Holbrook argus., 1912-04-23
The Gymnasium Class

tone of disgust;:..if I looked like thet Pd-fd refrain from this sort of wor6 and wear kimonos the rest of my life!'
 The other girls looked where she pointed and beheld woman of unde- cided years hanging from the stall bars, In an earnest endesvor to cast of, or at least redistrIbute, some of her superfuous avoirdupois.
 "Oh, don't think she 80 bad. said Miss Short, anxiously glancing down at her own lower extremities and mak- ing mental comparison. "Of course she's too fat, but she's yell proror- toned. think" and she felt her srm. near the shoulder, with an imper- ceptible sigh of relief to find that 1t, too, was proportioned to her other limbs.
 q do hope" sighed Miss Barclay, in tone of perfect content with herself, that this work won't decrease ny weight" Then she cast an apprecis- tive eye over her. own plump charms.
 Well, all ean say. returned Miss Beck, as at a personal stsront, as she peered down, trying to catch q glimpse of her own; sylph-like, legs completely hidden 6E, the Yoluminous folds of black bloonerss unless she put one forward purpeselyz.sis that it's lots easier to add than to take away, and as for as I'm concerned I'd hate to see myself in 2, position where couldn't wear the ,pgesent. styles with any degree of corssort.Ss
 ----sssssss;.
 "Say, just look over si1ss the corner. See that girl-or< wefnaas-I suppose she is-catching: the Aallt Did you ever in your life beholds any one quite so much higher in one Slfoulder than the other ?" Miss Father spoke.
 'tNo ones except yourself" replied Miss Short unfeelffgly sqhe director was saying lassamesk that you'd need seven year .coafs@z4o' get you strengthened upsfroaf ffsfdeto side"
 ssPm glad its nF shoulders instead of my hips, at any 4ate, ,sa salstorted Miss Father, malief6usly rglaScing at her tormentor's slightly ungeometricsl pro- portions. s.+.'' s-'-
 Well" said Miss Garvin traRquilly. ''Tm waiting to be told of my chief deformity. Or must I wait until I've been here a while longer?" She viewed !he mirrored image of her perfectionE with calm approval. While you peo- pie are striving to get back to normal -fll be so far ahead of you in the grace tul art that I'll be talking only the sign language. It's tod bad that my friends are mostly deformsd and crip- pled!" and she de1terousiy caught ball that came whizzing her way.
 "No, dearest" cooed Miss Beck, you aren't as perfect as you think. But you don't learn of your imperfec- tions until you've had 4a~few lessons. It took me three before I was inform ed that had one shoulder too high. one hip too large and sG- bad case of | swaybackl You're mere kinder gardener at it. and. of course. yoa can't yet understand! But you'll learn. So contrive to be happy, dear. until you have come to earthi You are young and you are beautiful, but you may be knock-kneef or pigeon toed or bowlegged or even swsybaek. for all you know. It isn't my place to inform you, but you'll be informed in due season." She gave Miss Garvin . look of compassionate pity!
 'Well, at any rate, if I am, all those things. I won't advertise 1t by wear ing silk stockings" exclaimed Miss Garvin. See, that young :thing-sh can't be more than forty-oyer there hanging on those rings that are fast ened to the ceiling? I'll offer . special prize to any one telling me just, where her ankles are-.that Is, where her calves and her feet are joined! I'll be blessed If can tell!- She ex- tended we'll turned ankle. aeiiberate- ly. before the others: q may ,as well own that that's my one pride and glory" she confessed, shemslessly. q may be fat or thin, straight or stoop shouldered-"
 Glass in line!" ordered the diFec- tor. and the girls hasteped to their places. .,
 The third girl therel" The d. rector pointed at Miss Gsrvin.. .Plesss extend your ankle whom you; mark time! One would think yog ,Yere e hundred years old. the way you land on your heels! wish I could make this class understand! For beauty of ankle you simply have got to extepd 1t at every steD-that gives 1t sup pleness. If you'd do that"-to Miss Garvin-"you'd soon see . vast im- provement in that stockinsss you have! Forward, marchi"