The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-08-22
THE GIRL WITH AN IDEA.

big girls fingered IN the ClOak-rOOm,
while they INDUCED in girlish gossip.
Hardly to be called gossip, either, for
they were discussing, with much viva
city, their hopes and plans for the
future.
'1'm going to Vassar," announced
Belle Maclain, with much dignity.
Lots of stylish girls go there, and ma
says it will help me along in society"
"You're always talking about society
as if ours weren't good enough for you,"
said May Webster, with even more dig
nifty than Belle displayed. "pm going
to stay here until graduate, then l shall
90 to the normal school, and become
teacher, and | think shall be ever so
much more useful than a lady of So
cjety."
Belle, who was good.natured, in spite
of her vanity laughed at little Mays dig
nifty, as she said:
"Well, Maysie, ! guess you'll be use.
full whether you teach or not. What are
you girls going to dor
81 don't have to work. said Jean
Garden" so guess I'll have good time
till ] get married.
"1hat's what I'd like to do, 'pensively
remarked tail girl who was curling
her bang before cracked piece of look
ing.glass, "but mamma says Ive got to
be music teacher, and | just hate it,"
at seems to me girls generally have
to do what they don't want to do" said
Molle Ramsden, illustrating her remark
by giving "Bullion's Grammer" vicious
shake. "llere I've got to poke along at
school to see if | cant learn enough to
teach, when | despiSc 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,n said Belle. "Why, you talk
as if you would like to work on u farm !"
al don't wart to grow cabbages and
all those homely things" objected Mo-
/ lie. "But do want to grow dear little
baby roses and lilies and these queer,
lovely things that grow on trees way off
/ somewhere where it's hot.n
Those are air plants" said Nay,
pro1d of her superior knowledge. "You
could never grow them, Mollie, you'd
have to study years and years till yo
knew all about them
Somebody must grow them, or else
they wouldn't be in the florists window.
And don't see why shouldn't do 1t as
well as any one else,n answered obsti-
nate Mollie, as she gathered up the de-
spiscd school books and trotted oil, with
boyish nod OF farewell to her compan
ions"
"Wbat n boy she is" said elegant
Belle, as she buttoned her gloves.
ayes, but she's so good naturel, and
real clever, though she does hate lessons, "
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. "
Meanwhile sturdy Mollie was trotting
home, pausing only before the one store
window she could never pass without a
protractcd look the florists. There
were the usual roses and violets-a litf
mass of daphne on messy mat. -,
some slender spikes of lily of the valley.
Above. lunches of dried immortelles,
and geomctrcally shaped grid.lrons of
green wire, which. under the florists
skillful hands, blossomed out into elab-
crate designs. Molle looked and looked,
and wished for the hftieth time, that
she had been born a boy, able to dig and
delve with a clear conscience. And then,
grasping more firmly the despised school.
books, which persisted in sliding out of
her hand, she started homeward with a
very sober face. Home, though always
place of mutual love aud kindliness,
was oppressed with a shodow of anxious
care at tn time. Mollie could not un
derstand the trouble with the wisdom of
her thirteen years; she only knew that
some mysterious commodity ca aled
stocks had suddenly become worthless,
bringing wreck and ruin to many; that
great Somebody had gone abroad to
spend furtune, while an army of small
Nobodies were left penniess.' Among
them her father, gentle, dreamy man,
who had 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 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 be
ginning by supplying country produce
to his old customers.
Mollie entered the house in rather q
depressed mood lilies and roses seemed
further off than ever, and she took hel
mothers kiss of greeting rather sadly
After putting away her hat aud coat and
indulging in II slight lunch consisting
of a cruller two pickles, and an apple
she sat down TO her books, attacking hl
algebra with a yigor which seemed L
--TegaEd- --easIs- Y and Y as a persona
enemy.
Supper was rather a silent meal, fol
Mr. Ramsden looked tired out, and Mrs
Ramsden was usually a silent woman
The meal was almost over, when Mr.
Ramsden said to his wife:
"pm afraid l shall have TO get somt
help pretty soon, for can't do my out
of-town marketing and deliver orders tC
my customers, too. ! must get some re
liable boy to drive out with the orders
"That will be another expense" du
biousy returned his wife, "but l dom
see how you can avoid it"
He needn't be very large boy" con
tinued Mr.. Eamsden, "but he must b,
honest and energetic"
"Fapa, am l honest and energetici 2
asked Mollie, with deep emphasis
"Why, daughter, what's troubling
you p asked her father, with a smile.