role
of dubious honor In Improvised melo
drama. Penrod, approaching, gave
the pole look of sharp suspicion,
then one of conviction; slapped it
lightly and contemptuously with his
open hand; passed on a few paces,
but turned abruptly and, pointing his
right forefinger, uttered the symbolic
word, "Blng!"
Early childhood is not fastidious
about the accessories of its drama
a cane is vividly a gun which may In
stantly, as vividly, become a horse;
but at Penrod's time of life the lath
sword Is no longer satisfactory. In
deed, he now had a vague sense that
weapons of wood were unworthy to
the point of being contemptible and
ridiculous, and he employed theni only
when he was alone and unseen. For
months a yearning had grown more and
more poignant in his vitals, and this
yearning was symbolized by one of
his most profound secrets. In the In
ner pockets' of his Jacket he carried a
bit of wood whittled into the distant
likeness of a pistol, but not even Sam
Williams had seen It. The wooden pis
tol never knew the light of day, save
when Penrod was In solitude ; and yet
It never left his side except at night,
when it was placed under his pillow.
Still, It did not satisfy ; It was but the
token of his yearning and his dream.
With all his might and main Penrod
longed for one thing beyond all others.
He wanted a Real Pistol !
At this moment a shout was heard
from the alley, "Yay, Fenrod !" and the
sandy head of comrad Sam Williams
appeared nbove the fence.
"Come on over," said Penrod.
As Sam obediently clltubed the fence,
the little old dog, Duke, moved slowly
away, but presently, glancing over his
shoulder and seeing the two boys
standing together, he broke into a trot
and disappeared round a corner of the
house. He was a dog of long and en
lightening experience; and he made
it clear that the conjunction of Penrod
and Sam portended events which, from
his point of view, might be unfortu
nate. Duke bad a forgiving disposi
tion, but he also possessed a melan
choly wisdom. In the company of
either Fenrod or Sain, alone, affec
tion often caused him to linger, albeit
. with a little pessimism, but when he
saw them together, he invariably with
drew In as unobtrusive a manner as
haste would allow.
"What you doin'?" Sam asked.
"Nothin'. What you?"
"I'll show you if you'll come over to
our house," said Sam, who was wear
ing an Important and secretive expres
sion. "What for?" Penrod showed little In
terest "Well, I said I'd show you if you
came on over, didn't I?"
"But you haven't got anything I
haven't got," said Penrod Indifferent
ly. "I know everything that's la your
yard and in your stable, nnd there
isn't a thing"
"I didn't say it was In the yard or
in the stable, did I?"
"Well, there ain't anything in your
house," returned Penrod frankly,
"that I'd walk two feet to look at
not a thing!"
"Oh, no !" Sam assumed mockery.
"Oh, no, you wouldn't ! You know
what it Is, don't you? Yes, you do!"
Penrod's curiosity stirred somewhat.
"Well, all right," he said. "I got
nothin' to do. 1 just as soon go. What
Is It?"
"You wait and see," said Sam, as
they climbed the fence. "I bet your ole
eyes'll open pretty far In about a min
ute or so I"
"I bet they don't. It takes a good
deal to get me excited, unless It's
sumpthlng mighty "
"You'll see!" Sain promised.
He opened an alley gate and stepped
into his own yard in a manner signal
ing cnution though the exploit, thus
fur, certainly required none and Pen
rod began to be impressed and hope
ful. They entered the house, silently,
encountering no one, and Sum led the
way upstairs, tiptoeing. Implying un
usual and Increasing peril. Turning, In
the upper hull, they went into Sam's
father's bedroom, and Sam closed the
door with a caution so genuine that al-
NEW SUIT IS FILED
Two divorce decrees were entered
in the circuit court Thursday. Olein
M. Ulshoeffer was granted a decree
from her husband .Claire Ulshoeffer
ready Penrod's e yes began to fulfill Ms
host's prediction. Adventures lu an
other boy's house are trying to the
nerves; and another boy's father's bed
room, when Invaded, has a violated
snnotltj thRt Is rlmost appalling. lv
rod felt that something was about to
happen something much more Import
ant than he had anticipated.
