Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1918-07-11
TEDDY
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BY JANE OSBORN

BY JANE OSBORN

NncH AluTluHut III HiblilfiltS VI Dh~
triotic feryor, thought of herself as
Drawing the perils OF the ocean and
doing her bit in France, 1t was always
as an ambulance driver, than as a
trained nurse or an Office worker The
reason was not far to seek. Mariana,
ever since she gave up riding side sad
die and equipped herself for Il cross
saddle had been quite taken with her
own appearance in breeches. When
dressed her prettiest in filmy rufiles
Mariana hesltated before her pier
glass long enough to see that she had
been properly hooked up and that she
had forgotten no necessary accessory,
but when she was dressed In her riding
toys she stood long and admiring be-
fore the mirror, studied with Infinite
satisfaction the straight line of her
leather Logging, the neat juncture Of
that Logging with hes tan boot, the Inn
maculate trimness of her white pique
stock, the severity of her plain sailor
hat that hid almost all of her pretty
curls and the well-tailored severity Of
the coat that extended from her slight
shoulders to her knees. She did not
admire the image because it was the
reflection of a charming and graceful
young girl, but because It looked to her
for all the world like a young boy. For
Mariana was at the age where the
greatest compliment anyone might
have paid her was to tell her that she
was not feminine, that she thought
like "A boy and that she was free from
any of the fobles Of sex.
The very FIRST day she met Dixon
James he had been fortunate enough
to puy her "A compliment OF this kind,
He had ridden across the country with
her brother and reached the Burden
house just as she was mounting her
own horse for a country ride. SO Dixon
and the brother remounted their
horses and started out again with
Mariana.
you know, | have never enjoyed
riding with girl before SO much as
/ have with you" he told her. ain
fact, You don't seem like girl. You're
more like some awfully nice kid
brother"
Mariana had treasured that compll-
ment 1t was worth more than a dozen
of the usual sort, and ever since that
day Mariana had grown more ana
more addicted to the boyish costume
and more and more rebcllious against
skirts. She had never been convinced
one way or the other on the suffrage
question. but when she learned that
some Of the early suffragists had re-
belled against skirts. she had declared
herself a decided sulfraglst and rode
with her fair hair streaming, In coat
of steel mail, to represent Joan of Arc
at the next suffrage procession.
Then she bought pair of homework
overallS and went about her own bed
room and little sitting room mornings
busting and putting things to rights In
that costume Her mother positively
forbade her going out of her domain
In the costume. or course all her
negliGees were cut on pajama lines
and. inconsistent as was it with her
suffrage conventions, she fancied that
she would like to be Turkish woman
because of the boomers.
81 can do almost anything" she told
her chum one day, III | am not ham
pered with petticoats. I'm sure if
ever make a name for myself 1t will
be in breeches--ridlng breeches or
housework overalls, or something OF
that sort"
Then came the war and illustrated
newspaper supplements were flooded
with pictures of dairy girls I'm brooches,
factory girls In oyeralls and street ear
conductors In suits like the soldiers
uniform. Mariana felt dcvoutly thank
full that she had lived I'm an age when
she might wear trousers aud not be
hooted like poor Amelia Bloomer and
those other worthy pioneers In petit
coat emancipation. The question was,
just which line OF emancipated ocCu-
patton should she pursue. First she
decided To be nm ambulance driver, but
the idea struck every one as absurd.
Particularly did Dixon James plead
with her to abandon this project.
In the first place. they wouldn't
have you" he told her. You're only
eighteen and you are too durued
pretty. What do you know about mix
ing up with q lot of rowdy soldiers?
They won't want girls like you-they
want some big husky amazons that
can give a hand 10 lifting stretChers
and one that has nerves like iron. You
say you couldn't stand being a nurse.
Why, my dear child, you'd have TO 20
through more horrors rs an ambulance
driver"
Finally she was disSunded. But
eventually her mind was made up.
She read in some not distant city an
appeal for street car conductors
the kind that wore leggingS and knee
length coats and bloomers-a not
the petticoat sort--She announced firm
~ that she considered it her duty 10
give her services as conductor. She
was going to release some man for
service, she announced Arguing
against her was In vain. and after Sey-