Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-13

no boys 70 play WIN. ana tnere were
no girls living near M. The conse- .
quence was that we began to play to- (;
gether as soon a. we were old enough
TO be playmates and kept 1t 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. 1, being a girl, and
rather a delicstely organized girl at
that, didn't tyrannize over him or
otherwise inture him. 1 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 big house, and 1
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 l was sixteen, recommended lit
tie or no school and athletics. The
consequence OF this was that / grew
robust and from a little angel" as l
was called, had become a sportswoman.
1 played tennis, golf and other cut of
door games and had become quite
horsewoman. Johnny, on the contrary.
had been going downhill in this re-
spect, just as 1 had been going uphill.
When his father made money and
Johnny was taken away from me his
mother hired a nurse for him. It
seemed the only way for her to keep
J him from tearing and soiling the
beautiful clothes he was obliged to
wear. His nurse watched him like a
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
] hin SLICE HG was Ddbg Say " IL
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 a 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"
l had been very fond of my little
playmate, and now that 1 had been
changed from fragile girl TO a sports
woman l felt awfully sorry for the
boy. Johnny had been handicapped
What l didn't like especially was the
influence l had had on him in the be
ginning. l 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. 4 more helpless man
! never saw. He had never mingled
with any except swells, and none but
the most effeminate swells would have
him around. l couldn't believe that hG
was the dear, honest, sympathetic, sell
sacrificing boy l had been so fond Of
and had remembered as my dear little
playmate.
"WelI,"- / said to myself, I'm ge
some OF that out of him if l have t
kill him"
l had been invited to spend a week a
the Perkins country home. and 1 de
termined to make the most of tina
week. POcketing my repugnance L
Johnny's effeminacy, I ran up to hin
with outstretched hands, taking boil
his in mine, and said:
''Oh. John; I'm jolly glad to see yoI
again, old fellow. I've been eager 70
it ever since l received your mother
invitation. Wen have hot tim'
while I'm here. Wen just make thing
hum"
He looked at me in a half brighten
, ed way and said he was "vewy mucl
; pleased to meet me again" He ere
membewed our childhood days view.
well" He seemed to be bit takel
} back by my exuberance and especial.
my slang, which, by the bye, 1 sdopte,
for the occasion.
E Have we time for a ride before din
ner?" I asked, we can talk over oil
times together in a canter."
r "Oh, yes, I'll tell James to brin
? round the auto, or would you pwefer t
go in the box wagon? James usual
dwives me in the wagon"
t Neither. I'll go on horseback"
?, "Horsebacki l don't know how {
wide horse"
You'll have to learn If you ride wit
o me. Come; order horse for yoursel
y and one for me-
A panied expression passed over hi
face. From force of habit he looked a
e his mother who said that John had nc
q learned 10 ride. She had intended {
have him take riding lessons. but ha
never been in a position to do SO.
It must excuse him.
l. I'll be his riding master" ] saiC
r Come, Johnny; let's have a canter."
! had purpOsely brought matters I
crisis. II John was a natural mill
P Eop he would obey his mother. who 2