Sam tiptoed across the room to a
chest of drapers, and, kneeling, care
fully pulled out the lowest drawer un
til the surface of Its conteuts Mr.
Williams" winter underwear lay ex
posed. Then he fumbled beneath the
garments and drew forth a large ob
ject, displaying It triumphantly to the
satisfactorily dumfounded reurod.
It was a hlue-steel Colt's revolver,
of the heaviest pattern made In the
seventies. Mr. Williams had Inherited
It from Sam's grandfather (a small
man, a deacon, a dyspeptic) and It was
larger and more horrible than any re
volver either of the boys had ever seen
In any picture, moving or stationary.
Moreover, greenish bullets of great
site were to be seen In the chambers
of the cylinder, suggesting massacre
rather than mere murder. This revol
ver was real and It was loaded !
Both boys lived breathlessly through
a magnificent moment.
"Leave me have It !" gasped Penrod.
"Leave me have hold of It !"
"You wait a minute!" Sam protest
ed, In a whisper. "I want to show you
how I do."
"No; you let me show you how 1
do!" Penrod Insisted; and they scuffled
for possession.
"Look out I" Sam whispered warn
lngly. "It might go off."
"Then you better leave me have It I"
And Penrod victorious and flushed,
stepped back, the weapon In his grasp.
"Here." he said, "this is the way I do:
Tou be a crook ; and suppose you got
a dagger, and I "
"I don't want any dagger," Sam pro
tested, advancing. "I want that re
volver. It's my father's revolaver,
ain't Itr
"Well, wait a minute, can't you? I
got a right to show yon the way I do,
first, haven't I?" Penrod began an im
provisation on the spot. "Say I'm corn
In along after dark like this look.
Sam ! And say you try to make a
Jump at me "
"I won't .'" Sam declined this role
Impatiently. "I guess It ain't your fath
er's revolaver, Is It?"
"Well, it may be your father's but
it ain't yours." Penrod argued, becom
ing logical. "It ain't either's of us re
volaver. so I got as much right "
"You haven't either. It's my fath "
"Watch, can't you Just a minute!"
Penrod urged vehemently. "I'm not
goln to keep It, am I? You can have
It when I get through, can't you?
Here's how I do: I'm comln' along af
ter dark. Just walkin' along this way
like this look, Sam !"
Penrod, suiting the action to the
wrrd. walked to the other end of the
room, swinging the revolver at his side
with affected carelessness.
"I'm just walkin' along like this, and
first I don't see you." continued the ac
tor. "Then I kind of get a notion
sumpthlng wrong's liable to happen, so
I No!" He interrupted himself nb-
, nyitly. "No: that isn't it. You wouldn't
notice that I had my srond !e revolaver
' with me. You wouldn't think I had
I one, because it'd be under my rout like
I this, and you wouldn't see it." Pen
rod stuck the muzzle of the pistol Into
the waistband of h!s knickerbockers
' at the left side and, bid toning his Jack
et, sustained the weapon In conceal
ment by pressure of his elbow. "So
you think I haven't got any; you think
I'm Just a man comin' along, and so
you "
Sam advanced. "Well, you've had
your turn." be said. "Now, it's mine.
I'm goln' to show you how I "
"Watch me, can't you?" Penrod
wailed. "I haven't showed you how I
do, have I? My goodness ! Can't you
watch rue a minute?"
"I have been ! You said yourself lt'd
be my turn soon as you "
"My goodness ! Let me have n
chance, can't you?" Penrod retreated
to the wall, turning his right side to
ward Sain and keeping the revolver
still protected under bis coat. "I got
to have my turn first, haven't I?"
"Well, yours is over long ago."
"Jt isn't either! I"
"Anyway." said Sam decidedly,
clutching him by the right shoulder
and endeavoring to reach his left side
"anyway. I'm goin' to have it now."
"You said I could have my turn
out !" Penrod, carried away by indig
nation, raised his voice.
"I did not!" Sam. likewise lost to
caution, asserted his denial loudly.
"You did. too."
"You saiil "
"I never said anything !"
"You said Q lit that !"
"Boys!" Mrs. Williams. Sam's moth
er, opened the door of the room and
stood upon the threshold. The scuf
fling of Sinn and Penrod ceased in
stantly, and they stood hushed and
stricken, while fear fell upon them.
