The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-12-31
8@6<0O6SO<D-c><SSs- 81 q
A FIRST ATTEMPT.
BY j. "A. Flynn.

ITS an awful nuisance, VIII and
Flo getting engaged" said Wills
young brother, rucfully.
81 don't mind their being engaged
said Flo's young sister, stroking her
cheek thoughtfully with her tennis
racquet. but l wish they weren't al
ways off by themselves. They make
up such a good set.''
"And there's 10 one else this morn
ing," said young brother Ralph, fling
ing his racquet, discontentedly, into the
corner of the tent. "Pll give you 80,
and service every time, if you like to
have a single, Maudie."
Maudie shook her head decidedly
Ralph was a fine partner-a tall, lis
som boy just 16, and growing into a
grand athlete-but as an opponent he
was rather trying for little girl two
years his junior. "You play too well,
Ralph" she apologized, land 1 get so
hot. Father says you play better than
a man."
mot if he's good player" avowed
Frank, frankly. will can beat me
WuSL lie lhSo. Dul lHeIc ISL HuCi1
difference between boy and man in
anything, really, you know"
'Oh, but men can do lots of things
boys can't"
What things?"
"Oh-well-smoke."
Look here!" said Ralph, confiden-
TALLY, producing an ugly little clay
head with vulcanite stem.
''Oh, Ralph! You don't really, do
you?"
Don't just? l say, Maudie, let's go
down by the brook, and I'll teach you
to smoke, if you like"
Little Maudie made a funny mouth
big sister Flo couldn't make prettier
faces than she; and Ralph had once
confessed to a chum that he liked the
Look Of that kid II should be sick,
expect, and T don't think 1 want to
learn, Ralph"
well, let's go down by the brook,
and I'll smoke" said the boy, grandly.
OF course, he didn't insult her by say
ing: Don't tell'-that was quite I'M
necessary. So they went and sat Oh the
grassy bank, and he had few-a very
few-whiffs at his nasty pipe. Then
they started catching tiddlers with
their hands, and putting them in pool
scooped out of the mud; and he let the
pipe go out. A man would have relit it,
but Ralph felt that he had done enough
for honor.
''Grown-up people don't care about
catching tiddlers," remarked Maudie,
suddenly, as he deposited the seven
teenth unhappy fishlet in the pool.
Not women. Men do. They like
everything that boys do, so far as I con
see. Boys can do everything that men
can; but girls can't do what women
can. Though l can't see that women
do much
''Oh, but they do. Lots and lots of
things"
swell, they amt much good at games,
anyhow. They don't care about them
really, anyone can see."
Some of them do. Ido."
But you're not woman. kiddie.
Mind! you'll be in" and he rescued her
adroitly from overbalapcing, as she
hung over the brook. 1t did not occur
to him that woman might have lin
gered superfluous second in a mans
arms, just as his pretty comrade did in
his.
when Inn woman, Ralph, I'll play
you at tennis, and beat you," she said,
saucily.
But you won't care about it really
observed he, Designating the threat
as unworthy of serious notice. you'll
like women's things"
''What things?"
Il don't know, do you? What things
do women like?"
"Oh, flirting; going for walks with
young men; being engaged, perhaps-I
expect" answered little Maudie, wash
ing her hands in the pool, and waving
them in the air to dry. Will would have
wiped Flo's hands dry himself, but
Ralph merely tossed over his big pocket
handkerchief.
"Girls can't do those things" he OBJ
served.
Maudie's eyes sparkled very wickedly
"Oh, but they could" she averred, "only
they haven't anyone to do them with
Boys are so different than men. Oh
course, they can't make love, or any.
thing of that Sort
Ralph rested his chin ref1ectively up
on his hand, and kicked holes in thu
bank with his heels. "They don't want
to; they could if they liked
NO, they couldn't. You couldn't"
Yes, could, as well as you"
oh, no, you couldn't. My part il
easy-at first. have only to look nice
INST mol Che 4hod lac.. hi,