Chapter IX. The Debating Club

gohandinhand,withteachersandparentstodirectandexplainthegreatlessonallarethebetterforlearningsoonorlate.Sotheeldershadtogivein,acknowledgingthatthissuddenreadinesstogotoschoolwasacomfort,thatthenewsortofgentleemulationworkedwondersinlazygirlsandboys,andthatwatchingthese“primrosefriendships”bud,blossom,anddiepainlessdeaths,gavealittletouchofromancetotheirownwork-a-daylives. “OnthewholeI'dratherhavemysonswalking,playing,andstudyingwithbright,well-manneredgirls,thanalwaysknockingaboutwithroughboys,”saidMrs.MinotatoneoftheMothers'Meetings,wherethegoodladiesmettotalkovertheirchildren,andhelponeanothertodotheirdutybythem. “IfindthatGusismoregentlewithhissisterssinceJuliettookhiminhand,forhewantstostandwellwithher,andtheyreporthimifhetroublesthem.Ireallyseenoharminthelittlefriendship,thoughIneverhadanysuchwhenIwasagirl,”saidMrs.Burton,whoadoredheroneboyandwashisconfidante. “MyMerryseemstobecontentedwithherbrotherssofar,butIshouldn'twonderifIhadmyhandsfullbyandby,”addedMrs.Grant,whoalreadyforesawthathersweetlittledaughterwouldbesoughtafterassoonassheshouldlengthenherskirtsandturnupherbonnybrownhair. MollyLoohadnomothertosayawordforher,butshesettledmattersforherselfbyholdingfasttoMerry,anddeclaringthatshewouldhavenoescortbutfaithfulBoo. Itisnecessarytodwellamomentuponthisnewamusement,becauseitwasnotpeculiartoHarmonyVillage,butappearseverywhereasnaturallyasthegamepartiesandcroquetwhichhavetakentheplaceofthehuskingfrolicsandapple-beesofoldentimes,anditisimpossibletododgethesubjectifoneattemptstowriteofboysandgirlsastheyreallyarenowadays. “Here,myhero,seehowyoulikethis.Ifitsuits,youwillbereadytomarchassoonasthedoctorgivestheword,”saidRalph,comingintotheBirdRoomthateveningwithaneatlittlecrutchunderhisarm. “Ha,ha,thatlooksfine!I'dliketotryitrightoff,butIwon'ttillIgetleave.Didyoumakeityourself,Ral?”askedJack,handlingitwithdelight,ashesatboltupright,withhislegonarest,forhewasgettingoncapitallynow. “Mostly.Ratheraneatjob,Iflattermyself.” “Ishouldsayso.Whatacleverfellowyouare!Anynewinventionslately?”askedFrank,cominguptoexamineandadmire. “Onlyananti-snoringmachineandanelbow-pad,”answeredRalph,withatwinkleinhiseye,asifremindedofsomethingfunny. “Goon,andtellaboutthem.Ineverheardofananti-snorer.Jackbetterhaveone,”saidFrank,interestedatonce. “Well,aricholdladykeptherfamilyawakewiththatlivelymusic,soshesenttoShirtmanandCodleffforsomethingtostopit.Theythoughtitwasagoodjoke,andtoldmetoseewhatIcoulddo.Ithoughtitover,andgotupthenicestlittleaffairyoueversaw.Itwentoverthemouth,andhadatubetofittheear,sowhentheladysnoredshewokeherselfupandstoppedit.Itsuitedexactly.Ithinkoftakingoutapatent,”concludedRalph,joiningintheboys'laughatthedrollidea. “Whatwasthepad?”askedFrank,returningtothesmallmodelofanenginehewasmaking. “Oh,thatwasameretrifleforamanwhohadatenderelbow-jointandwantedsomethingtoprotectit.Imadealittlepadtofiton,andhiscrazy-bonewassafe.” “Iplannedtohaveyoumakemeanewlegifthisonewasspoilt,”saidJack,surethathisfriendcouldinventanythingunderthesun. “I'ddomybestforyou.Imadeahandforafellowonce,andthatgotmemyplace,youknow,”answeredRalph,whothoughtlittleofsuchmechanicaltrifles,andlongedtobepaintingportraitsormodellingbusts,beinganartistaswellasaninventor. HereGus,Ed,andseveralotherboyscamein,andtheconversationbecamegeneral.Grif,Chick,andBrickbatwerethreeyounggentlemenwhoseownrespectablenameswereusuallyignored,andtheycheerfullyansweredtothesenicknames. Astheclockstruckseven,Frank,whoruledtheclubwitharodofironwhenChairman,tookhisplacebehindthestudytable.Seatsstoodaboutit,andalarge,shabbybooklaybeforeGus,whowasSecretary,andkepttherecordswithalavishexpenditureofink,tojudgebytheblots.Thememberstooktheirseats,andnearlyalltiltedbacktheirchairsandputtheirhandsintheirpockets,tokeepthemoutofmischieffor,aseveryoneknows,itisimpossiblefortwoladstobeneareachotherandrefrainfromticklingorpinching.Frankgavethreerapswithanoldcroquet-malletsetonashorthandle,andwithm