Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-12-11
Hates
Letter
51s7s2s1s7s7S2s2s2s7s152s

B etter B
Dear Geraldine: II you were an
enemy Of mine I'd say, Come on up
70 Kimcno lake"-because there isn't
q man here and don't know any.
thing more dreadful than to have q
trunkful of clothes and plenty of
boats and moons and scenery with
out any one to render them Of any
real use. There was a man here two
days ago but-well, he went away.
You see, 1t really was all his fault.
When a man is tolerably young and
dreadfully good looking In cold and
naughty fashion and has time to come
to summer resort you naturally
suppose he is real human being
and can dance and paddle a boat.
Its nothing more than his duty, SO
don't see how can be blamed. Ger.
tain situations in life demand certain
things and II being the only man at
. summer hotel does not obligate the
man to cheer up and take notice I'd
like to know 1t.
Apparently 1t didn't touch this Mr..
Clark. He sailed in and out of the
dining room as though he could not
see me In my pink linen suit which
sets on my dark hair so splendidly,
or the other girl and her younger
sister, both Of whom always looked
quite well--for blondes, Of course.
And what really irritated me was
that he didn't act as though he even
wanted to see us. You can tell, you
know, whether man is Just shy or
whether 1t is downright ignoring of
you. All he did was to go away by
himself on the pier and fish OF else
take his canoe and vanish around the
point In the lake.
made up my mind that I'd change
his programme, because 1t wasn't
right. l felt sorry for the little blonde
girl. she looked so lonesome. AS
for myself, 1t didn't really matter.
because | knew there'd be plenty of
others to take me around soon.
The first thing ], did was to get a
light row-boat and start out one morn
I ing about fifteen minutes after this
Mr.. Clark had departed in his canoe.
Maybe he'd upset and could rescue
him, ! thought. At any rate I'd find
out where he went.
came across him soon. His boat
had its nose stuck into the bank un.
der big willow and he was stretch.
ed, out In 1t reading book. splash.
ed hard, but he never looked up, SO
presently carefully slid one oar over
the edge and pushed 1t as far away
from me as l could.
"oh. dear!" cried.
Mr.. Clark looked up.
Eve lost my oar!" said what
shall do! How stupid of mel"
"Oh, dear moi" said Mr.. Clark
calmly. ION the other hand It was
remarkably clever of you to manage
It; because those oars are SO securely
fastened in the oarlocks. But you
still have one. Back water with IT,
and you can reach the other easily.
Ny canoe would only get in your way
II tried it,"
So there he sat while swung
around with the other oar and did as
he ordered me. was SO angry that
S I'd have liked to tip his old canoe
over and go away and leave him with
the muskrats sticking their heads out
Of the bank at him. And got my
hands SO sunburned rowing that they
are sights.
put on my very prethest dress,
the one with the dozens of yards of
lace insets, for dinner that night Just
to make him sorry for his bearish-
ness-and then he didn't come to.
dinner at all. Really. some men are
perfect brutes.
But ] got ahead Of him when 1
went fishing. OF course had a per
fectsright to fish and he had no mort.
gage on the whole pier and that's.
really the best place, so I put on
Peter Pan waist and skirt to match
and sweet white ruffled sunbonnet
and got out on the pier ahead of him.
He nodded In perfect polite way
when he came and then deliberately
sat down on the opposite side of the
pier, with his back toward me. 1t
was too absurd. At any rate wasn't
going to spend a whole morning out
: In the broiling sun angling for horrid
slippery fish and play deaf and dumb
asylum. Still, couldn't think lust
what to do. ! couldn't ask him to put
the worms on the hook for me be-
cause / didn't have worms, but min
nows. couldn't get the hook stuck
IN my hand because 1t would hurt
too much. He looked SO severe that
didn't dare flip the line over my
head and hook him. So there was
nothing else to do but just what j
did.
In the interests of the lonely little
blonde girl sacrificed my personal
comfort-for 1t was cold, shivery
morning and the water was like iced
consomme-it reminded you of how
very nice II could be If only it was
warm. ! moved around as though
was trying to get up. pretended to
slip. gave a pathetic little scream
and tumbled off into the lake.
You see, i forgot that the pier ran
out SO far and that the water was
deep. ] expected to land on my feet