Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-02-12
u. usually well informed on. curres

CtcutS.
/ Don't jer know?" he said.
| l took his head under my arm AM
squelched his nose with the palm o
my hand
"If 1 knoo. shouldn't ask you
should I, fat 'ead?" l said.
He explained that his rejoinder wa
merely a colloquialism that meant moth
ing. aud released him.
"Nar. then. tell me-" said. still hold
ing him by the wrist. "What's upT
"Why, Cock Mayne's bin making vi
to Fanny Writes, an so all the Othe,
fellers wanner make up ter the 0the
gels"
l Igas-ed.
"Cock Mayne's bin maxim mp ter Fan
ny wirtlesw cried. "Git artr'
Fact" said Billy.
"But 'er fathers a policeman an sha
knows 'ow ter play the pianner."
what o. thet? Didn't Cock knock uI
eighty-seven against the Red Starsr'
"Stlll|"
Look artr' Ere comes Mitchie-af
ter your pencil, I expect"
The warning came too late. wa,
seized. Four boys held me by the arml
and legs, while another went through
my pockets. My pencil was taken from
me, and 1 stood by while tho youn(
freebooters fought among themselves
for the first Of 1t.
They wrote their letters against tn
wall OF the playground. and theA
friends stood around In an admirinl
sernI-circle and read out each word a
Il was written. When a smaller boy
ventured to approach the group he wa
cufred and driven away with contums
ly. Photographed difficulties were rs
ferred to me.
They approached the entrance to tn
girls playground, outside which som
Of the sixth standard were playin
'.hopscotch."
1t was curious to note how the d.
meanor of the boys altered as the
drew nearer the girls. They turned tn
corner at a hand gallop; at distanc
of 100 yards they began to walk; a
eighty yards the stiffness dsparte
from their limbs and they slouched
at fifty yards they stopped and hek
q consultation: then they advance
with bent heads. in silence, blushing.
Each boy pursued the maiden Of hi
choice, and when he had caught he
pressed the letter he had prepared int
her hand and fed incontinently.
All reassembled at the corner. Tk
girls reassembled higher up the roat
and read their letters in concert One
more audacious than the rest, turne
and kissed her hand to the boys. Th
boys broke into grins thereat.
And in an instant there was anothe
stampede. This time the boys, whel
they caught the girls. knocked then
about a little. but quite sociably.
The various engagements were pub
Iished in the afternoon. The happ!
lovers were sedulOusly chaffed by u
until we saw that they liked 1t, the,
we chaffed them no more.
Still no thought of emulation s.irre
me. 1t was not until l heard that Bill,
Wills had written to Martha SimpSOI
and been accepted by her that the ide
of falling in love on my own accouu
Gripped me.
1t was universally admitted that be
tween Billy and myself there was
great gulf fixed. Mentally. socially an,
physically. he was my inferior. couh
lick him with one hand; his size II
boots was one and half less thai
mine and my conquer had vanquish
ed seventy-three other "conque >" 9
compared with his meaSly forty nine.
/ found it a difficult matter to fall il
iove. But much can be done by perse
verance, and at last the first faint fiut
terings of passion for 4 girl witt
black hair named Mary Wayte stirre
within my breast
| wrote letter and gave It to he
with my own hand. She took 1t am
laughed l heard her laughter as | raj
away, and l was troubled. My Low
changed to hate.
My sister said, when l told her wha
had happened:
why don't you have little Nina"
"Becos she amt little" l replied
with asperity. An she's got such
silly name"
lHSeUSlDly lOuuu Tie Iuca Edlliiut
possession Of me. After all, thought
l might do worse. Nina was not SO bad
She looked almost pretty at distance.
That night 1 waited for her outsid
her door, and when she came out to &c
the supper beer l accOsted her.
IF you touch me III go straight an,
tell yer mother" she said.
I thought Of abandoning my ente.
prise.
II amt agoin' ter touch yer" said.
"Well, go away, then," she exclaim
ed. shrinking against the wall an,
drawing up one leg.
l said no more, but handed her II.
letter I had originally prepared 70
Mary. had scratched out MARY" and
substituted "Nina." She took the lette
md ran away.
On the following day our engagement
gas formally announced.
But l was not happy. Nina was a.
awkward girl to love- 1t was impossi.
Die to kiss her, she was 80 tall and stiff.
+ pressed her hand she told me te
mind her gathered flnery." She wal
IN impossible girl altogether.
So that l was not sorry when she dis.
overed that she no longer loved me.-
sew Review.