Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1897-10-19
SHE sNOBBBD HIM.
But His Revenge Came The Story
Of a Youthful Love.

OF 1Outhful Love.
This is a rcminiscence of unrequit.
ed youthful heart yearning in coun.
try town.
1t is a serious affair when the
youthful affection for the first time
settles itself definitely (even though
only for time) on some one outside
the family. 1t is puppy love-" per-
haps, but not a thing to make light Of.
When this youthful affection is UNI
requlted, it becomes a soul engross-
ing drama-almost tragedy.
He was about 16 years old and she,
| suppose, a year younger. lie was
so far in love that / am sure he never
would have got out fine hadn't grown
out. lie was my chum, and at one
time | knew the whole story, gathered
in installments as it developed; but
most Of it has been crowded from my
memory by troubles of my own, leav-
ing only an incident here and there.
One of these has to do with picnic.
| | don't remember now why she had
gone with him. Probably because
! The Other Fellow hadn't asked her.
She liked the other boy very much in
deed; so did number of girls. I'm
doubleday he was the Adonis of "our
set" He looked upon it as his duty
to distribute his attentions, and al
ways went with the newest girl in
town until she had acquired Steady
company.
Anyhow, my chum and The Girl
and The Other Fellow and another
girl had separated themselves from
the picnic party and were fishing.
Now, you would think that having
consented to accompany him The
Girl would treat my chum civilly, if
only because The Other Fellow had
brought another girl; but it is fact
that every time she thought her cork
bobbed The Girl called franticallv for
The Other Fellow to help her. At
first my chum rushed to her assist
ance, but she snubbed him persistent
ly and cruelty.
Then he planned coup.
81 just thought I'd show her." he
said afterward to me. Invent over
by Nellie (the other girD and let her
alone"
CHATS the stuff" I commented,
approvingly. How'd it work."
Jack shook his head slowly and
sadly.
"Both of 'em hollered for Billy
he said
Now as Jack and Billy took turns
as escort to The Girl-it was Jacks
turn when Billy hadn't appropriated
her--it follows that for about half
the juvenile social events Jack had
to seek another companion. Some
time during the summer of the pic
mic family moved to town from the
country, 'to educate the children. "
The people of B were very proud
of their public schools. In this fam
lily was a girl about, should say, II
years old; and the fact slowly forced
itself upon me that when Jack was
not with The Girl he was with the
newcomer. Heretofore when Billy
had appropriated The Girl Jack had
escorted some other one, but never
any other one in particular.
When | noticed the continuity, so
to speak, of the new girl, wondered;
for while The Girl was slender, with
pink and white skin and yellow hair,
the other had hair black as moonless
midnight and was petite and plump.
Another remarkable feature was the
! fact that Jack did not offer to tell
me about it. | had been compelled
to listen to the earlier chapters and
the book seemed to be closing just
when it was growing interesting.
With the winter, several new girls
came to attend school, and Billy was
kept very busy, to the neglect, of
; course, of The Girl. Here, certain
ly, was Jacks opportunity; but l saw
what to me was a marvellous thing
that while Jack escorted The Girl oc-
casionally, the black-haired girl pre-
dominated
One party of the winter occurs to
me; it is sufficient to indicate the
trend Of events, The Girl, Billy and
Jack were there. The Girl had not
come with Billy. Therefore, accord
: ing to all precedent, she should have
come with Jack. But Jack had es-
corted the black-haired girl, and The
Girl-The Girl had come with a
! neighbor girl and her escort; which
must have been pleasant for all three.
] / was standing near The Girl when
Jack came up, crossing the room.
She spoke to him and smiled; she
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