The Meeker herald., 1919-04-19
TEDDY
~~

y AssE OSBORN

ooooooooooooooooooooo3
(copyFisht, 11l1. By the Mcclure Nswaoar
~ oyndioats.)
When Mariana. In moments Of 20
triotic fervor. thought Of herself -
Drawing the perils Of the ocean and
doing her bit in France. It was always
a. an ambulance driver. than ~ .
trained nurse or an once worker. The
reason was not far to seek. Mariana.
ever since she gave up riding side sad
die and equipped herself for q cross
saddle. had been quite taken with her
own appearance in breeches. When
dressed her prettiest In hlmy rufnes
and enhancing furbelows for 4 dance
Mariana hesitated before her pier
glass long enough to see that abe 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 her 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
curis and the well-tailored severity Of
the coat that extended from her slight
shoulders to her knees. She did not
admire the image because 1t was the
reflection Of q charming and graceful
young girl. but because It looked to her
for all the world like q 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 . boy and that she was free from
any Of the foibles Of sex.
The very frst day she met Dixon
James he had been fortunate enough
to pay her compliment of this kind.
He had ridden across the country with
her brother and reached the Burden
house just ~ she was mounting her
own horse for country ride. 30 Dixon
and the brother remounted their
horses and started out again with
Mariana.
"You know. I have never enjoyed
riding with . girl before 90 much A.
I have with you" he told her. Tin
fact, you don't seem like girl. You're
more like some awfully nice hid
brother"
Mariana had treasured that COMPILE
ment. It was worth more than q 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 rebellious against
skifts. 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
herseH . decided suffragist and rode
with her fair hair streaming. in coat
Of steel mall. to represent Joan Of Arc
at the next suffrage procession.
Then she bought pair Of housework
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. OF course all her
negiigees were cut on pajama lines
and. Inconsistent As was 1t with her
suffrage conventions, she fancied that
she would fike to be q Turkish woman
because Of the bloomefs.
II can do alm6st anything she told
her chum one day. 'if I am not ham
pered with petticoAts. I'm sure II I
ever make q name for myself II will
be In breeches-riding breeches OF
Homework overalls, or something Of
that sort"
Then came the war and illustrated
newspaper supplements were flooded
with pictures Of dairy girls In breeches
factory girls In overalls and street car
conductors In suits like the soldiers
uniform. Mariana felt devoutly thank.
full that she had lived In an age when
she might wear trousers and not be
booted like poor Amelia Bloomer and
those other worthy pioneers In petit.
coat emancipation. Tho question was.
Just which line Of emancipated occu.
patton should she pursue. First she
decided to be an ambulance driver, but
the idea struck every one a. absurd.
Particularly did Dixon James plead
with her to abandon this project.
Tin the FIRST place, they wouldn't
have you" he told her. You're only
eighteen and you are too darned
pretty. What do you know about mix.
ing up with lot Of rowdy soldiersi
They won't want girls like you-they
want some big husky amaxons that
can give q hand to lifting stretchers
and one that has nerves like Iron. You
say you couldn't stand being 4 nurse.
Why, my dear child. you'd have to 60
through more horrors a. an ambulance
driver"
Finally abe was dissuaded. But
eventually her mind was made mp.
She read In some not distant city an
appeal for street car coodectoes-
a A. 49,