The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-07
Barbara Blunt and the Archery
Club.
BY MARY DENsEL.

Barbara Blunt was not pleasant
looking girl. There was frown between
her eyes and the corners of her thin lips
turned down, instead of up. There was
a sharp ring to her voice and she had a
fashion of swapping out her answers at
school.
Z" lust as if the words were beans and
her mouth a pop-gun,' said Charts Tenn
pie. "Ohl it will never do to have Barb
in the Archery Club. A barb at each
end of an arrow Ha ha ha We'd be
shot, every mothers daughter of us.
Besides, she could never afford bow, to
say nothing of costume"
For be it known these young Dianas
all wore green kilt-plaited dresses, with
gilt bands at 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
Injuries. Every one knew that she had
to depend for her books on the school
committee, who really could hardly be
expected to supply green kilt-plaitings
and golden wheat. So Barbara was
black-balled" by the Club. And, what
was worse, the secret leaked out; for one
spIite of girl turned states evidence"
Of you h. wv what that means) and
frankly informed Barbara all about it.
Barbara said not a word but the
frown between her eyes grew deeper, and
she took to learning her French lessons
between four and five clock, to the dis
may of the aforesaid sprite.
Because the Club practice from four
to six, Barb. can study then. And
you know can never write out my
French idiots alone. Ina sure, Barbie,
with pathetic sniff, stood up for you,
and told Charts Temple you weren't hall
so cross as you looked"
"Humphl" said Barbara. And not
- IL did she pursue her French idioms
- Eve every afternoon, but
lessons be-
sprite was
- ..4e cold, and in no
- marks at school sank to zero.
Barb smiled grimly when she saw
that. But she did not smile whens every
day, the Archery Club went merrily by,
with bows and arrows; nor yet when she
heard how Charts Temple, who Barbara
knew had voted against her, won quiv-
er on score of twenty two with three
arrows.
But she shan't get the prize in alge,
bra, not if [ can help it,, muttered
Barbara, fercely. And day by day she
shut herself up 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
well, she could walk five miles without
being tired, she shared the highest school
honors, she was prime favorite with all
the girls, and now here she was president
of the Archery Club and the 81 best shot
besides
Can you not understand how ugly, i'll
clad, plodding 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 algebra,
now the term was drawing to its close
They II have to cut the prize in two,
Barb, laughed Charts Oh we'll, 1 m
sure I'll condescend to ego halves with
you"
"C6nGescend + repeated Barbara to
herself, bitterly.
But Charts had only been in jest. She
had no idea that Barbara was ready to
be at swords points with her. Since the
day Barb had been black -baled Charts
had thought no more about it, 1t never
entered her head that Barbara would
care very much any way. Charts had
always been on the top of the wave"
She did not know how it felt to be un-
derneath, with the bitter salt-waterin eyes
and mouth.
" I've not lost all chance yet, a." thought
Barb. There's one more week of
school, and, if we do get as far as page
IT'S, there's tremendously hard ques-
ton about greyhound You'd best not
sing till you're sure of your notes, Miss
Charts Temple"
So Barbara plodded on. Her head
began to ache, 80 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 les
son. 1t was Barbara last chance to put
herself a mark in advance of Charts.
Now, this very afternoon the members
OF the Archery Club were in great
hutter, for they had been hidden at four
o'clock to a lawn-party at Colonel Yer
milye's, just across the bay. They were
to 90 in a small Government steamer.
There was to be music by the regmental
band and dancing on the green after the
shooting and rumor stated that the
Golopaf had haap soon Of O iaueler'a etora