The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-02-28
A WHITNEY GIRL.
BY KATHERINE BATES.


hat"
"No, 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 iIn-
patiently. Good gracious!" she said
l"What earthly difference does it make
Just how 1 do look? If only you girls
could make up your minds that l aIu
real down homely, life would be good
deal simpler for us all. Every time am
asked anywhere we go through all this,
and no one cares two pins how one OF
the Whitney girls looks!"
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.
i"You never had the sort of times other
girls have, did you? 1 know Nan and
1 never had any attention shown us
from the time we were chosen last to
play games at school up to now, when
I'VE are only asked to moonlight pic
mics and surprise parties by the boy
who makes up his mind to go too late
TO get any other girl. suppose 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
Ego off, as she had gone. Jennie was
less pale ara thin than the others; her
eyes, though deepset, were blue, not
gray, and her hair had a 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 rejoiced 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 l 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
81 don't know what made me say
all that" she said, alphabetically, look
ing at the panied faces. "Of course
Il am glad to be Whitney, and we have
plenty of good times if we are poor and
plain"
Yes" said Liza, land the Whitneys
have always been respected in the
church here. Grandpa and pa were
both respected highly, and each was
superintendent of Sunday school five
years, you know"
Yes, of course they were," said Jen-
ME. Tremendously respected-so it
does not much matter that we girls
aren't-well, what the Springer girls
are
THANK heavens!" said Liza, eve
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 freshly-ironed linen
lawn that had been Mans the summer
before, pinning it at the neck with
Pegs pin which had Grandma Whit
.ney's hair in it.
Clothes look just like me-" she NUT
tered to herself, land like Peg and Sue
and Nan and Liza"
1t was long drive to the bluffs.
Usually when Jennie went to picnics
with one of the boys she made an eff
fort to be "sprightly;" to-day the I'M
wonted 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
1T he'd wanted 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
tered on doing as little injury as possi-
bic to the springs of his buggy. AS
they came near the end of the six-mile
drive he suddenly turned to her.
OCAAACS uO bdAOs nave d1WdyS
liked you first rate, as you know. Do
you suppose you could ever love me
enCugh to marry me?"
She stared at him, dumfounded.
Was one of the Whitney girls having
PROPOSAL Another feeling succeeded
the surprise and she looked away
quickly, while the color rushed to her
pale c.sveks. Before she had time TO
speak they turned a corner and found
themselves surrounded by the pic
niclxers.
sCome along," called Bess Springer.
e'You are the very last. Hurry up and
tie youl horse, and let's climb the bluffs
before 81 3per-time.''
The sis.ers were waiting to talk IL
oil over with Jenniewhen she got home.
After her speeches Of the morning
they hesitated about questioning her.