Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 305, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1916 — Not a Mollycoddle [ARTICLE]

Not a Mollycoddle

Ferris entered t lie house with a look of disgust on his face. "Will you kind- !*, tell tpe,” he demanded of his wife, "what kind of a mollycoddle we’re bringing up?” “I will if I can,” responded Mrs. rerris amiably. "If you can?” exploded .Ferris. “Can? Well, when a boy gets to be 10 years old and still plays with dolls and his mother doesn’t know that he’s a mollycoddle!” Ferris paused drama! ieally. “I suppose you didn’t know, and won’t care when you do know, that your son Chester, is out in the back yard wheeling Catherine’s doll up and down In the doll carriage." Mrs. Ferris laughed. "I rather like to have him play with Catherine and her dolls,” she replied. "It keeps him out of mischief.” "Mischief!" snorted Ferris. "1 don’t think you need to worry about his getting into mischief. A fellow that plays with dolls at his age!” From his tone oue* would have that getting into mischief was the thing of all others that Ferris desired his Bmall son to do. Mrs. Ferris laughed again when her husband, coming home rather early the next afternoon, found Chester in the kitchen busily ironing the doll’.* clothes. He looked up with a smile at Lis indignant parent. "Come here and look at Miss Polly's dress, dad," he urged. “It’s all hand I made it myself. And it’s all brad ironed,” he added, with a mischievous chuckle. Thereupon Ferris once more sought out his wife and declared emphatically that the boy must not be allowed to. do such things. “Really, dear,” said Mrs. Ferris, dropping a smile into the darning she•vas doing, ‘I know Chester is different from other boys, but he isn’t ire tbe least effeminate. He does odd things because he wants to do'*them. Wait.” Even Mrs. Ferris was willing to admit that Chester’s independence had taken a strange turn when, shortly afterward, Ferris found his son sitting cn the front porch trimming an old bat of his* mothers. “By George!" Ferris bellowed. "I’ll send him to a military schbol or out west to learn to be a cowboy, or—orto jail. Anywhere to teach him to quit: Euch baby nonsense.” It was at this moment that Ches»ter’s parents watching from the window, saw the leader and a member of the "gang” appear at tbe corner. When the nature of Chester’s occupation was revealed to them they made a bee line for the Ferris residence. “Lookit, lookit!” they shouted. “Come on over fellows and watch the sissy boy. He’s trimming a hat!” From all poiftts of the compass the "gang" came at the call. They stood cn the sidewalk and jeered the mil--liner.

“Sissy boy, sissy boy!” they cried;, insultingly. “Mamma’s baby boy makes hats and doll dresses. Give hiim a bottle of milk. Get him an animal: cracker. Sissy boy, sissy boy.” Chester calmly put the finishing: touch on a bow that £e was working: upon. “Some bow, fellers, huh?” he ln--culred pleasantly. “I’m going to put itt on the crown.” Which he did. Then ho placed the hat gently upon his head. “Some hat, fellows, huh?’* he asked, sweetly. v "‘ ? Chester’s calm tones seemed to act as a damper upon the gang. They watched him In silence while he tied the ribbon strings underneath his chin. “Now,” he said, when this was done •.nd for the first time there was a hint of belligerancy in his voice, “does any- - body want to call me a sissy boy?” There was a. pause. Then, “Sissy • boy, sissy boy!” came rather faintly' from the center of the crowd. Chester descended the steps In at dignified way until he reached the . hettom. Then he-made a sudden and! skillful dive that landed him in the: center of the group. There waß a startled yelp, much like that given by m puppy when suddenly attacked. 1 Chester emerged from the encounter with the hat still on hie headi His ;riumphant carriage was In sharp contrast to that of his foe, who. was now traveling rapidly in the- direction of his own home. Anybody else" want ?ome?” the conqueror inquired lyThere was an awkward pause. Then the erstwhile leader of the gang spoke. "Aw, what’s the use of scrappin*?" he asked. “Come on, Ches, lea' os go and play football in the lot.” Still decorated with his millinerycreation, Chester led the procession, Ferris gave a low whistle. "Well,”’ he said, T believe after all we don’tr need to be in such a rush to sen,d that; kid to a military school."