The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-04-06
The Girl
Next Door
A Sketch of Juvenile
Love
By F. A. Mitchell

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Spring is the season Of flowers and
love, as has been remarked before. it
seems, to the present writer. He does
not claim originality for the remark.
But it Is as true now as 1t was when
hrst made, some centuries ago, and all
English and American poets from
Chaucer to the present poet laureate
have enlarged on the theme.
Why not use it, therefore, to intro
duce little tale, or sketch, rather, of
very young man and very young
maid and flowers and -four?
Billy AthertOn was nearing sixteen
that is, he was at an age when two
things monopoliZed the limited space
there was in his undeveloped brain.
the first being his clothes, the second
girl. 1t may seem absurd to put
the clothes before the girl, but such is
the proper relation. There are q great
many girls, but only one wardrobe, for
a young man, and he requires that
wardrobe to be exactly in vogue.
The first sign Billy showed Of ap-
preaching manhood was when he was
fourteen. Then he displayed marked
concern about his neckwear. Later
new complication developed; then
the period for long trousers came on.
The color of his neckwear must match
the color of his socks. Nothing would
induce him to wear socks that were
not clicked His favOrite shade for
his scarf and socks was a brilliant
yellow, and woe betide the tailor who
produced a pair Of trousers for him
that were not short enough to display
seven-eighths Of his hosiery!
When Billy was invited to his first
formal dance he was confronted with
the most important question thus far
of his life. Should he wear a swallow
tail or a tuxedo? If a tuxedo, should
he wear a white or black vest, white
or black tie? In Billy's time boys of
his age were supposed to pass upward
and onward to full dress through
tuxedo. So, Notwithstanding that he
was invited to a formal dance, he must
wear a tuxedo.
Consultation with half a dozen other
boys of his age soon cleared the way
through the vest and tie problems.
They were to be both black. But Billy
struck snag on the collar. There was
unfortunately a division Of opinion.
Some Of the boys ruled for a standing.
some for a rundown collar. During
the afternoon before the dance Billy
was In a fever Of suspense whether it
should be standing or turndoWn. Final
ly the matter was settled by a tele-
phone message from his haberdasher.
who, after consulting periodical CIV
ing such fashions, assured Billy that If
he wore anything except a rundown
collar the bottom would drop out Of
the universe. That settled the final
momentous question as to how Billy
should be arrayed on going to his first
formal dance.
Since Billy was to enter upon his
first love affair during the evening of
this dance one would suppose that the
apparel Of the girl he was to fall in
love with should be also described.
Betty Hinsdale, aged fourteen and
ten months, was as much concerned
about her party get up as was Billy
about his apparel. A dress had been
especially prepared for the occasion.
But If her costume were to be as mi
nutely described as Billy's has been it
would require woman to do the job.
This would involve two persons to
write the story. Hence / can only say
that when Betty was paraded before
her father in her party dress he i'm
mediately ordered it heightened at both
ends. This is all the information l
can give on the subject.
The apparel of these two young per-
sons being the most important part of
this story has necessitated its being
introduced in the beginning. 1t is now
necessary to mention a certain spring
day when Billy had put on his base
ball suit and was in his back yard
summing himself, occasionally throwing
a ball against the brick wall Of his
home.
Billy was standing within few
feet Of the house examining tear In
the ball he had been tossing when he
was surprised at a fine powder settling
all over him. He brushed 1t off, but
more settled in its place. He looked
ND to see whence it came. All he saw
was that 1t had emanated from win
dow I'm the house next door.
Billy was puzzled. Nevertheless he
suspected that some one was shower
ing him. Bending his head over his
ball for awhile. he raised his eyes sud-
denly and saw the laughing face OF a
girl at a window. 1t was drawn In
with astonishing rapidity. Billy wait
ed and watched for some time, but
there was no temperance Of either
the girl or the -four that had whitened
him.
Be It remembered that this was
springtime. One morning when Billy
was getting himself late for breakfast
by a painful indecision as to which
cravat out of more than twenty he
should wear he cast his eyes aside
from the mirror before limit was
very close to a window-and saw a
Girl planting seeds or roots I'm the yard
next door. He at once OWNED that
she was the maid who had Toured
him. and he wished for something