Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-01-04


"Shall spin 'em a New Years yarn,
auntie?" asked the old gentleman OF
white haired lady who was knitting by
the light on the center table, at the
same time giving her knowing look.
"Of course not" she replied, half
frowning and half smiling.
"Theres only one thing ever happened
to me on New Years eve, and I've re-
membered that always"
sis it love story?" asked one OF the
girls.
"Well, kind of one. Bring out some
nuts and apples, and give us another
stick of wood for the fire, and I'll see
what can make of what happened to
me on New Years eve, 1851"
The old gentleman's requirements hav
ing been attended to, the boys and girls
ranged themselves round the fire and the
story was begun. He looked straight at
l"Auntie" while he told it, evidently en-
''joying its effect upon her more than on
the younger listeners.
y n
She was the homeliest girl in the school;
there can be no doubt about that. She
was freckled, her hair was red, not
dark shade of red, but fiery. She had
struggled with whooping cough, and
measles, and scarlet fever, and every
other disease that childhood is heir to
until she was little more than skin and
bones. There were girls with faces
more expressive of disagreeable dispose
tions, but for pure homeliness Reddie
would have taken the prize in any hon.
estly conducted show for ugly girls.
Reddie was not her real name, but every
one called her Reddie because her hair
was so red.
We were all very young children-at
least most of us were. was IA. There
was one boy who was still older-Dick
Mclean. Dick was natural tormentor.
He would abuse the girls as well as the
boys. He respected dolls no more than
hoops and kites. He would rush into
ring where the boys were playing mar
bles, and pretending not to notice where
he was treading, scatter the marbles
with the toe of his boot, or poke his
finger through kite, or let the sawdust
out of doll; and he was so big and
strong that no one dared punish him. l
was the biggest boy in the school, but in
strength was greatly his inferior, and
kept out of his way.
One day Reddie was carrying her doll
across the playground, a doll with hair
as red as her own. Some one had given
it her as a reflection on her own fiery
locks; but Reddie, never seeing or never
noticing the slight. took the red headed
little monster into her heart, and nursed
it with as much affection as if she had
been a real mother. Dick Mclean, see
ing her with the doh in her arms, its red
head standing out over her shoulder,
went up behind her with lighted match,
and touching the flame to its hair, there
was a bright halo around the dolls head
for an instant, and then the Uranium was
as bald as if the little thing hadn't been
in the world long enough to grow even
red hair. Reddie, seeing what had hap
pened, burst into tears.
was witness of this bit Of ruffian-
ism, and although at that age had con-
siderable contempt for girls In general
and the prevailing contempt for Reddie,
I was shocked.
1T seems to me, Dick" l said, I'D
take boy for that sort o thing If were
you"
'TlI take you, if you like" he re-
torted.
was sorry had said anything.
knew if we quarreled should get
thrashed. Besides. if / fought about
such wizened little creature as Reddie,
the whole school would ridicule me.