The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-17
JUST
ABOUT
GIRLS
From the Chicago Record.

girl in the orange hat as she fastened a
seornful gaze upon the shining little tin
lard bucket which the other girl was hold
ing gingerly by the handle.
'Oh, knew I'd meet everybody ever
saw before 1 carried this thing, but can't
help 1t now. Be careful, the water may
splash over on your dress. The fish seems
a trihe restless"
.sFishr' exclaimed the other. What on
earth are you doing with live fshY Let
me see it. "
The girl with the bucket carefully re-
moved the cloth which had been fastened
over the top. you see, we first started
our aquarium with three goldfish that my
little brother Tom stole or begged or
bought out of the park when they drained
the ponds last fall and gave away so many
fish,, she explained. For a while every
family on the north side had glass dish or
a tin pan full of water and goldfish, but
suppose most of 'em died Ours lived.
though, because Tom spent the greater
part of his time siphoning out the water
and arranging for their comfort generally.
But he wasn't satisfied with these large
common fish, and decided he must have
some fancy kinds, and went in for black
spotted ones and fan-tail fish and some
with two or three sets of little ruf1es and
fms down the sides, and they were such
cunning things that I got to liking them,
and that pleased Tom so that he told me
i might give the OlQ ones To u lfttIlQ VI
mine, and did-all but this one; we kept
1t because It was pretty, but 1t fought with
the others-in fact, tried to eat the smaller
fish-anad that's where I've been this morn
ing to give away this fish, but couldn't get
in. The family must be away, because
there wasn't soul around the place and
couldn't leave the poor thing to starve on
the doorstep, and I've simply got to go
down town, and what am to do with this
abominabe bucket? oh, dear. wish 1
had made Tom take it." Then two pretty
blue eyes filled with tears at the though of
going shopping SO incumbered.
'swell, It will look funny to see you
marching down State street with that pail
of fish when I've known you to buy
spool of tape and have 1t sent home"
laughed the burnt orange girl. Fancy
setting 1t down on the silk counter while
you look at the newest taffetas, or trying
to hide II behind you while you choose your
summer parasol. Well, Louise, I think
won't go with you this time"
Don't leave me-" implored the unhappy
owner of the fish. ''It will not be half so
bad If there is some one with me. I'll do
anything for you If you won't desert me
now. Yes, I'll go with you to select your
hats; I'll wait while you have your hair
washed: I'll steal spoons for your collec-
ton; I'll get you that photograph of Fred
anything only help me out of this scrape.
'sYou might carry 1t over to the lake,
suggested the Indifferent girl.
"Ye-es, might, but it's pretty far-and
don't you think that would be rather heart-
lyess? The other fish would eat 1t,
wouldn't they?"
'.Oh, just put It down on the sidewalk,
someone will find it
Some cat or dog will find 1t, you mean.
You have about as much feeling as WOOD
en- Indian"
'Well give it to the first little boy that
comes along. He'll take it home and give
it a nice, slow death, anad your tender lit
tie heart will never be troubled again
That's the best plan I can think Of"
Tt didn't sound very promising, but 1t
was better than some of the others. So
Louise looked around for the boy. No
boy was in sight. She remembered that the
fire engine had passed that way since she
had been standing there. That accounted
for the phenomenal scarcity. Then she had
a bright thought. Perhaps the bird store
where Tom had bought her other hsn,
would take it. At least she would try
Both girls agreed that 1t was the best way
to dispose of the fish, but the difficulty lay
in reaching the store.
Gwen take a carette," suggested one:
"there will not be SO many people to laugh
at us. and, besides, 1t passes the store I in
tend to visit"
Just then two lean horses came into view,
and numbering along in their wake was the
heavy carette. The driver pulled up his
horses in the middle of the block and the
girl in the burnt-orange hat poised herself
daintily on the curb, raised her silken
skirts and made her way gracefully and
safely out to the street, up the step and
into the conveyance Not so the girl with
the fish. She had neglected to tie the cover
back on the pail. In making grab for
her skirts she tipped the pail and spilled
some of the water. She then held it far
out and tried to keep it steady while she
mounted the step. The driver, all unmind-
full of her careful balancing, started up his
long-suffering horses with jerk, the
carette gave a lurch and the lard bucket
tipped precipitately about quart of wa
ter over the immaculate front of a dignihed
and elderly gentleman, while the fish made
a frantic effort to be free and land In the
lap of an aristocratic matron In black,
only to be shaken quickly to the floor,
while the rather stout lady went into hys-
terics. Two or three other passengers far
enough away to be safe smiled and hid
their mirth behind handkerchiefs and
newspapers, while two happy youngsters
in the care of their nurse made gleeful
rush for the poor, unhappy fish and res
cued ii for the hapless owner She was too
much frightened and embarrassed to do
more than gather it back into the tiny bit
of water that remained in her pail and-in
her gratitude offer it, fish, pail and all. to
the children. They were delighted, but
again fate stepped in and the fish was not
She was taking the children out to spend
the day. Their mother, she said, would
not allow them TO sccept a gift from a
stranger.
"But to help me to get rid of it. don't
want 1t, indeed 1 don't" Louise protested
81 am sure she could not object
The maid was obdurate She had strict
orders. Then she made the children sit
down. Strengthened her hat and turned her
face away with a scornful tilt of her nose.
The two offending young women who
had broken IN upon the serenity of that
carette full Of people meekly settled down
in their corner, bluShing furiously and too
cowed to laugh.
"Shall we get OFF," ventured the girl in
the burnt-orange hat, who had been WISH
ing she had worn nothing more conspicu-
Gus than black and that her dotted veil had
been chiffon one two inches thick.
The sweetest