Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-07-22
.AnAthletic:
Girl
And What She
Achieved
By HELEN JENNINGS

born year before me. Johnny had
no boys to play with. and there were
no girls living near me. The conse-
quence was that we began to play to-
gether as soon as we were old enough
to be playmates and kept it up till we
were past ten years old. Johnny's
mother was content TO have him in my
company She said that when he
played with boys they abused him.
tore his clothes, robbed him of his
playthings-in short. treated him with
all uncharitableness. They induced him
to climb trees. get into the mud and
say bad words. |. being a girl, and
rather delicately organized girl at
that. didn't tyrannize over him or
otherwise injure him. certainly didn't
induce him to climb trees.
When Johnny was eleven years old
his father got rich. and the family
went to live in a big house, and
didn't see anything of him after that
until he was twenty years old.
Meanwhile | had been growing more
and more delicate. and the doctor.
when | was sixteen, recommended lit
tie or no school and athletics. The
consequence of this was that | grew
robust and from little angel" as
was called. had become Sportswoman.
played tennis. golf and other out of
door games and had become quite a
horsewoman. Johnny, on the contrary.
had been going downhill in this re-
spect. just Rs | had been going uphill.
When his father made money and
Johnny was taken away from me his
mother hired a nurse for him. 1t
seemed the only way for her TO keep
him from tearing and soiling the
beautiful clothes he was obliged to
wear. His nurse watched him like
cat If he got into swing she would
order him out. If he rolled in the grass
she would pick him up, set him on his
feet and ask him what he meant by
getting the green on his white knicker-
bockers. The result of all this was
that when Johnny reached the age
of twenty he didn't know how to
swim. he couldn't pull an oar he had
never ridden ON a sled or glided on a
pair of skates.
l overheard lady who had known
him since he was Il baby say to my
mother: johnny played too much
with your daughter, Kate, when he
was little fellow, and when he was
parted from her he fell into the hands
of nurse. That's what's the matter
with Johnny, poor boy; he couldn't
help it. He's been educated so and will
remain So"
had been very fond of my little
playmate, and now that / had been
changed from fragile girl to a sports
woman | felt awfully sorry for the
boy. Johnny had been handicapped
What | didn't like especially was the
influence l had had on him in the be-
ginning. blamed myself for his con-
dition, for. | argued. if he hadn't play
ed with me when he was little chap
his mother couldn't afterward have
tied him down to a nurse.
When | was nineteen | went to visit
at the Perkinses. When | saw Johnny
| wanted to cry. A more helpless man
| never saw. He had never mingled
with any except swells. and none but
the most effeminate swells would have
him around. | couldn't believe that he
was the dear, honest, sympathetic. sell
sacrificing boy | had been so fond OF
and had remembered as my dear little
playmate
I fn orOt
some of that out of him if have tC
. kill him"
had been invited to spend week al
the Perkins country home. and l de
termined to make the most of that
week. Pocketing my repugnance tC
, Johnny's effeminacy, l ran up to hin
with outstretched hands. taking bott
his in mine, and said:
"Oh, John; I'm jolly glad to see you
again. old fellow. I've been eager fol
it ever since l received your mothers
invitation Wen have a hot time
while Pm here. Well just make thing.
hum"
. He looked at me in a half frighten
ed way and said he was "vewy much
pleased to meet me again." He IRE
membewed our childhood days vewy
we'll" He seemed to be a bit takeI
|, back by my eXuberance and especially
my slang, which, by the bye. adopted
for the occasion.
"Have we time for a ride before din
? ner?" l asked. I'VE can talk over ole
times together in canter."
"Oh, yes, I'll tell James to bring
, round the auto or would you pwefer t.
, go in the box wagon? James usually
dwives me in the wagon"
Neither. III 60 on horseback"
, Horseback! l don't know how t
| wide horse"
!, you'll have to learn If you ride will
me. Come; order a horse for yourse
and one for me-"
A panied expression passed over hi.
face. From force of habit he looked q
bis mother. who said that John had no
learned to ride. She had intended t.
, have him take riding lessons. but hat
, never been in position to do so.
must excuse him
"Pll be his riding master" ! said