West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-08-02
THE GIRL WITH AN IDEA.

SCnOol was over, ana knot OF the
''big girls" fingered in the cloak-roo
SIhile they INDUCED in girlish gossip.
na1oy 20 be called gossip, either for
1ney "SIc iseussing, with much viva
ess!i s-'--saeI noras and plans for the
future.
"T'm going TO %assar, apnounced
Belle MacIain. with mIch dignity.
''Lots Of stylish girls go there, and ma
says 1t will help me along in society"
you're always talking about society
as il ours weren't good enough for you, ;"
said May Webster, with even more dig
nifty than Belle displayed. "I'm going
70 stay here until / graduate, then shall
go to the normal school, and become a
teacher, and / think shall be ever so
much more useful than n lady of So
ciety."
Belle, who was good-natured, in spite
OF her vanity, laughed at little Mays dig
nifty. as she said
We'll, Maysie, l guess you'll be use
ful whether you teach or not. What are
you girls going to dog'
81 don't have to work. said Jean
Garden" so l guess I'll have good time
till / get married.
"Thats what I'd like TO do, "pensively
remarked tall girl who was curling
her bang before cracked piece of look
ing glass, "but mamma says I've got to
be a music teacher, and just hate il. :"
1t seems to me girls generally have
TO do what they don't want TO do" said
Mollie Ramsden, illustrating her remark
by giving "Bullion's Grammer' vicious
shake. ''Here I've got to poke along at
school to see if can't learn enough to
teach, when despise grammar and
'rithmetic, and all these horrid things
that can't remember. and all / want IN
this world is TO dig around in the gar
den, and make things grow"
but girls don't do that; it isn't
lady-like," said Belle. "Why, you talk
as II you would like to work on a farm p
II don't wart TO grow cabbages and
all those homely things" objected Mol
lie. "But do want to grow dear little
baby roses and lilies and those queer.
lovely things that grow on trees way off
somewhere where it's hot"
''Those are air plants" said MAY,
proud of her superior knowledge. "You
could never grow them, Mollie, you'd
have to study years and years till YOU
knew all about them"
'iSomebody must grow them, or else
they wouldn't be in the florists window.
And don't see why shouldn't do it as
we'll as any one else, !" answered obsti-
nate Mollie, as she gathered up the de-
spised school books and trottcd off with
a boyish nod OF farewell to her compan-
ions"
'tWbat boy she is" said elegant
Belle, as she buttoned her gloves.
"Yes, but she's so good d-natured, and
real clever, though she does hate lessons. q"
returned May. "She knows all about
plants and where they come from. and
remembers all those great long names
that won't stay in my head two seconds. A"
Meanwhile sturdy Mollic was trotting
home, pausing only before the one store
window she could never pass without a
protracted look the florists. There
were the usual roses and violets-a little
mass OF daphne on a mossy mat. and
somo slender spikes Of lily of the valley.
Above. punches of dried immortelles,
and geometricalIy shaped grid-lrons Of
green wire, which, under the. florist s
skillful hands, blossomed out into elab-
crate designs. Mollie looked and looked,
and wished, for the flftieth time. that
she had been born boy, able to dig and
delve with clear conscience. And then.
grasping more firmly the despised school
books, which persisted in sliding out of
very sober face. Home, though always
place Of mutual love and kindlincss,
was oppressed with shodow Of anxious
care at this time. Mollie could not un
derstand the trouble with the wisdom Of
her thirteen years; she only knew that
some mysterious commodity called
stocks had suddenly become worthless.
bringing wreck and ruin TO many that
great Somebody had gone abroad to
spend a furtunc, while an army Of small
kobodies were left penniless Among
them her father, n gentle, dreamy man,
who bad somehow fallen behind the
ranks in the battle Of life he had been
forced to give up his store, even his house
itself, that he might begin life again
without the shadow Of debt. A hard
thing for a man Of middle age, even
when aided by wife who possessed the
New England quality we call faculty -
and an ambitious little daughter who was
burning TO distinguish herself by her
usefulness. Advised by his clear. witted
wife. instead OF attempting business on a
more ambitious scale, he had made q be.
ginning by supplying country produce
70 his old customers.
Mollie entered the house in rather q
depressed mood lilies and roses seemed
further off than ever. and she took hei
mothers kiss OF greeting rather sadly
After putting away her hat aud coat, aud
indulgipg in o slight lunch consisting
Of a cruller, two pickles, and an apple
she sat down 20 her books, attacking n,
algebra with a vigor which seemed &,
regard each X and y as q persona
enemy.
Supper was rather a silent meal. foi
Mr. Ramsden looked tired out. and Mrs
Ramsden was usually q silent woman
The meal was almost over, when Mr.
Ramsden said 20 his wife.
"I'm afraid ] shall have 10 yet som,
help pretty soon, for 7 can't do my out
of-town marketing and deliver orders q
ny customers, too. must get some re-
liable boy to drive out with the orders
THAT will be another expense, F" du
biously returned his wife, "but dom
see how you can avoid It,"
'tio needn't be a very large boy, con
tinuod Mr.. bnmsdcu, "but he must b,
honest and energetic"
"Tapa, am J honest and onorQcticp
askod Molie, with deep emphasis
tfWhy, daughter, what's troublinr
you ~ asked her father, with a smile
'fWon't yon try me instead Of a boy
do so want 60 help you she continued
NeratfIraalU ftauH i eNaN have "a rfs q.