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Tarkington, Booth, 1869-1946

"Penrod and Sam"

"
"What store is it in?"
"It's not in any store," said Roddy. "It's at my Uncle
Ethelbert's. He's got this horn and three or four pianos and a
couple o' harps and--"
"Does he keep a music store?"
"No. These harps and pianos and all such are old ones--awful
old."
"Oh," said Sam, "he runs a second-hand store!"
"He does not!" Master Bitts returned angrily. "He doesn't do
anything. He's just got 'em. He's got forty-one guitars."
"Yay!" Sam whooped, and jumped up and down. "Listen to Roddy
Bitts makin' up lies!"
"You look out, Sam Williams!" said Roddy threateningly. "You look
out how you call me names!"
"What name'd I call you?"
"You just the same as said I told lies. That's just as good as
callin' me a liar, isn't it?"
"No," said Sam; "but I got a right to, if I want to. Haven't I,
Penrod?"
"How?" Roddy demanded hotly. "How you got a right to?"
"Because you can't prove what you said."
"Well," said Roddy, "you'd be just as much of one if you can't
prove what I said WASN'T true."
"No, sir! You either got to prove it or be a liar. Isn't that so,
Penrod.


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