"Iioys, you weren't quarreling, were
you?"
"Ma'am r" said Sam.
"Were you quarreling with Penrod?"
"No, ma'am," answered Sam In a
small voice.
and the custody of three minor chil
dren. Winnie Johnson was granted
matrimonial freedom and one-third in
terest in the real property of the de
fendant together with a lien on her
husbands real estate for taxes person
ally paid by Mrs. Johnson for the
years 1912 to 1918 inclusive. Mrs.
Johnson was given her maiden name,
Wrinnie Beckman.
Casper J. H, Wilson filed suit in the
circuit court against Mannie Holmes
Wilson on grounds of cruel and in
human treatment. The couple were
married In Clatskanie in 1905. Plain
tiff accuses his wife of uaing vile and
"R aounded like It. What was the
matter?"
Both boys returned her curious
glance with meekness. They were sum
moning their faculties which wera
needed. Indeed, these are the crises
which prepare a boy for the business
difficulties of his later life. Penrod,
with the huge weapon beneath his
lacket. Insecurely supported by an el
tow and by a waistband which he In
stantly began to distrust, experienced
distressful sensations similar to those
of the owner of tin heavily lusured
property carrying a gasoline can under
his overcoat and detained for eonver
atlon by a policeman. And if in the
coming years, It was to be Penrod's lot
to find himself in that precise situa
tion, no doubt he would be the better
prepared for It on account of this pres
ent afternoon's experience under the
scalding eye of Mrs. Williams. It
should be added that Mrs. Williams'
eye was awful to the Imagination only.
It was a geutle eye and but mildly
curious, having no remote suspicion
of the dreadful truth, for Sara had
backed uihhi the chest of drawers and
closed the damnatory open one with
the calves of his legs.
Sam, not bearing the fatal evidence
upon his person, was In a better state
than Penrod, though wheu hoys fall
Into the stillness now assumed by
these two, It should be understood that
they are suffering. Penrod, in fact,
was the prey to apprehension so keen
that the actual pit of his stomach was
cold.
Being the actual custodian of the
crime, he understood that his case was
several degrees more serious than that
of Sam, who, in the event of detection,
would be convicted as only an acces
sory. It was a lesson, and Penrod al
ready repented his selfishness In not
allowing Sam to show how he did, first.
"You're sure you weren't quarrel
ing, Sam?" said Mrs. Williams.
"No, ma'am ; we were Just talking."
"I'm glad you weren't quarreling,"
said Mrs. Williams, reassured by this
reply, which though somewhat baf
fling, was thoroughly familiar to her
ear. "Now, If you'll come downstairs.
I'll give you each one cookie and no
more, so your appetites won't be spoil
ed for your dinners."
She stood, evidently expecting them
to precede her. To linger might renew
vague suspicion, causing It to become
1 1
"I Can't Pull the Trigger,"
more definite; and boys preserve them
selves from moment to moment, not of
ten attempting to secure the future.
Consequently, the apprehensive Sam
and the unfortunate Penrod (with the
monstrous implement bulking against
his rilis) walked out of the room and
down the stairs, their countenances In
dicating an Interior condition of sol
emnity. And a curious shade of be
havior might have here Interested a
criminologist. Penrod endeavored to
keep as close to Sam as possible, like
a lonely person seeking company,
while, ou the other hand, Sam kept
moving away from Penrod, seeming to
desire an appearance of aloofness.
"Go into the library. Iioys." said Mrs.
Williams, as the three reached the foot
of the stairs. "I'll bring you your
cookies. Papa's in there."
Under her eye the two entered the
library, to find Mr. Williams reading
bis evening paper, lie looked lift pleas
antly, but it seemed to l'eurod that he
had an ominous and penetrating ex
pression. "What have you been up to, you
boys?" inquired this enemy.
"Nothing," said Sam. "IilfTorcnt
.ilngs."
"What like?"
"Oh Just different things."
Mr. Williams nodded; then his
glance rested (usually upon Penrod.
"What's the matter with your arm,
Penrod?"
Penrod became paler, and Sam with
drew from him almost conspicuously.
"Sir?"
"I said, What's the matter with your
arm?"
