“You can give me the membership card,” he said laughing.
Recognizing him the president shook him by the hand.
“Well, I have been wondering what luck you had in swearing.”
“Oh, I had luck. Only got licked seven times.”
“Got licked, and by whom?”
“Well, you would think the whole house fell on top of me. Father said, send that boy down to you at once, but mother licked me until I saw stars. I’ll never swear again in our home. She stopped it. She said she never heard such terrible swearing and when I said I learned it of her, I got the seventh licking. Gee, but I was sore for a week. Mother told me the first thing this morning to come after that card.”
“What did you do when you first went home?”
“Oh, I threw those seven swear words right at her, and, from the very beginning. She looked at me several times. I backed up, and when she asked me a question, I let fly the worst word, then I had to run.”
“What did your father say?”
“He only said, ‘didn’t I tell you that some day that boy would disgrace us, now it’s up to you to straighten it out,’ and when they knew I told you why the card was sent back, that changed everything. I’ve been down here four times, father made me go.”