Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-02
When George
Became George
George, porgie, pudding pie.

Kissed the girls ana maze em cry,
came tauntingly over the fence, and
George hastily took his head out Of
the hole in the fence. but not before
he ran his tongue out at his tormen-
tor. Then he used it to say, 'Humph!
Not homely girl. like you guess. ;"
and retired with great dignity to the
other side Of the house.
There he sat down In wrathful
state of mind, and began to argue the
case with himself once more.
Never kissed girl, and never
will. don't see as it's anything
against fellow cause he likes pie
If it's mince, or pudding" and his
eyes turned pantryway. "Madge Is
spit cat" he added, as If the worst
possible had been said.
He sat and looked down the quiet,
hot street few minutes. but this
grew painful. If mother hadn't looked
so misty when she left in the morning
to go to see Aunt Alice, who was very
ill, and if he hadn't wanted to make
up for his bad behavior the night the
minister was to tea, It would have
been an easy matter to forget, and
swim, regardless OF his fathers warm
promise: "And If you do swim.
George, I'll thrash you," and when
father said thrash 1t was serious.
"Oh, shucks!" he said, "a fellow
can't go swimming or anything His
eyes wandered across the way where
Madge sat at her teaparty and lit al
most with favor on the hated dolls.
He would have forgotten his manly
state and condescended to play with
her this afternoon if she had not
coaxed him, but such rebuff as hers
could only be met with dignity and ln-
difference.
s. Madge looked across at him and felt
bit sorry, but he did not put on
such airs just because he was boy
and year older. Then her new griev-
ance rose up and made a lump in her
throat. "Homely!" Well, anyway, she
didn't have freckles as big as his, and
she would make him sorry. She pick
ed the white sunbonnet up, and trail
ing 1t by one string went out of her
gate past Georges. He was whiting
on the porch.
II am going after clam-shells,"
Madge announced.
"Where?" asked George, unable to
withstand the temptation.
There are lots of them in the pond
and I am going out on the big log"
This was alluring. "You can come
along" she said magnanimously.
He ignored the invitation. "You
mustn't go out on the big log alone,
it's slippery"
Pooh! I amt afraid; are you?'
Afraid?" he fred up "Of course
not. but l don't play with girls
Madge tossed her black braids, and
was off on jump for the pond.
After that the lonesomeness grew
on George. Nothing went right. He
wandered around aimlessly, then
started for the pond. After all Madge
wasn't so bad. She couldn't play
marbles and beat any girl running.
Yes. thinking it over he decided that
for a girl she was pretty good fell
low
"I'll sneak down and scare her, and
then maybe I'll get shells for her"
he told himself. as he neared the
pond. He peeked around the big
tree, and there sat Madge on the log.
his log, with bare legs trailing in the
water.
Boob. Booh!" he yelled like a
wild Indian. Madge jumped, lost her
balance, and splash! George sprang
after her, for it was deep under that
log He grabbed those long braids he
was so used to pulling and pulled with
a will. When they were safely out,
Madge turned wrathful eye on him.
"You made me lose my new slip
pers."
~ see emf and he waded out and
swan for them.
Say. you didn't scream once. Lots
of girls would" handing the precious
new slippers to her. She smiled un.
der his praise.
WAS hard to get out? You must
be awfu1ly strong" and she gazed at
him with admiration.
ooh, that amt anything" he dis.
claimed modestly. but with suspfc.
ious swelling of the chest. "Just you
dry and watch me dive off this log
Never were such wonders perform.
ed. and never was anyone so generous
with praise, or so wide-eyed with as