"Which one?" Penrod quavered.
"Your left. You seem to be holding
it in an unnatural position. Have you
hurt it?"
Penrod swallowed. "Yes, sir. A boy
bit me I mean u dog a dog bit me."
opprobrious names in describing him,
and further alleges that on repeated
occasions she made It plain that hIio
did not care for him.
GRANTED DIVORCE
Lelah G. Iiaty was grafited a divorce
from Leslie M. Baty, together wlth
$30.00 per month alimony, in the cir
cuit court Monday, and along with
other judicial Christmas packages
Elsie A. Shadburn obtained a decree
and her maiden name, Elsie A. Dailey,
in her divorce complaint against Harry
K. Shadburn,
Mr. Williams murmured sympatheti
cally: "That's too bad! Where did
he bite you?"
"On the right on the elbow
"Hood gracious ! perhaps you ought
to have It cauterised." '
"Sir?"
"Hid you have a doctor look at It?"
"No, sir. My mother put some stuff
from the drug store on It."
"Oh, I see. Probably It's all right,
then."
"Yes, sir. Penrod drew breath more
freely, and accepted the warm cookie
Mrs. Williams brought him. lie ale
it without relish.
"Was it your own dog that bit you?"
Mr. Williams Inquired,
"Sir? No, r!r. It wasn't Puke."
"Penrod!" Mrs, Williams exclaimed.
"When did It happen?"
"I don't remember Just when," he
answered feebly, "t rucss It was day
before yesterday."
"tiraclous! H,nv did it"
She was Interrupted by the entrance
of a middle-aged colored woman. "Mil
Williams," she began, and then, as she
caught sight of Penrod, she addressed
him directly, "You ma telefoam If you
here, send you home right away, 'cause
they walttn' dinner on you."
"Bun along, then," said Mrs. Wil
liams, patting the visitor lightly upon
his shoulder; and she accompanied hint
to the front door. "Tell your mother
I'm so sorry about your celling bitten,
and you must take go.nl care of It,
Penrod."
"Yes'm."
Penrod lingered helplessly outside
the doorway, looking at Sam, who
stood p;irtlt:lly obscuivd In the hull,
behind Mrs. Williams. IVnriHl's eyes,
with a veiled anguish, conveyed a
pleading fo help as well as a horror
of the position in which he found him
self. Sam, however, pale and deter
mined, senied to have assumed a
stony attitude of detachment, as If It
were well understood between them
that his own comparative Innocence
was established, and that whatever
catastrophe ensued. Penrod had
brought it on and must hear the brunt
of It alone.
"Well, you'd better run along, since
they're waiting for you at home," said
Mrs. Williams, closing (he door. "C.ood
night, Fenrod."
. . . Ten minutes later Penrod took
his place at his own dimi r table, some-
Said 8am Indistinctly.
what breathless but with an expression
of perfect composure.
"Can't you ever come borne without
being telephoned for?" demanded his
father.
"Yes, ir." And Penrod added re
proachfully, placing the blame upon
members of Mr. Schoficld's own class,
"Sam's mother and father kept me, or
I'd been home long ago. They would
keep ou talkin', and I guess I bad to
be polite, didn't I?"
His left arm was us free as bis right ;
there was no dreadful bulk benealh
his jacket, and at Penrod's ago the fu
ture is too far away to be worried
about. The difference between tempo
rary security and permanent security
is left for grown people. To Penrod,
security was security, and before his
dinner was half eaten his spirit had
become fairly serene.
Nevertheless, when he entered the
empty carringo-lniuse of the stable, on
his return from school the next aflcr
noon, his expression was not altogether
without apprehension., and he stood in
the doorway looking well about him
before he lifted a loosened plank in
the flooring and took from beneath It
the grand old weapon of the Williams
family. Nor did his eye lighten with
liny pleasurable excitement lis he sat
himself dow n in a shadowy corner and
began some sketchy experiments with
tin; mechanism. The allure of first
sight was gone. In Mr. Williams' bed
chamber, with Sam clamoring for pos
session, it had seemed to Penrod that
nothing In-tlie world was so desirable
as to have that revolver In bis own
hands It was his dream come true.
