The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-03-04
ENGLISH. QUITS ENGllsn.
How Awkward vim May Evolve .
Graceful Girl.

.>A~~eAs -
How Awkward vim May Evolve .
Graceful Girl.
(Clara Belle In Cincinnati Enquirer.)
NEW York, February 19.-I met can
did girl. knew her years ago, but she
was q child then--that is, she wore short
skirts, ample feet, and insisted she was
fifteen years Of age, though she had just
passed her fourteenth birthday. and she
was what might be called an ingenious
and inquiring young thing. When she
sat down her elbows stuck out like the
wings of broiled chicken, and she was
continually pulling her dress down in
front in vain effort to conceal her prom
inent black boots. How different she
is now let this picture illustrate. Here
is delightful sort of dumpling, soft and
yielding in appearance, with no suggegs
tion of angular bones, and altogether eas,,
and comfortable. Her costume is one high
ly approved for February street wear. They
wrap is new pattern of embasses vel
vet, the fur that trims it is lynxs .aSg the
shape fits rather closely tos1hsr nsare,
while seemingly loose. The hat isa hap
py medium, because it conforms reason
ably to the fashion, which gives much
front and little back to head coverings,
and yet it does not possess too gallus
style for elegant promenade effect. 1t is
the aim of the belle of taste to avoid what
is denominated the actressy modes of ex-
aggerated millinery, and at the same time
be distinctively up with the fashionable
procession. But had begun the history
of my friend away back, and let me re-
sumo the narrative of her evolution. Her
brother is a solemn and thoughtful young
man, who is given to discussing his fam
lily and things in general in a ponderous
and thoughtful manner. He is an anna
teur athlete, and he was always rather
fond of this awkward girl. We were sit
ting together one day, observing an at
tempt which some of the girls of the fam
lily were making at playing lawn tennis in
the yard OF an ordinary city residence
Name" said the athlete, referring by
that diminutive to his awkward sister,
doesn't show up in very good form,
does she?"
"She isn't as pretty as some of her SIS
ters " | said, but she's a jolly sort of
girl"
"No," said the brother, critically, I" she
isn't pretty, but she's got some mighty
good points. Do you see how straight
her back is and she stands plumb on her
heels every time. She's the only girl
ever knew who could handle tennis rae
quet as well with her left hand as her
right. She runs good deal to mouth,
though, doesn't she ?"
"Her mouth is a little large, perhaps %
"Well, | should say it was. It's we'll
shaped, though, and she's got good, strong
teeth l kinder like Name, if she isn't
the beauty of the family. She's always
good natured and she looks strong and
hardy. There's one thing / notice-her
eyes are always bright in the morning,
ard that can't be said of most girls.
They amt big eyes, either | suppose
Name will grow into one of those tall,
bony, angular women who smile all the
time, marry late in life, have fifteen or
twenty children, and live in the perpetual
alteration of her husband. She'll never
have much style, though. Pm sorry,
cause she's my favorite."
With this the profound analysis of
the girls character came to an end, the
brother vaulted over the rail of the bal
cony where we were sitting and lounged
out to the tennis court. He ordered the
other girls into the shade while he and
bis rugged young sister played rattling
series of six games. There was some
brisk raIlying, and the girl served the
balls with downward sweep like pro-
fessional. She plowed around the court
with the vigor of young bulldog,
scratching this way and that, and lunging
10 the most awkward positions, but she
won the series and nobody was more
pleased at it than her conscientious broth
threw herself in low rocking-chair in
lop-sided fashion, and swung vigorosuly
back and forth with her toes turned in
and her arms hung in limp and angular
fashion over the sides of the chair. Hook
ed at her freckled face, frowsy hair and
long neck, and felt that her brother was
right in diagnosing her future.
Perhaps year after this little incident
the awkward girl, with her brother and
|, boarded train and went up to Tarry-
town, where the awkward girl and had
been duly entered at fashionable board
| ing-school. I have observed that an
awkward and good-natured girl who is
athletic is invariably attended by two or
three masculine adorers. The society or
professional man may love soulful and
romantic girl; but the twenty-year-old
boys who are fond Of base ball, cricket
and water sports always stand by the ath-
letlc girl. This particular specimen of
all that was awkward and angular in
girlhood entered the school sadly and
tearfully. From that time until three
years ago-fully seven years-I was
with her often. During winters she re-
mained at the boarding-school, and fire.