The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-04-19
A QUEER GIRL
By s. H. James.
By s. H. James.
I invite her?"


chair by the fire.
81 was thinking, mother" responded
Stella, whether l should invite Myra
Garland to spend week here. You
know that Patty Harper, Nellie Camp
bell and Jennie Stage are coming"
''Why not invite Myra?" asked Mrs.
Reeves, cycling her daughter curiously.
''Well, l don't Know" said Stella,
slowly. "She is ever so nice girl, but
she's queer"
''How queer?"
Every quiet, and not at all like other
girls. Sometimes l like her, and some
times [ do not, and that is the way
with all the girls. She is not good COM
pany, l am afraid, and YET l want to
invite her for that very reason. She
never goes home except during the
summer, and it is so dreary in the acad-
envy during Christmas and Easter hol-
idays. But 1 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
Myra 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.
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.
On the evening of the third day Ar
thur Reeves came home on leave from
the naval school, where he was a cadet.
Arthur was only is, but such a 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 l promise you shall
have your hands full"
''All right" asserted Arthur, care
1essly. Bring on your girls; you can't
brighten a sailor"
Then began a 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
queerness in these expeditions.
'By the great hoop-block!" cried
Arthur, with undisguised admiration
to his mother, as he was eating late
breakfast, 81 call her jolly girl, and
no mistaSe"
1.-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?
81 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, think
arthur" called Stella, outside, eff
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?" ne asked. Its mere
nonsense to suppose that you can't
have a picnic only 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 a first
class time generally"
1t was unanimously voted that there
was nothing the matter with it," and
on Monday morning the picnic sleigh
jingled off.
Myra was there, even more quiet
than usual, and her only response to
the general chatter was grave smile.
What an old grandmother she ISL
whispered Nellie Campbell to Jennie
Stage; and Jennie nodded vigorous
assent.
81 believe she has some dreadful all
ment," whispered Patty Harper, in her
turn. "and l wouldn't be surprised to
see her drop at any moment"
"Pooh!" said Stella, contemptuous-
ly; sit is only Myra's way"
Meanwhile the object of these re-
marks sat quietly on the box-seat with
Arthur, and said never a word.
81 say said Arthur, at length, "why
don't you talk?"