Put, for reasons not definitely known
to him, tin! charm hud departed; he
turned the cylinder gingerly, almost
with distaste; and slowly Here stole
over him a feeling that there was
When Sheriff Wilson and local offi
cers intercepted Jack Mclntyre as he
wended his way from the Southern Pa
something repellent and threatening In
the heavy Hue steel.
Thus doe the long divnitieTI real
misbehave -not only for Penrod!
Hioro out of a sense of duty (o blng
sin lu general than for any other rea
son, he pointed (ho revolver at the
lawn-mower, nud gloomily murmured,
"Blng!"
Simultaneously, a low ami cautious
voice sounded from Iho yard outside,
"Yay, Penrod!" and Sam Williams
darkened (be doorway, his eye falling
Instantly upon the weapon In his
friend's hand, Sam seemed relieved to
see It,
"You didn't get caught with It, did
you?" he said hastily.
Penrod shook his head, rising,
"1 guess not ! I guess t got some
brains around inc." he added, Inspired
by Sam's presence to assume a slight
swagger. "They'd have to get up pret
ty early to find any good oh' revolaver,
once 1 got my hands on It I"
"I guess we can Seep It, all right,"
Sam said confidentially. "Because this
morning pupa was putting on his win
ter underclothes mid lie found It wasn't
there, and they looked all over and ev
erywhere, and he was pretty mad, ami
said he knew It was (hose cheap plumb
ers stole It that mamma got Instead of
the regular plumbers he always used to
have, and he said (here wasn't any
chance ever gettlu' It buck, because
you couldn't tell which one took It.
and they'd all swear It wasn't them.
So It looks like we could keep It for
our revolaver, Penrod, don't It? I'll
give you half of It,"
Penrod affected some enthusiasm.
"Sam' we'll keep It out here lu the
stable."
"Yes, and we'll go hunt In' with It.
We'll do lots of things with It!" But
Sam made no effort to take It, and
neither boy seemed to feel yesterday's
necessity to show the other how ho
did. "Walt till next Fourth o July!"
Sam continued. "Oh, oh! Lookout!"
This Invited a genuine spark from
Fenrod.
"Fourth o' July! I guess she'll be a
little better than any firecrackers I Just
a little 'Blng! Blng! Blng!' she'll be
goln". 'Blntf! Blng! Blng!'"
The suggestion of noise stirred bis
comrade. "I'll bet she'll go off louder'n
that time the gas-works tdew up! I
wouldn't be afraid to shoot her ofT any
time."
"I bet you would," said Penrod. "You
aren't used to revolaver the way I "
"You aren't, either!" Sam exclaimed
promptly. "I wouldn't be any more
afraid to shoot her off than you would."
"You would, too!"
"I would not !"
"Well, let's see you (hen; you talk
so much !" And Penrod handed the
weapon scornfully to Sum, who at once
became lows self-assertive.
"I'd shoot her off In a minute," Sam
said, "only It might break sumpthlng If
It hit It."
"Hold her up III the air. then. It
can't hurt the roof, can li?"
Sam, with a desperate expression,
lifted the revolver al arm's length.
Both hoys turned away (heir heads,
and Penrod put his fingers In his cars
but nothing happened. "What's the
matter?" he demanded. "Why don't
you go on If you're goln to?"
Sam lowered his arm. "I guess I
didn't have her cocked," he said apolo
getically, whereupon Penrod loudly
Jeered.
"Tryln to shoot a revolaver and
didn't know enough to cock her! If I
didn't know any more about revolaver
than that, I'd"
"There!" Sam exclaimed, managing
to draw buck the hummer until two
chilling clicks warranted his opinion
that the pistol was now ready to per
form Its otlice. "I guess she'll do all
right to suit you this time!"
"Well, w by'n't you go ahead, then;
you know so much!" And as Sam
raised his arm. penrod again turned
away his head and placed his forefing
ers In his ears.
A pause followed.
"Why'ti't you go ahead?"
Penrod. after waiting lu keen sus
pense, turned lo behold his friend
standing with his right arm above his
head, his left hand over his left ear,
and both eyes closed.
"I can't pull the trigger," said Sum
Indistinctly, his face convulsed as In
sympathy with the great muscular ef
forts of other parts of his body. "She
won't pull !"
i
"Sin- won't?" Penrod remarked with
scorn. "I'll bet I could pull her."
