Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-11-29
TWO SILLY GIRLS.
One of Them Relates the Story as
a Warning to Others.


hammock near her garden chair. He
is a stranger here, isn't hepn
Il think he is, Aunt. do not know
his name; met him on the train the
last time / went to L, that is how
he came to bow TO me, / presume.
"You surely are not in the habit OF
talking with strangers on the train, are
you, Gertiep" said Mrs. Maynor, with
surprised look at the modest young
face before her.
"Why no. smiled Gertie, mot very
often, Aunt, unless it is to some old
lady. or a little child. The gentle
man in question got up and gave
me his scat when | went into the
car, and after / had been seated a
few minutes my foot touched some
thing on the floor, and ] found it
was pocket-book. gave it to the
conductor when he came in, and pointed
out the gentleman who had given me
the seat. and told him | thought
it was his; and the conductor
took it to him and had him prove
it was his by describing It's con-
tents before it was opened. The con-
ductor told him / was the one who
found it, and he came and thanked me
for returning it. l did not mention it
before, for had forgotten all about it
till | saw him. But what are you
smiling at Auntie; do you think made
long story out of very little mate
rial?m
mo, Gertie, there was nothing to
smile at IN your story; you did right,
as you generally do. Twas thinking of
something that it reminded me Of, that
happened to myself and a friend Of
mine, once.n
TELL us what it was, Ma, said Jes-
sic. Il know it was something funny,
by the way you look, and we should
very much like to hear it.
''Of course we should, Aunt, :"
chimed in Gertie. II just love funny
stories Do tell us.
1T did not seem very funny to me,
i can assure you" said Mrs. Maynor, .
but / can look back at it now, and
smile, even when | think of the
amusement it afforded to others
around us.
zone summer, when ] was of about
your age, Jessie, my cousin Hattie in
vited myself and my friend, Jennie
Harmon, TO spend a few weeks with
her and her sister at their home in a
distant city. OF course we were both
anxious to go, but it was some time
before mother would give her consent
to my accepting the invitation.
"'You are both young to travel
alone, She said, and Jennie is so in
the habit OF making free with
strangers, that / don't like to let you
go without some older person with
you. 1t is an all days journey, you
know
eat last, however, she gave her con-
sent, and the invitation was accepted;
but during the few days Of preparation
for the visit she cautioned me more
than once regarding the improperly
of making acquaintance during the
journey.
Owing to Jennie's influence, how
ever, thought mothers ideas were
prudish and old-fashioned, and | secret
ly felt somewhat ashamed of her, when
she would express her opinions on
such matters before Jennie, as was
sometimes the case.
Jennie was good girl at heart,
but very vain and self-willed. She was
quick witted and laxative, and never
q emcd 50 happy as when attracting
attention. My mother had never liked
the intimacy between us, but, although
/ was obedient in most things, felt
nattered by Jennie's preference for my
society. and planned ways of meeting
her and being in her company, as often
as | could.
SAT last the wished-for day OF our
journey arrived, and dressed myself
in my gray travelling suit, feeling more
self-satisfied and important than ever
had before in my life.
".Why, how nice you looknh ex-
claimed Jennie, as met her at the
depot. If | look half as nice | am
sure every one viii notice us
"You look great deal nicer than !
do, know, said. just as mother, who
had come TO the station with me and
had heard the exclamation, answered
it by saying:
People are more likely to notice q
persons behavior than his or her looks,
girls. | hope you will try to remem-
Der that.
''Jennie's lip drew up in rather a
disdainful fashion as m6her turned
away to see about the check for my
trunk; but there was no time for con-
versation, for the train was already in
sight, and BY the time our tickets
We're bought and our trunks checked
the conductor was calling all aboard. J
1T was seldom | had ride on the
train, and | can remember every little
incident Of that journey, and even the
faces and figures of some of our fellow
passengers seem quite plain to me yet
Jennie and / laughed and talked to-
gether for some time. feeling that we
were quite grown up and important,
and as the remark Jennie had made
about my looks kept coming back to
my mind. | glanced around the car
every little while TO see if any one was
noticing.
lone on two of tho passengers were
looking our way, and after time, one
of them, seeing Jennic's Intellectual eff
forts to raise the window, came to her
assistance.
''He sat down in a scat in front of
us, after she thanked him. and in a
few moments began to talk to her. In
short time they we're laughing and
chatting together like old aequaint-
ances, and, of course, / soon Joined in
the conversation.
THE stranger was much older than
either of us, but was very tallsative and
amusing, and we were both aattered