Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-05-30
Fresh Air

Young Catterburt groaned. Then he
shuddered as he regarded the frost
on the windows. For he was about to
plunge out into the biting cold.
1t is usually a girl who rouses
young man to deeds heroic or foolish
and it. was a particularly pretty, fluffy
girl named Ethel who was respons-
ible- for young Catterburt's risking his
peace of mind, to say nothing of his
life, out among the pneumonia germs
in the freezing air.
If Ethel had been the sort of girl
who is content to make magazine COW
er pictures of herself before a blazing
log fire, or if she had loved to, preside
over steamy chatting dishes young Cat
terburt would have been extremely
happy in her company. But Ethel had
mania for outdoor exercise. Appar-
emily she never remained in the house
if she could create an excuse to get
out, and young Catterburt, being her
constant shadow, had to go along. He
didn't dare not to CO. for fear some
of his rivals would spring in and usurp
his place.
This winter Ethel had led him
merry pace. He had not dreamed
when he became acquainted with her
in the summer than she was going to
turn out to be that kind, for she had
seemed particularly fragile and cling
ing. The things she could not invent
now to do out of doors could have
been recited in half minute Sunday
afternoons when young Catterburt
would drop in for comfortable call
Ethel would greet him with energy.
I'm so glad you've come" she would
say. Isn't it the most perfect day for
a walk I'm simply dying to get
out. Don't take off your coat, for I'll
have my things on in jiffy!"
Then she would make young Cater
burt tramp nine or eleven miles with
a thousand singing needles of cold
iabbing into his agoniZed countenance
and his feet growing so numb that he
knew he would have to excuse himself
the instant he got back to her door
and say, Beg pardon-I'Il be back
just as soon as / get my toes ampu-
tated" She would lead him to the
arctic shores of the lake and ask him
if it didn't look lovely. while gallons
of icy breeze sneaked down his collar.
If he asked her to go to the the9ter
she would beg him to take her skat-
ing instead Skating as an amuse-
ment appealed to young Catterburt as
a very special kind of progressive in
sanity
This particular evening another skat-
ing expedition was on the carpet.
Young Catterburt's face was so cold
when lie reached Ethel's that he
couldn't talk He didn't want to talk,
anyhow for he was feeling consider
ably abused and harried by fate.
Ethel, so bundled in furs that she
looked like an Eskimo, was full of gay
chatter 1t added to his resentment.
Finally even she bent her head to
the bitter night wind and plodded on
in silence, which was broken only by
the clang of their swinging skates.
Suddenly Ethel halted. She got
around back of young Catterburt,
much as though he were an inanimate
windbreak, and made queer little
noises. They sounded like frozen
sobs
Whaz zhu natter" Chatterburt got
out. He couldn't force his numb lips
open far enough really to talk.
"O-o-oh!" Ethel wept. ITS simply
horIid of you! It's all your fault! It's
no way to treat a girl! It's brutal
making me 60 outdoors in w-w-weather
like th-th-this!"
"t-make you!" Catterburt shattered,
aghast. "You were d-d-dying to go!"
"Tll prob-probly die, all right"
Ethel told him Indignantly, "but it's
your fault! You said once you l-l-liked
athletic, outdoor girls-and I've been
one all winter and I hate it, and |
simply won't any more, and / don't
care if l never s-s-see you again!
O-o-oh! My eye-lashes are all fr-fr-
frozen togeth-gether!"
Ethel" young Catterburt chartered
wildly, 81 f-f-feel now that l can love
you madly. After we get somewhere
and drink about two quarts of hot
coffee apiece I'm g-g-going to t-t-tell
you ab-b-bout it!"-Chicago Daily