Sam promptly opi ned his eyes and
handed the weapon to Penrod.
"All right," he said, with surprising
and unusual mildness. "You try her,
then."
Inwardly discomfited to a disagree
able extent, Penrod attempted to talk
his own misgivings out of counten
ance. "Poor 'ittle baby!" he said, swinging
the pistol at his side with u fair pre
tense of careless case. "Ain't even
strong enough to pull a trigger! Poor
'Ittle baby ! Well, If you can't even do
that much, you better watch me while
1-"
"Well," said Sam reasonably, "why
don't you go on and do It tbenV"
"Well, I am going to, ain't I?"
"Well, then, why don't you?"
"Oh, I'll do It fast enough to suit ym,
I guess," Penrod retorted swinging (he
big revolver up a little higher than his
shoulder and pointing It in the direc
tion of the double doors, which opened
upon the alley. "You belter run, Sum,"
he Jeered. "You'll be pretty seared
when I shoot her off, I guess."
"Well, why don't you see If 1 will? I
bet you're afraid yourself."
"Oh, I am, am I?" said Penrod, In a
reckless voice and his linger touched
the trigger. It seemed to him that his
finger no more t tin n touched It ; perhaps
he had been reassured by Sam's asser
tion that the trigger was dlflicult. Il's
cific station Christmas eve, they
spoiled a perfectly good booze party
scheduled for Christmas day among
the loggers near West Port, Oregon.
Following his arrest and putting up
ball for his appearance here Friday,
Mclntyre confessed to the officers that
he had made the trip to Reno at the
instance of his fellow loggers, to bring
back proper nourishment for Christ
mas day. He had in all about 30 quarts
of whiskey in his suit case, including
a 3-gallon demijohn. Had Mclntyre
carried out his plans he would have
arrived at t(he logging camp early
Christmas, morning.
Intentions must remain lu doubt, and
probably Fenrod himself was not cer
tain of them; but one thing comes to
the surface as entirely definite that
trigger was not so hard to pull as Sam
said It was.
Bang! Wh it a ink, A shuttering re
port split the alt' of Iho stable, and
there was an orifice of remarkable di
ameter In the alley door. With these
phenomena, three yells, expressing ex
citement of ill ITi rent kinds, were al
most simultaneous -two from within
the stable and Hie third from a point
In the alley about eleven Inches lower
than the orifice Jus) constructed lu
the planking of the door. This third
point, roughly speaking, was the open
mouth of a gayly dressed young color
ed man whose attention, as he strolled,
had been thus violently distracted front
some mental computations he was
making lu numbers, Including, particu
larly, those symbols of ecstasy or woe,
as the case might be, seven and eleven.
Ills eye at once perceived the orifice
on a line euervallngly little above the
top of his head; and, although he bnd
not supposed himself so well known In
Ibis neighborhood, he was aware that
he did, here and there, possess ac
quaintances of whom some such un
complimentary action might be expect
ed as natural and characteristic. Ills
Immediate procedure was to prostrate
himself flat Upon the ground, against
the stable doors.
In so doing, his shoulders came
brusquely In contact with one of thm,
which happened to be unfastened, and
It swung open, revealing to Ills gaxe
two stark-white white hoys, one of
theni holding an enormous pistol and
both staring at him In stupor of ulti
mate horror. For, to the glassy eyes
of Penrod and Sam, the stratagem of
the young colored man, (bus dropping
to earth, disclosed, with awful certain
ty, a slaughtered body.
This dreadful thing raised Itself up
on Its elbows nnd looked at I hem, and J
there followed a motionless moment
a tableau or brier duration, tor botn
hoys turned and would have fled,
shrieking, but the body spoke:
" 'At' a nice business !" It stiWI re
proachfully. "Nice business! Tryln'
blow a man's head off !"
Penrod was unable lo speak, toil
Sam managed to summon the tremu
lous semblance of a voice,
"Where where did It bit you?" be
gasped.
