The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-13
HOW JOHNNIE FELL In LOVE.

Nobody knew just when Johnnie Wrinkle
ceased to be q little boy and became a big
boy, or how it happened. No doubt, the
change was wrought by the gradual evolu
ton of years; yet, to his friends, it became
evident so suddenly that they were inclined
to look upon it as a miraculous transfer
nation. Moreover, the members Of his fam
lily seemed to hold him culpably responsible
for it, reproaching him particularly for hav-
ing outgrown all his clothes. Really the
trouble. had come upon him very insidiously.
Every morning, year after year, the same
little boy had appeared at the Wrinkle
breakfast table who had eaten supper there
the night before, but each Christmas eve
a new boy had hung up larger stockings,
and each May day had been greeted by
stranger About the middle of his four
teenth year, however, the slow development
of years all at once became apparent in
startling and peculiar physical traits. His
limbs assumed an ungainly lankness, APP
preaching the contour of an anthropoid
apes His broad hands dangled below
shrunken sleeves like elongated bell
clappers, and his feet grew so
large they knocked together as he
walked. No less striking were the
mental characteristics he begun to
evince He became excessively shy and self
conscious, bIushing more readily than of
yore In short, Johnnie had arrived at that
ridiculously incongruous stage of Adde'S
cence for which the nonSenSicaf term OF
''hobbledehoy'' is our only fitting appella-
ton Though still a boy he was no longer a
child though approaching manhood, he was
yet far from manhood's estate. There is no
way to describe and no way to account Tor
the boy between the ages of twelve and nj
teen. He is an anomaly-an inconsistent, IL
logical, indeterminate fraction with a Varl-
able numerator ard an unknown denomi-
nator. No one understands him and, least
of all, does he understand himself.
When the girl reaches the threshold OF
xvomanhood she pauses a moment, does up
her hair, lengthens her skirts and trips
gracefully in; but the boy is compelled 10
lnger at manhoods door, awkwardly shift
ing his feet for an indefinite period Among
the legion of unstable, quixotlc qualltles
which go to make up the hobbledhoy is one
trait which is almost constant and always
significant This is a new and reverentlai
admiration for womankind. Heretofore
Johnny had formed certain boyish attach
ments for particular girls, usually greatly
his senior; but for their race in general ne
had cherished a supreme contempt. Girls
as he had observed them, were weak ana
cowardly creatures inclined TO be tattle-
tales and "goody-goodies" But now, py
some strange miracle, the scales had drop
ped from his eyes, and wherever he turned
he seemed to behold new phases or 1eml-
nine loneliness Maidens with whom he mad
PLAYED and quarreled all his life began tV
wear haloes. Freckled faces shone with lily
whiteness, snub noses assumed graceful
outlines and blue eyes and black became
alike beautiful and bright. Perhaps this
transformation was not altogether a fam
cied one--doubtless the girl-buds OF John-
ME Gown age were beginning to unfold a
little pretentious color here and there; but
chiefly it was a subjective illusion, and, in
its effects, it was purely and painfully SUCH
Johnnie's dreams and meditations became
completely altered For the time his plans
for the remote future were relinqulshed in
favor of immediate accomplishments. He
became concerned, not so much with what
he should do when man as what he should
do next week. Such transient temporal
matters as dress commanded his attention
and he took to washing his face and hands
voluntarily. On Sunday afternoons he went
mo- more into the depths of the forest, but
lelled listlessly at its verge. Gradually his
day dreams accustomed themselves vaguely
to the theme of love, and out of odd frag-
ments of experience and fancy an ideal was
formed within his breast. Johnnie was un-
conscious of this creation and for time
scarcely recognized the import of his brood
ing. But with the lengthening of his legs
and arms, With the expanding OF his mem
tality and the augmentation of awkward
ness the ideal grew. And one day Fate-if
Fate can truly said to interest herself in
such matters-brought the dreamy boy in
contact with Miss Mabel Meadows, queenly
twelve-year-old daughter of the new neigh
Dor who had bought the Shanks place, and
10, straightway the shadowy ideal became
living, palpitating reality. 1t came about
in properly romantic way. Johnnie
CHANGED to be rowing through the woods
knight-errantly in a desultory search for
adventure and his fathers cows, when he
was startled to hear sudden cry of alarm
near at hand. Softly parting the hazel
brush he beheld very pale, very young
lady apparently paralyzed with terror and
very small garter snake in a similar
state of fright, staring fxedly at each 9TH
er. Johnnie did not know the girl and, hav-
ing lately become abnormally sensitive in
such matters, hesltated to announce him
self without an introduction; but at length
the snake started to wriggle away and it
was against the vows of his order TO permit
a snake co escape So he charged through
the brush and in another moment was
holding the squirming reptile at arms
length by the tail.
'Oh! OH ohr' shrieked the young lady
"Aw, what you 'fraid off" asked Johnnie
half sneeringly. 1T amt pizen."
"Oh, the horrid thing" cried she
"Jist watch me settle its hash" said
Johnnie, fearlessly. and amid renewed
screams on the girls part, he proceeded
to lash 1t against a tree. Now l guess
/ 1t won't scare no more girls" ne remarked
tossed it to the ground. But the girl had
begun to sob pitifuly and Johnnie grew
distressed. Staring at her few moments
he observed doubtfully. 1T wuzn't pet
snake. wuz it?r
"oh. dear, no, she murmured. 1T was