Arizona republican., 1900-09-04
BEING A BOY HER BEST FUN.
Author of "The Jayhawkers" Writes A Reminiscence of Her Kansas Life.

Author of "The Jayhawkers" Writes A
 Reminiscence of Her Kansas Life. Messrs D. Appleton & C.. have just published Mrs. Orpen's novel of free soil and border ruffian days in Kansas.
 "The Jayhawkers." The author herself recently sent the following amusing sketch of her early life 10 d friend. It | is printed here with her permission: Among the first hazy recollectlons of my childhood is that of a. shiny black face under a twisted handker- chief, and a cooing, melodi1us voice,
 most comfortable to go to sleep uu- der. Face. turban and voice belonged to my mothers old slave nurse.
 'I became a pionee". a settlers child.
 an Out-wester-a boy, in short. For four vars I remained a boy, as wild,
 hardy and free-roving as if I were a red Indian. Cattle hunting in all weather and in all seasons, with eyes like hawks and a body inured to ia tigue, serenely unconscious of my ab- normal self. I lived the life of a Kan sas farmers child during the hot years of the war laying up a ~reat store of knowledge in matters far out of rhe reach Of most Women's lXperience. saw the firing of the war and heard the dread sound of cannon fired in battle.
 "I was a big girl when the first dawn ing consciousness broke upon me that
 I was different from other girls. A youthful friend asked me how to spell
 my name and I couldn't ceIl her. She has since cOnflded t0 me that she stood
 in abject awe of the fearful familiar
 ity l showed with rses and the skill with which I rode any and everything posse eSsed of a back and four legs. l could handle horses well enough to drive cattle likea fury bu- I knew not how to spell my own name. and there fore was ashamed. Authority look ing on at my wild career and seeing with satisfaction that I was leaving be- hinl a certain delicacy of cInstituti n a relic of terrible illness in babyhood- now decided that i, was time to train me. if Yer I was to become a girl. The fiat went forth: | ceased 10 be d boy and in very short time l found my self inside a school for young ladies in Paris. No wilder colt than | was ever bitted. but l soon took a leading posi- ton in three subj cts-French cOmpo- Sitions. gymnastics and school fun. A Gecayed noble led our faltering steps in the paths of composition, and despite grOtesque mistakes. due to my being a foreigner. used to hold me up as a mod el, because I could tell q story, partic- ularly if there was any fighting in itg Our gymnastic master was a fireman in braZen h5lme, and prep sterous broad belt fastened in d scutty liutlr blouse. We Were dressed in fantastic imita- ton of him. only without the helmet. while to our belts was attached d stout ring. Monsieur le Pcmpier used to hold up aspirants with this ring while they dabbled at the rope with aimless fingers. This was called the exercise of climbing the cord When l was biid. n to take my turn l went up the rope hand over hand. climbing along the top, slid down rhe I. le at The side, and stood, red in the face, before Mon sicur le P1mpier.
 Thus the process continu. |. First in France, then in Germany. then in pleasures and new impressions. I tool, kindly to the old-world civilization and revelod in what | had to give. I don't even now like to have a mediaeval story toned down and explained. I like them horrible and ogre-lfke. And yet if I were to b. asked which of the periods of my life l could least afford to lose. I should answer and say I could least spare out of my life those four wild years on the prairie. when l was a boy, wore a s.lders cap and didn't know low to write my name.-N. Y. Mail and Express.