Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 295, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1915 — Suspicious Acts [ARTICLE]

Suspicious Acts

“Why/David!" "Huh?" remarked the individual addressed, continuing his labors. "Why, David!" his mother repeated, somewhat anxiously. “Whatever is the matter? You washed up before dinner —why on earth are you doing it over again?" Through the enveloping lather the boy's complexion showed a bright pink. But, then, sunburn is pink, naturally. “Oh, I dunno,” he said gruffly. “Can’t a fellow be clean? You’re always fussing at me because I ain’t clean enough!" Stricken dumb by the spectacle of her son’s not only enduring but actually seeking, soap and water, his mother wavered onward from the open bath-room door. On David’s bed lay his newest blue negligee shirt and a handful of ties.

"Wh-wh-why, David!" she was about to stammer again, and then thought better of it. Retiring to her room, she sat down and gazed, still anxiously, through the open door. From the bathroom she could hear the sound of a shoe polisher vigorously wielded. David’s mother put one bewildered hand to her head. Only the other day she and David had conducted a debate on the subject, “Resolved, That shining one’s shoes is a totally unnecessary, foppish and annoying habit to be shunned by all really manly, sensible persons." Datid, reaching the front porch at last, glittered. He resembled the most valeted of matinee heroes. There was a new band on his straw hat and the fragrance of his mother’s most expensive perfume was wafted from him. From the upper pocket of his coat a blue-edged handkerchief, matching his shirt, peeped jauntily. His socks matched the handkerchief. “Say!” exploded his older brother, after a breathless survey of the glory that was David, “those are my socks you have on! What the deuce—” "Aw,” David interrupted, hastily sidling down the steps. “I won’t hurt ’em none!” "Where’re you going, David?” cried his mother, half rising. David was at the gate. * “David!” roared his father, awake to the situation. David vanished completely from sight. "Well, what do you know about that?" gasped David’s perturbed lyDavid walked rapidly till he was two blocks away. Then he paused and with an extra handerchief from his trousers pocket carefully dusted his shoes. With still another handkerchief he wiped his steaming brow and the inside of his collar. Shaking his shoulders straight, he marched on. His gate became slower. Four blocks away he picked up and progressed rapidly, eyes straight ahead, but at the end of the block he turned and slowly walked back. Once his feet faltered a bit and his head half turned toward a large stone house. Then he hurried on. Reaching the other end of the block, he about faced and walked back again. At the edge before the stone house David paused and examined the foliage carefully. He broke off a twig and bit it, frowning. Yes, the wood was green—the hedge was alive. He looked toward the house and then bolted down the street. There had been signs of people on the large veranda. At the corner David dusted his shoes again and again essayed the stone house. He actually turned in at the walk and advanced five feet, then suddenly pausing, pretending he had heard a hall from the street, quavered, “Oh, hullo, Bill!" and bolted outsjde the hedge again. Finally David, appearing from behind the hedge shot down the walk toward the house. He wavered a bit from side to side. His head was held high and he. breathed hard. The perspiration stood on his brow and his hands were clutched into hard balls. He almost fell against the screen door. "Wh-why, it’s David!” some one said from inside. “G’ evening’,” David gasped in a hoarse vojce. “I came—is Sis-Sis* Cecilia at home?” "I’m so sorry, David,” said the young lady’s mother. “But she’s gone riding this evening with her sister!" "Aw, never mind!” David gulped and streaked it back down the walk. "Now, young man," said his father when David appeared home, "what’s the meaning of all this? Where have you been and what—” "Ow, I ain’t been anywhere!” David growled gloomily. "I jus’ took a walk. Honest! And you can have your darned old socks, Alex—they ain’t so much, anyhpw!—l’m going to bed!".