Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-02-05
e,UINH HALVES.
A Story for School-Girls Primarily,
and Then the Rest of Folks.
Mary Densel in the Independent.

BARBARA DIuDL WAS NOT 81 plodSdIl-
looking girl There was a frown be-
tween her eyes and the corners CT her
thin lips turned down, instead Of up.
There was sharp ring to her voice and
she had fashion of swapping out her
answers at school.
"Just as if the words were beans and
her mouth a pops gun" said Charts
Temple. cob! it will never do to have
Barb in the Archery Club. A barb at
each end of the arrow. Ha! ha! ha!
We'd be shot, every mothers daugher
of US. Besides. she could never afford
a bow, to say nothing of a costume"
For be it known these young Dianas
all wore green kilt-plaited dresses, with
gilt bands at the throat and wrists, and,
to crown all, jaunty hats cooked up on
one side, with sprays of golden wheat.
Barbara Blunt could never afford such
luxuries. Every one knew that she
had to depend for her books on the
school committee, who really could not
be expected to supply green kilt-plait-
ings and golden wheat So Barbara
was black-balled" by the club. And
what was worse, the secret leaked out
for one sprite of girl turned states
evidence" (if you know what that
neans and frankly informed Barbara
all about it.
Barbara said not word; but the
frown between her eyes grew deeper,
and she took to learning her French
lessons between and o'clock. to the
dismay of the aforesaid sprite.
Because the club practice from to
6, Barb, [ can't study then. And you
know | can never. write out my French
j.ijots alone. Pm sure, Barbie," with a
pathetic sniff, 81 stood up for you, and
told Charts Temple you weren't half as
cross as you looked"
"Humph!" said Barbara. And not
only did she pursue her French idioms
from 4 to 5 every afternoon, but she
worked on her algebra lessons between
5 and 6; SO that the sprite was utterly
left out in the cold, and in no time her
marks at school sank to ze1o.
Barb smiled grimly when she saw
that. But she did not smile when,
every day the Archery Club went mer-
rily by, with bows and arrows; nor yet
when she heard how Charts Temple,
who Barbara knew had voted against
her, Won culver on score Of twenty
two with three arrows.
But she shan't get the prize in alge-
bra, not if can help it." murmured
Barbara, fieroelv. And day by day she
shut herselfup to dig out the answers to
problems which seemed to come to
Charts by magic.
Everything 'came easy" to happy,
handsome, healthy Charts. She rowed
we'll, she could walk five miles without
being tired, she shared the highest
schooEhonOrs, she was a prime favorite
with all the girls, and now here she was
president of the Archery Club and the
best shot" beside.
Can you understand how ugly, Ill
clad, ploddipg Barbara envied her, and
how her face grew hard as she found
that, in spite of all her efforts, her rival
managed to stand even with her in al
zebra. now the term was drawing to a
close ?''
They'll have to cut the prize in two,
Barb" laughed Charts. ooh! well, Pm
sure I'll condescend to go halves with
you"
'Condescend =" repeated Barbara
TO herself, bitterly
But Charts had only been in Jest.
She mad no idea that Barbara was ready
to beat swords points with her. Since
the day Barb had been black balled.
Charts had thought no more about it,
1t never ntered her head that Barba "a
would care very much any way. Cl arts
had always been "on the top of the
wave" She did not know how it felt to
be underneath, with the bitter salt wa
ter in eyes and mouth.
give not lost ali chance yet" thought
Barb. There's one more week of
school, and if we do get as far as page
It's, there's tremendously hard cues
ton about a greyhound. You best not
sing till you're sure of your notes, Miss
Charts Temple
So Barbara plodded on. Her head
began to ache, SO eager was she. She
sat up at night to work: she rose in the
early morning and was at it again.
And now there was only one more
lesson. 1t was Barbara's last chance to |
put herself a mark in advance of
Charts
Now, this very afternoon the mem
bers ofthe Archery Club were in great
flutter, for they had been hidden at !
o'clock to a lawn-party at Col. Yer
milye's, just across the bay. They |
were to 60 in small government
steamer. There was to be music by the
regimental band and dancing on the
green after the shooting; and rumor
stated that the colonel had been seen at
a jewelers. store, looking at gold
locket, with tiny turquoise arrow on
the corner. What did that mean?
Here was mystery Here was excite
ment
Il wish Mrs. Vermilye had waited
ill next week." complained Sally
French. "Then it would be vacation.
Have you learned to-morrow's lesson,
Charlse
mo, I haven't" answered Charts,
brlskly. 81 can look it over when we
get home from the party. | don't be- /
lieve there's anything very hard about
it,"
barbara Riupf yyaS tap6ipo poar |