The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1908-07-01
Changing Places
With Jimmie.
By W. +. BRYAN.


Jack Morewood stood upon the
piazza tapping the floor with the tip
Of her dalntily booted foot and slap
ping at her habit skirt with silver
mounted crop,
1t was "a perfect day for a ride. The
sun kissed the peaks of the low chain
Vt hills TO the vest and In between
was the bright green of early summer.
Nature WAS In her kindliest mood. but
Jacqueline did not share 1t.
The groom was slow about bringing
her mount around, and while she wait
Ell a dozen couples had cantered past,
waving their hands gayly to Jack.
But no cavalier waited to assist her,
and no smart cob whinnied impatient
ly over the delay In the appearance of
her own horse
Presently the groom would lead her
horse to the block, he would assist her
In the saddle with the perfunctory care
of Il hireling, and she would go canter-
Ing off alone to her ride,
1t was this fact and not the slow
ness of the stable hands that brought
the frown to Jacqueline's face. For
the first time In her life she was tired
of being the boy of the family
When stalwart John Morewood had
leaned over the cradle to look down
into the blinking eyes of his iireborn
the baby had seized the proifered fin
ger In sturdy clasp and her father had
chuckled with delight
she's shaking hands like the little
gentleman she Is" he declared Then
line that he might call her Jack
He seemed TO find comfort for his dis
appointment In her sex by making his
little daughter as boyish as possible,
In her youth. thanks to his training,
she had been given over to tomboy
tricks When she was thirteen and II
baby brother came to share her reign
she regarded the newcomers appear
anee with contempt.
Pm the best boy" she declared
with emphasis and she took pride In
her fathers assurance that she was
indeed. Jimmie became his mothers
pet. while JACK still chummed with
her father. and as the boy grew up
delicate and pallid Jack seemed To
gain mannishness by contrast
She was the golf champion of the
country club, not In the ladies' class.
but by virtue of having beaten all the
men. She could ride wherever man
went, could shoot straight and handle
cue. She was voted good fellow"
but now, on the eve OF her twenty sec
ond birthday, Jack turned rebellious.
Her thoughts were interrupted by
the appearance of the groom with hei
horse, and r.esently she was canterinp
down the drive to the highway. Once
on the road she eased the horse into q
trot The cliff road was accounted one
of the most beautiful In the state, but
the scene.
Phil Minturn had cantered past with
Bess Farley Just before she had start
ed out. and his careless greeting had
wounded her.
She had been good chums with Phil
ever since she was little girl. and
he had always given her the same
careless greeting of fellowship, but this
morning 1t had Jared. She knew that
he did not really care for Bess.
| He had said SO more than once but
Mrs. Farley would not let Bess ride
unless there was some one with her
who could keep watchful eye on her
mount, so Phil, being nelghbor, had
come TO the girls relief.
As with Phil, no 1t was with the
other men. They were all good chums,
but they were only chums. Jack
could not recall u tender speech ever
made to her, and carrying her intro
spection further, She did not blame the
boys for regarding her as one of them
selves Even In the evening her thick
dark hair was severely done and her
dress was IN keeping.
1t came upon her with all the sud
denness of Il revelation that she had
missed the pretty speeches which she
had pretended to despise and that her
heart clamored for the rights of young
womanhood
With lips that pressed hard together
she turned her horses head toward
home. She scarcely recognized the peo-
pie she passed, and 1t was not until
she had almost reached the house that
her attention was attracted She heard
her brothers voice raised In appeal
and through sheer force of habit she
prepared to come to his rescue
h.. ha al ~
| fight his own battles, and In younger
days Jack had sometimes come to his
assistance with her own sturdy fists.
Now she refined In her horse and drew
near the hedge which separated her
from the little boys.
There were Il dozen of them, sturdy,
tanned youngsters with dirt on clothes
and countenanees, and In their midst
stood Jimmy. immaculate In blue vel
vet, with long golden curls.
ITS not my fault" he said In ag,
grieyed tones. "Pm not old enough to
buy my own clothes yet. You fellows
might let me play with you"
"G'wanl" s7as the unfeeling response
eve don't play with girls"
"rm not a girl" asserted Jimmie. II
tell you It's rot my fault"
Boys don't wear velvet dresses" re-
minded his tormentor. Come on, fell
lers. Lady James going to cry"
With burst Of derisive laughter the
boys ran off. For moment Jimmie
made as though to follow them, but he
knew as well as the others that pur-
suit was impossible.
Jimmie had never had chance to
tougher his legs In exercise. With
quivering lip the boy turned toward
the house, and Jack urged her horse
closer to the hedge.
Jimmie" she called warningly, III
you dare to cry shS spank you. Go
get your pony and come back to me-"
What are you going TO doy demand
ed Jimmie.
"Neyer mind" she said You do
what | tell you. Do you want really
and truly to be boy?"
do |? Z" repeated Jimmie, sDifi1ng at