The Meeker herald., 1919-08-09

en-
q. yANR OSBORN
(Copyrixht, 1918. by tho Mcclure Newspa
DER Syndicate.)
By JANE OSBORN

trIotic feryor, thought of herself as
Drawing the perils Of the ocean and
doing her bit in France, 1t was always
MS an ambulance driver, than as a
trained nurse or an office worker. The
reason was not fur to seek. Mariana,
ever since she gave up riding side sad
die and equipped herself for n cross
saddle, had been quite taken with her
own appearance In breeches. When
dressed her prettiest in filmy rufties
and enhancing furbelows for dance
Mariana hesItated 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 admirfng be-
fore the mirror. studied with infinite
satisfaction the straight line OF her
leather Logging, the neat juncture of
that logging with her tan boot, the I'M
maculate trImncss of her white pique
stock, the severity Of her plain sailor
hat that hid almost all Of her pretty
curtis and the well-tallored severity Of
the coat that extended from her. slight
shoulders to her knees. She did not
admire the hinge because 1t wns the
reflection Of a charming and graceful
young girl, but because 1t looked to her
for all the world like young boy. For
Mariana WINS at the age where the
greatest compliment anyone might
have paid her was to tell her TINT she
was not feminine. that she thought
like boy and that she was free from
any of the foibles Of sex.
The very first day she met Dixon
James he had been fortunate enough
to pny her 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 country ride. So Dixon
and the brother remounted their
horses and started out again with
Mariana.
you know. Il have never enjoyed
riding with a girl before so much rs
have with you" he told her. "In
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 dozen
OF the usual sort, and ever since that
dny Mariana had grown more and
more addicted to the boyIsh costume
and more and more rebellious 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 sufrrngIsts had re-
bellcd against skirts. she had declared
herself n decided sufrragist and rode
with her fair hair streaming. In a coat
OF steel mail, to represent Joan of Arc
Mt the next suffrage procession.
Then she bought pair OF homework
ovcrnlls and went about her own bed
room and little sitting room mornings
busting md putting things to rights In
that costume. Her mother positively
forbade her going out OF her domain
In the costume. OF course all her
nesllgees were cut on pajama lines
and. inconsistent as WINS 1t with her
suffrage conventions. she fancied that
she would like to be n Turkish woman
because Of the boomers.
II can do almost anything" she told
her chum one day, "if am not ham,
pcred with pctticoats. I'm sure II
ever make name for myself II will
be In breeches-ridIng brooches or
housework overnlls. or something OF
TINT sort"
Then came the war and Illustrated
,la,,, -,
with pictures Of dairy girls In brooches,
factory girls In ovcralls and street chr
conductors In suits like the soldiers
UNIFORM. Mariana felt devoutIy thank.
full that she had lived In an age when
she might wear trousers and not he
hootcd like poor Amelia Bloomer md
those other worthy pioneers In petit.
coat emancipation. The question was.
Just which line of emnncipnted occu.
patton should she pursue. First she
decided TO be m 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
anu YOU Nre 100 unrned
pretty. What do you know about mix.
Ing up with lot OF rowdy soldiersi
They won't want girls like you-they
wnnt some big husky nmazons TINT
can give hand to lifting strctchers
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 dIssuadcd. But
eventually her mind was made IN.
She read In some not distant city nm
appeal for street car conductors
the Kind TINT wore leggIngs and knee.
length coats and bloomcrs-and not
the petticoht sort-shc announced firm.
~ TINT she considered It her duty to
| give her services ns n conductor o..