The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-03-28
A BOY AND
A GIRL
BY JOHN L. PURDY
BY JOHN L. PURDY


Bertha. having very little use for girls
and setting great store by football.
baseball. tennis. and kindred games
have a photograph of her when she
WaS fifteen. and when look at that
charming little face with those maiden
~ eyes wonder how l could have
been Indifferent to her.
Bertha seemed to like to be with
me- She was always glad when it
stormed so hard that / couldn't play
outdoor games and was obliged to stay
in the house and play dominos or
checkers with her. games | considered
very dull. And when | was kept in
on account of some indisposition she
would sit by my lounge or my he'd or
whatever | rested on and read to me. 1t
did not occur to ME to be grateful for
this. simply regarded it as very
natural thing that the inferior being
girl. should minister to the superior
being. boy.
| remember that though manly in
some things | was inpxpressabi.r weak
In others. regret to say that il usual
~ took me from half to three-uuarters
OF an hour to get dose of medicine
into my stomach Threats, contempt.
irony. were insufficient to put enough
courage into me for the purpose. On
one occasion, after being alternately
bribed and threatened to no purpose
| finally made up my mind to have the
thing over with and took the dose
Town at eulp. When a little later
vas asked if l had taken it Bertha.
who was sitting beside me. said. Eyes.
nd he took it very we'll too"
That was the first realization I had
that there was anything admirable in
girl. Indeed. | was very much
ashamed of myself and just a tri1e
grateful to Bertha for standing up for
me who didn't deserve anything but
spanking
As We Grew older came to consider
myself sort Of protector to Bertha.
cooking upon her as something very
weak that needed something very
strong to keep, her out of trouble or
LANCER. | didn't know exactly what
'rhe truth il that Bertha didn't need
nv strong arm at ALL while needed
certain moral courage there was in
,er very much -
chOOl. and when l returned at six
cen it occurred to me for the first
| inc that Bertha was rather a pretty
ri.!. I felt just a little proud of her
I'D wouldn't mind sc~2e of my boy
lends seeing her When two years
home with me there was something
::hout The admiration he expressed for
her that annoyed me exceedingly
sfter that instead of wishing my
'rields to see her | preferred that
hey keep away. In fact was mean
.nou~h not to invite them to my home.
One Christmas while | was at col
ere some one gave Bertha an es
.ri.ni"e When I came home for the
srrinr recess she was wearing tiny
gold plated KEY on Il narrow velvet
ribbon about her neck. / asked her
what the key unlocked. and she said
it was drawer in her desk | asked
her what that drawer contained that
was so precious. and for reply she
gave me only blush.
This was worse than introducing a
friend and enduring his admiration
| of her. Some fellow had been snOop
| ing around. and wished to know
| who he was. OF course | didn't want
| Bertha for myself | had seen sew
eral girls while at college who could
cut a much finer swath than she
But what business had any other man
to come into the house. d-well. il
was dead wrong.
| When | returned the next June a
graduate found that Bertha had not
only budded. but blOomed. She was
past twenty She still wore the key
I didn't see any fellow hangin'~ round
her, but supposed that he was some
| where else ! WAS dlshonorah'c
enough to lay plans to get into the
treasure drawer and learn who he was
One day saw Bertha desk sthndin"
omen. and on the bl0tter she USED r.
write on was the little key, knew
I had no business to pry into her af
fairs. but either did not realize wtat
a contemplate thing it was to q" OF
I was too deeply interested to refrilh
from obeying the dictates OF jea'
ousy. took up the kew and 1nSer'
ing it in the lock. opened the treasure
drawer On the top of what was in II
was the rascal's photograph. bnf in an
envelope. could feel it yielded I"
termination and took it ont 1t was nv
own picture taken when between boy
and youth.
investigating further. found scrap
Of nv writing and on reading If re:'
ogpized something complimentary
had written her ten years before
From an overweenin" conrelt drop-
nod into a bottomless pit OF 1nworth-
ness So great was the change thar II
was a long while before | could sore"
I'M nv courage to tell Bertha 'oVeu
her. But when recovered my equa.
nimity | regained my rascalify. l too
her that had loved her ever since
| she was little girl.
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