The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-26
A Real Lady.

A Real Lady.
Margaret was a tombov. Even her
two grandmothers, who thought that
Margaret like the king. could do no
wrong" secretly confessed to them
selves that the child had earned the
title her father gave her. To be sure,
they didn't speak IL right out. One
grandmother said she was lively" and
the other declared that she was Eek
citable"; but what they really meant
was plain ''tomboy.' OF course she
was fond of playing with dolls, espe
cially on rainy days. but her chief
delight was in climbing big trees and
hanging head down from the stout
limbs. She was fond of fishing, too.
and she knew how to bait her own
hooks. Her father said she could
swim like a puppy dog, and he never
had "caddie" as active and untiring
as she on the golf links. She could
row a boat better than her brothers,
and, as to sailing a catboat there
wasn't boy in the harbor'that could
beat her. She never went through a
gate If there was fence to climb,
and she often came home bearing the
evidence in torn skirt and stockings
of wrestling match with that 'abom-
inatton of desotatiop," a barbed-wire
fence. Lost hair ribbons were her
daily sacrifice to the idol OF needless
ness. Beyond all reasonable question.
Margaret was a tomboy Nobody
knew II better than the dog Bowser,
who always sought her after his daily
bath. and left his autograph on the
front of her white dress,
The dear old ladies who daily sat on
the porch of the summer hotel, MAX
+ iv,e at.,l1 rot fAY. ha tr1t nh,
fair and mildly abusing the minister,
wondered II Margaret would ever out
grow her masculine habits and become
I 'tladylike." The maiden ladies', who
always know how to raise children,
and were just old enough TO forget
when they were "tomboys" themselves
sadly shook their heads and hoped
they were mistaken about her future
And Margaret was scolded and disci-
p1ined and reasoned with TIL the end
OF the long. joyous summer; and the
only person who rejoiced in her album
dant activity was the Irish laundress
to whose weekly income she made so
abundant contributions! And the
bright September found the girl
/ stronger, brighter, handsomer. more
( freckled and sunburnt. but not a mite
more 'ladylike" than she had been
I In June.
Margaret's dearest and most init
mate school chum was Eunice Free
man. They shared each others secrets
and chocolate candy, and their teach
er said they reminded her of the let
| tiers @ and u in the alphabet. as they
were never found apart! In every
word YOU spelled that had @ in it
you always found L following II, So
! the schoolgirls ntcknamed them Q
and L. Margaret was q. because she
always led. and Eunice followed with
a blindness Of devotion that almost
| reached idolatry.
Just before Christmas the school
was TO have grand entertainment,
and IN the procession which formed
part OF the festivty Margaret and
Eunice were to march side by side
Margarets mother had bought her a
beautiful new dress for the occasion.
and the child's eyes giistened with
/ pleasure when she saw It, for she was
very fond of pretty clothes.
Don't you think it's very handsome.
dear?" heT mother asked.
oh, yes. mother. beautiful and I'm
so much obliged to you" replied Mar
garet. enthusiastically.
With that pretty pink sash that
grandma gave you for Christmas
4 think my little girl will look as well
ssS ohs &iA Al tAiC pipNSSStpIs Sdiu
mamma, with little pride in her
voice.
Mother" said Margaret with a Sc
/ rious look in her big brown eyes.
would you mind very much if / didn't
wear 1t in the procession"
Not wear 1t. dear. Why. what do
you mean" exclaimed her mother
why. you see. mother" said Mar
garet. "Eunice is not going TO have a
new dress. and | thought---you don't
care much. do you. mother" And
| Margaret had her arms about her
mothers neck.
| When Margaret came into school on
the day of the festival, Eunice was the
first to meet her.
Why. Margaret Redhesd." cried
Eunice. where is your lovely new
dress ?"
Don't l look well enough in this %
laughed Margaret
mono" said her fervent admirer. but
you said
There's Miss Williams Reckoning
to us" interrupted Margaret. II can
beat YOU running upstairs" And Eu-
! nice never knew.
''Tomboy, is She" exclaimed Grand
ma Chaffin, with tears in her dear old
eyes. 'Tomboy. eh! Well, maybe she
Is: but. II she isn't a real lady, then
I the good Lord isn't making them these
days.
And I agree with her. Don't you p
s., in Christian Register
-------