The Worthington advance., 1900-04-06
A QUEER GIRL,
BY 8. II. Jannes.
I invite her2"
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HALL I invite her?"
- Stella Reeves paused, with pen
poised in the air.
"Can I help you, Stella?" asked Mrs.
Reeves, from the depths of her easy
chair by the fire.
Il was thinking, mother" responded
Stella, whether I should invite Myra
Garland to spend week here. You
know that Patty Harper, Nellie Camp
bell and Jennie Stagg are coming"
"Why not invite Myra?" asked Mrs.
Reeves, eyeing her daughter curiously.
''Well, I don't know" said Stella,
slowly. 'She is ever so nice girl, but
she's queer"
"How queer?"
''Very quiet, and not at all like other
girls. Sometimes like her. and some
times I do not, and that is the way
with oil the girls. She is not good COM
pany, I am afraid, and yet I want to
invite her for that very reason. She
never goes home except during the
summer, and it is SO dreary in the acad-
emy during Christmas and Easter hol-
idays. But I dare say she will not
come, anyhow"
"Invite her, Stella" said Mrs. Reeves,
quietly. And Stella did.
1t was night when Myra came, the
train being late, and Mrs. Reeves did
not see her until they all sat at the
breakfast table next morning.
All the girls were there, and at first
Mrs. Reeves mentally decided that
Myra was only a homely girl with
brown hair and hazel eyes, and much
like other girls, but before the meal
was ended she found herself watching
the girl with increasing curiosity. She
was queer, in her reversed, almost mo-
rose, manner, in her habitual silence
and her grave, sweet smile.
''She is queer" said Mrs. Reeves to
herself, 'but like her."
Before the day was out she liked
Afyra more than ever. When the other
girls went out for a walk, Myra stayed
indoors, fed the canary, busted the
bric-a-brac, and shook up the sofa and
chair pillows, and did several other
little tasks which Stella generally for
got.
II like to work." said Myra, with her
grave smile, land it is fortunate that
1 do.''
Mrs. Reeves could not refrain from
asking why, with her eyes.
Because" continued Myra, II must.
I have no father or mother, and
auntie has only small income. When
I leave the academy next June must
make my own living. I can draw, paint,
play the piano and violin, and speal.
three languages besides my own, and
I ought to be able to support my
SELF"
II should think SOL" exclaimed Mrs.
Reeves.
And then she looked once more in
amazement at the 17-year-cld girl, so
self-reliant and accomplished, and yet
SO quiet and queer
Within three days Myra was firmly
established in the Reeves household.
She was so handy and so helpful and
so good natured, everybody said, that
Stella and the girls actually held a eau
Gus to discover why they had called
her queer, and failed to find cause. y
On the evening of the third day Ar
thur Reeves came home on leave from
the naval school, where he was cadet.
Arthur was only lS, but such q big,
burly fellow, especially in his cape
overcoat, that you would have taken
him for 25 at least-at distance.
''You shall be our cavalier, Arthur"
said Stella, land I promise you shall
have your hands full"
'All right" asserted Arthur, care
1essly. Bring on your girls; you can't
frighten sailor.''
Then began round of gayety such
as fairly took away the girls breath.
They made trips to the old mill and
the abandoned powder magazine, they
went hunting and skating, and Arthur
was the guiding spirit in all their
pranks.
Myra revived her reputation for
aueerness in these expeditions.
"By the great hoop-block!" cried
Arthur, with undisguised admiration,
to his mother, as he was eating late
breakfast. II call her jolly girl, and
no mistake"
Don't roar so, Arthur" said Mrs.
Reeves, with smile. Jolly, did you
say?'
"That's what said. Why, mother,
she can outwalk me and climb q hill
like soldier. She can handle a rifle
like a marine, although she is too soft
hearted to aim at anything but dead
target, and she can skate better and
faster than any girl ever heard off,
"The girls say she is queer" said Mrs.
Reeves.
"Queer!" he burst out. "Well, YES,
perhaps she is, but wish there were
more queer girls like her. Is she rich.
mother?"
II believe not, Arthur"
"That's lucky!'
"Lucky?"
For her. She will have to work, and
she is sure to make her mark, and it
will be big one. Mother, I think"
ARTHUR" called Stella, outside, If
you ever get through eating, we girls
would like to have you drive us to the
post Office"
On Tuesday Arthur's leave would ex-
pire, and so it was arranged that on
Monday there should be picnic. 1t
was Arthur's idea.
"Why not:" he asked. Its mere
nonsense to suppose that you can't
have a picnic cnly in summer. What's
the matter with taking the big sleigh,
loading it up with picnic grub, includ-
ing rubber blankets, in case we want
to sit on the ground, and having q first