"Nemtulne anything 'bout where It
hit me," the young colored man return
ed. dusting hi breast ami knees as he
rose. "I want to know what klne o'
white boy you think you Is man
can't walk 'long street 'ihout you blow
In' his head off!" lie entered the sta
ble and, with an Indignation surely
Justified, look the pistol from the limp,
odd hand of I'enrod, "Whose gun you
playln' willi? Where you git 'at gun?"
"It's our," quavered Snm. "It be
longs to us."
"Then you' pa ought to be 'rested,"
said the young colored man. "Leldn'
boys play with gun!" lie examined
(he revolver with an IntcreM in which
there began to appear symptoms of a
pleasurable appreciation. "My goo'
ties! (inn like 'Is blow a team o'
steer thew ifhrlck house! Look at 'at
gun!" With hi right hand be twirled
It In a maimer most dexterous and sur
prising; then suddenly lie became se
vere. "YoU white hoy, listen me!" he
said, "llf I went an did what I ought
to did. I'd march straight out 'Iss sta
ble, git a policeman, wi' tell him 'rest
you an' take you off to Jail. 'Al's what
you need blow In' man's hcndoffl
Listen me: I'm goln' take 'iss gun tin'
th'ow her away where you can't do no
mo' harm with lo r. I'm goln' take her
way off In the woods an' th'ow her
away where can't nobody fine her tin'
go blowln' man's head off with her.
'At' what I'm goln' do!" And placing
the revolver Inside his coat as Incon
spicuously as possible, he proceeded to
the open door and Into the alley, where
he turned for a final word. "I let you
off 'Iss one time," he said, "but listen
me you listen, w hite boy : yo bet' not
tell you' pa. I aln' goln' tell him, an'
you aln' goln' tell him. lie want know
where gun gone, you tell him you lo'
her."
He disappeared rapidly.
Sam Williams, swallowing continu
ously, presently walked to the alley
door, and remarked In a weak voice,
"I'm sick at my stummlck." lie paused,
then added more decidedly: "I'm goln'
home. I guess I've stood about enough
around here for one day!" And be
stowing a last glance upon his friend,
who was now silting dumbly upon the
floor In the exact spot where be had
stood to fire the dreadful shot, Sam
moved slowly away.
The early shades of autumn evening
were failing when I'enrod emerged
from the stable; and a better light
might have disclosed lo ti shrewd eye
some Indications that here was a boy
who had been extremely, If temporar-.
Ily, III. He went to Hie cistern, and,
after a caullous glance round the re
assuring horizon, lifted the Iron cover.
Then he took from the Inner pockei of
his Jacket an object which he dropped
listlessly Into the water: It was n bit
of wood, whittled to the likeness of a
pistol. And though Ills lips moved not,
nor any sound Issued from his vocal
organs, yet were words formed. They
were so deep lu the person of I'enrod
they came almost from the slowly con
valescing profundities of his stomach.
These words concerned firearms, and
they were:
"Wish I'd never seen one! Never
want to see one again!"
Of course Penrod had no way of
knowing that, as regards blnglHin In
general, several of the most distin
guished old gentlemen lu lllurope were
at that very moment lu exactly the
same state of mind.
FORECLOSURE 8UIT FILED.
Henry Lulton has started foreclos
ure proceedings against Charles
Schauff and John Schauff, on a note
and mortgage in the sum of $1100
given by the defendants In December,
1916. The real property involved con
sists of 19 acres in flection 32, town
ship 2 south, range 1 east.
VANCOVEB, Wash., Doc. 25. Miss
Mabel Nolaon, agod 20, of Oregon City,
and Carl Hold, aged 24, of Portland,
obtained a marriage license here Monday;
El
PHOICNIX. Aril. Dec. S6,--Ta su
premo court today Kent ml (Imirgn W.
P, Hunt. Democrat, as governor of Art
mum. The decision of the court sitting
en bane on contest proceeding Insti
tuted by Hunt against tlio election of
Thomas Campbell, ami appnale.it from
the lower court, was unanimous,
I ho supreme court's opinion ends a
contest which begun In November,
lUttl, when Thomas Campbell, Ucpub
llean, was declared elected on official
returns by the margin of SO votes,
The controversy over tha election
developed Into one of the most bitter
political contest In thn history of Ari
zona. Hunt icfiiHiul to aurrendnr his
office, to Campbell until ordered to do
o by (he supremo court, thus delay
ing Campbell's actual occupancy of the
state rapltol and the executive man
sion. Tun Democratic party divided It
self Into Hunt and anil Hunt factions.
