Abilene weekly reflector., 1896-03-19
A WHITNEY GIRL.
by KATHERINE BATES.

"A1ter Oil, Sne looks DeSt Ill Nau
hat"
mo, she doesn't. Mans needs little
more loose hair around her face; as
long as hers won't curl, she had better
wear Pegs broad one that sets we'll
down ON her head"
The girl who stood before the glass
trying on her sisters hats turned iru.
patiently. Good gracions!" she said.
"What earthly difference does it make
just how do look? If only you girls
could make up your minds that | aiu
real down homely, life would be good
deal simpler for us all. Every time OH
asked anywhere we 60 through oil this,
and no one cares two pins how one D.
the Whitney girls lools!"
The four older sisters locked very un-
comfortable. Don't talk like thar,
Jennie" Peg, the oldest, said, at last.
"Well, It is true" Jennie answered.
"You never had the sort Of times other
girls have, did you? know Nan and
l never had any attention shown us
from the time we were chosen last to
play games at school up to now, when
we are only asked to moonlight pic.
MICS and surprise parties by the boy
who makes up his mind to go too late
10 get any other girl. Isuppose it was
the same way with you. and Liza and
Sue."
The five women stood and looked
at each other. They were all tall and
painfully thin, with prominent check
bones and sunken eyes. Their mother
had died Of consumption and it was
confidently expected in the neighbor.
hood that the girls would eventually
go off, as she had gone. Jennie was
less pale and thin than the others; her
eyes, though deepset, were blue, not
gray, and her hair had slightly red
dish shade to it, which made her look
more positively alive than her sisters.
They had thought her pretty, had rev.
eled in the belief that she was popular.
had reioiced that she seemed gay and
happy. Liza had once called Pegs at.
tention to the merriment of her laugh.
II declare she had said, "she laughs
right out just the way have always
wanted to all my life, only there never
was any reason big enough to justify
1t. I am glad she and Nan don't have
to scrimp quite as we did," Jennie had
never before spoken as to-day, and now
was heartily ashamed Of herself.
II don't know what made me say
all that" she said, apologetically, look
ing at the rained faces. "Of course
| am glad to be a Whitney. and we have
plenty of good times If we are poor and
plain"
Yes said Liza, "and the Whitneys
have always been respected in the
church here. Grandpa and pa wera
both respected highly, ard each was
superintendent of Sunday school five
years, you know
Eyes, Of course they wrrc," said Jen-
ME. tremendously respected-so /.
does not much matter that we girls
what the Springer girls
are"
THANK heavens!" said Liza, 1--WE
aren't as foolish in our talk as they
are"
Jennie wore her own hat when she
went that afternoon with Jim Russell
to the basket picnic over by the river
She put on the lreshly-ironed linen
lawn that had been Mans the summer
before, pinning it at the neck with
legs pin which had Grandma Whit
ney's hair in it.
CLOTHES look just like me-" she NUT
tered to herself, "and like Peg and Sue
and Nan and Liza"
1t was u long drive to the bluffs.
Usually when Jennie went to picnics
with one Of the boys she made an eff.
Tort to be "sprightly;" to-day the un-
bitter streak had mastery of
her and she sat in almost utter science,
even when ether buggies passed them
With gayly laughing Springer Or Brown
girls in them.
He might have asked one of them
il he'd wanted a lively time" she
thought; and then remembered that
he probably had, and had then asked
her to show some one was glad to 20
with him.
jim. too, was very quiet. He drove
carefully over the deep ruts in the road,
his whole attention apparently cen
erred on doing as little injury as posi-
Ole TO the springs of his buggy. As
hey came near the end Of the six-mile
lrive he suddenly turned to her.
"Jennie," he said, u have always
liked you first rate, as you know. 10
'ou suppose you could ever love me
'nough to marry me?"
She stared at him, dumfounded.
Vas one of the Whitney girls having a
Another feeling succeeded