Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1901-08-14
An Ugly Girl
BY Margaret G. Favwcet.
Copyright, 1901. by Authors syndicate.)


III fered by big publication and
had buried himself in Ashton because
it was the first place he happened to
think of. Ashton was mildly gay in
July. In January it was not much
livelier than its own quiet cemetery
on the West hill. Naturally Broad
bridge did not mind the dullness. The
mornings he devoted to writing, the
afternoons to long tramps down the
main street and out into the country
1t was during these tramps that he
planned his story. His evenings were
a trif1e slow-at first. 1t was at the
end of his first week in Ashton that
he met 1.-The ugly girl on one of his
walks. She wore a sensible short
skirt, sensible stout boots, short,
mannish coat and a scarlet tam O
shanter. He noted these details with
disapproval. He was accustomed to
elegant women of the hot house va
riety. Most of all, he objected to the
ugly girls lack of beauty. Small eyes
of nondescript color. though one
might stretch a point and call them
blue, tip-tilted nose and wide
mouth; these things he observed with
unkind criticism on that first meet
ing. That lips and cheeks matched
the tam o shanter in color might
have compensated somewhat for the
irregular features, but, alas. nose
and chin were only a shade paler
Then, too, the ugly girls manner dis
pleased him. She had looked him
over with provokingly superior lit
tie air, as if he were the green
grocer's clerk or one of the other
young men of the village, and Broad
bridge had always prided himself on
his air of distinction. He was angry
that evening to find that he could not
forget the episode of the meeting.
A crimson tam fitted between his
was trying to read. The next morn
ing but one he walked down to the
village post Office and met her on the
way. Three dogs We're jumping about
her, two great Danes and a terrier
He went home and wrote steadily the
rest of the morning. Before lunch
con he read what he had written and
tore it up.
shes the daughter OF the Episco-
pal minister" said his hostess that
evening, in answering blunt inquiry.
She keeps house for her father.
They live in that pretty little white
cottage next the church which you
think is so picturesque"
He found the rector to be a gentle
man and a scholar whose broken
health welcomed the quiet of Ashton.
Hungering for the flesh pots of mod
ern Egypt, DR.. Peters welcomed
Broadbridge cordially. The two took
tramp together, and upon their re-
turn Broadbridge was invited to have
tea at the rectory. He found that
the ugly girl had much self-posses-
sion for country lass and the fanci-
full name of Carr. She chatted cheer
fully about many things with him
and her father, but Broadbridge felt
that she hardly separated the two
and he was only 80 He had learned
that the best way to attract an intel
ligent young woman's attention was
to say something rather rude.
u hardly expected, Miss Peters"
he observed, while slipping his coffee
in the cosy library one night after
dinner-the rector had been called
out by a member of his parish-''to
find anything quite so new as your
self in sleepy Ashton" One of Broad
bridges many gifts was an expressive
voice. That adjective "new" implied
many things, not all of them f1atter-
ing.
And you don't like new women
said Miss Peters, frankly. "Well, we
are quits. l have no great admira-
ton for the modern man. Please
smoke. if you care to. Father always
smokes here"
And what is your definition of the
modern man." queried Broadbridge,
with interest.
"Al opinions and no convictions, y
retorted Miss Peters, succinctly. Are
you fond of Chopin?"
The abrupt change of subject an
noyed Broadbridge. The ugly girl
lacked tact, he thought.
That night wild Polish melodies, a
tip-tilted nose, hooking mouth and
fat cheek were curiously mixed up
in Broadbridge's dreams. The next
morning he began a new story.
After his acquaintance with the
Peters he altered his plans somewhat.
He still wrote in the mornings, he
still tramped about the country in
the afternoons, but now red tam
o shanter generally bobbed near his
shoulder. In the evenings he visited
DIR. Peters at the rectory. Miss Pet
ers was interested in the story.
ut will be detestably cynical" she
said, with her usual frankness. "All
these modern stories are. 1 stopped
reading them long ago."
You are lacking in charity, Miss
Peters," observed Broadbridge, grave
iy. "You should have considered the
modern writer's"
Miss Peters airily disregarded the
sarcasm.
I'VE have smart writer's, nowadays.
We haven't any great writer's"
For a new woman you are the
most old-fashioned L ever met" he
said, gazing half quizzically at the
nannish little figure. Miss Peters
had grace, if she hadn't beauty.
I suspect only my clothes are
new" she answered. with 9 laugh.