When Campbell moved to the capltol
to receive the oath of offlco, thore was
fear by some.' of a violent clanh bit
tween opposing factions,
After Campbell was officially In
duced Into office thn controversy sub
sided Into one In tho courts. Hunt
brought rontest proceeding and lost
In tho lower court of Arlsona, which
decided In Campbell's favor, giving
him a majority of (7 votes, llant ap
pealed from the decision.
Thn snpremn court's decision Is re
garded as automatically seating Hunt
as governor, though It Is to bo as
turned that (he formality of assuming
the new oath of office must ft bo ob
served. CAUSE OF U. S. ARMY
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.-Responsibility
for ordnance and rlflo shortage
in the American was laid on doners!
Crosier, chief of ordnance, today by
Colonel I.tnc Lewis, inventor of the
Lewis machine gun, In testimony be
fore the senate military affairs com
mittee. "(ieneral Crosier Is responsible more
(han any other man for the obsolete
equipment and the lack of any equip
ment of the army," said lewls.
In a dramatic declaration that Amer
ica is not fighting the buttle of the
allies, but (ho battle of America, Lewi
declared that "It's a shnmo and out
rage" that American troops abroad
have to beg artillery from France, "al
ready near bankruptcy and bled
white."
The former West Pointer, who saw
hi machine gun rejected by the Amer
ican war department and accepted a
one of the pet weapons of the allien,
told the committee his gun never re
ceived a fair trial here.
"I'm not here to tell the story of the
Lewis gun In great detail," Colonel
Lewi said. "It's tolling It own atory
today, on every battlefield In Kurope.
Tho only Zeppelins that tho British
have brought down were brought down
by Lewis Runs."
CORVALLIS, Ore., Dec. 25 (Special)-Superintendent
of Schools J. K.
Calavan, of Clackamas County, is to
discuss "Arrangement of County and
State Prize Lists in Club Work" In
tho conferenco for county school su
perlntondents and supervisors which I
to bo held on January 3 and 4, under
tho auspices of Farmers' Week at the
Oregon Agricultural College.
This mooting is to bo held In con
junction wi tho thrift conference. Tho
afternoon of tho first day will be spent
at the thrift eonforenco and a the
college banquet. Tho program of tho
second day will Include, discussions
of other such vital problems as: Val
ue of follow-up work and some plans
for tho same," "Organization of coun
ty club bureaus," "Some club results
of 1917, and plans for 1918." Those
will be deal twlth by tho superintend
ents of tho various counties, L. P.
Harrington and N. C. Marls of tho
State Department of Education, nnd
Director O. I). Center.
STIFF SENTENCES METED OUT.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dee. 25. Ton
years ill a military prison would be the
sentence Imposed hcrealtpr upon "con
nele.nt.loun objectors to the drutt," ac
cording to a d clslnn made here to
day by Major-Ccncral Arthur Murray,
commandliifr tho Weal cm army de
partment, Alfred lllniis Jr., and Will
ford K. Marker, both of Seal lie, Wash.,
who expressed Hcmplcs against draft
Horvice, wo.ro sentcned each to 10
years by on army court mart ial at Fort
Worden, Wash.
WASHINGTON, Doc. 2!.--PubllHhod
reports that tho third Liberty Loan
would bo for $8,000,000,000 at Va par
cont interest, per cont above thn
rates on tho sncond loan, wero denied
today by Secretary McAdoo.
LITTLE ONE8 AND OLD ONES.
James Edwards, 208 Harriet
St.,
Montgomery, Ala., writes: "I eloop all
night and cough but little. I feel like
a new man from using Foley's Honey
and Tar. My whole family lg using it
now the little ones and tho old onos.
It has cured our coughs and broken
our colds." Foley's Honoy and Tar
clears stopped air passages, removes
phlegm, hoals raw inflamod mem-
pranes, soothes sore chest, makes
nroatnwg easy, ana relieves
deep-soatod, racking coughs.
those
i ones
urug. uo. Adv.