The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-04-21
A FIRST ATTEMPT.
BY y. "A. Flynn.
IT'S an awful nuisance. VIII and
S$SSS||Sss~c~..@~s~~S.

Flo getting engaged" said Wills
young brother, ruefully,
81 don't mind their being engaged"
said Flo's young sister. strokiug her
cheek thoughtfuly with her tennis
racquet. But wish they weren't al
ways of by themselves. They make
up such a good SET"
And there's no one else this morn
ing" said young brother Ralph, fling
ing his racquet. discontentedly. into the
corner of the tent. "l'll give you 30,
and service every time, if you like to
have single. Maudie."
Maude shook her head decidedly.
Ralph was u fine partner--a tall, lis
som boy just l6, and growing into a
grand athlete out as an opponent he
was rather trying for little girl two
years his junior. "lou play TOO well,
Ralph" she apoIogized, and get so
hot. Father says you play better than
man."
Not il he's good player" avowcd
Frank. frankly. will can beat me
when he likes. But there isn't much
difference between boy and man in
anything, really, yoT know"
"Oh, but men can do lots of things
boys can't"
What things?"
h-weil-smOke."
Look here" said Ralph. contiden-
italy, producing an ugly little clay
head with u vulcanitc stem.
"Ob. Ralph! You don't really. do
you?"
Don't just? say, Maudc, let's go
down by the brook. and III teach you
to smoke, if you like"
Little Maude made funny mouth
big sister Flo couldn't make pretticr
faces than she; and Ralph had once
confessed to a chum that he liked the
look of that kid" Il should be sick, |
expect, and | don't think | want to
learn, Ralph"
We'll, let's 20 down by the brook,
and I'll smoke" said the boy, graudiy.
or course, he didn't insult her by say
ing: "Don't tell'--that was quite un-
necessary. so they went and sat on the
grassy bank. and he had few--a very
few-whiiYs 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. \ man would have relitit,
but lta!ph felt that he had done enough
for honor.
"Grown-up people don't care about
catching tiddlerS," remarked Ma@ic,
suddenly. as he deposited the seven
teenth unhappy tishet in the pool.
Not women. Men do. They like
everything that boys do, so far as | can
see. Boys can do everything that men
can; but girls can't do what women
can. Though | can't see that women
DO much"
"Oh, but they do. Lots and lots of
things"
We'll, they amt much good at games,
anyhow. They don't care about them
really, anyone can see"
"Some of them do. do"
But you're not a woman. kiddie.
Mind! you'll be in," ~nd he rescued her
adroitly from overbalancing. as she
hung over the brook. 1t did not occur
to him that woman might have lin
gered a superfluous second in mans
arms. just as his pretty comrade did in
his.
When I'm woman. Ralph, I'll play
you at tennis, and beat YOU" she said.
saucily.
But you won't care about it really"
observed be, disregarding the threat
as unworthy of serious notice. You'll
like women's things"
"What things?"
III don't know. do you? What things
do women like?"
"Oh. flirting: going for walks with
young men: being engaged, perhaps-l
expect" answered little Maudie. wash
ing her hands in the pool. and waving
them in the air to dry. VIII would have
wiped Flois 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.
l:oys are so different than men. or
course. they can't make love. or any
| thing Of that scrt."
Ralph rested his chin refectively up
on his hand. md kicked holes IN the
bank with his heels. 'They don't want
TO: they could II they liked" ~
mo. they couldn't. You couldn't"
"Yes. could. as we'll a. you" =
"Oh no vou ron1dnsf Nv nart u