Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-23
CoURTIN, DAYS.

fore S,l'y the ea shinS ,o sSs e. glass fsasd that Set
hung over his washstand. cycling
a hip ps s lo %ekEit,sai bSy a re w niI' snd iu SS
the time no put on that sttn. starchY
old collar. mother couldn't make him
wear to church, put on that brand
n waser ao on n and head a Salon io make or h i've ha qr
stay plastered down tight, he would
be a very handsome boy indeed!
He turned from the mirror and
cs up sne nos Sn OK hG " bs
wood shed. two days before. Billy
had bought this nosegay the day
he had earned the money and, OF
what do boys know about flowers?
They looked pretty to him. but. OF
course. he couldn't tell what a
dainty little girl Alike Mary Jane
He laid tho nqsegay gently down
upon the washstand. and went on
dressing. whistling n merry tune ms
he did so. a few minutes later he
precious nosegay in his right hand
and his cap In his left. he started
OF to see the one girl in the world,
the girl Of his youthful heart
he caught n glimpse OF mother and
big sister, who were sewing at the
upper front window. and he knew
II they saw him, he was in for a
bunch of teasing that night at din
In the house next door to that
which Billy Cameron lived. exact
~ opposite. preparations were going
on: only somewhat slower. The boy.
freak!
The very first thing you could SEQ
when you looked at HIM. was that
that looked as If he brushed it only
once n month. Then there were
those 'freckles that spread all over
that d~isgraceful looking map"
p nieee came "a pu s : . nGss' s SsS b na. as run n
over by a truck! But what was
worst Of all was h n his father had
insisted on blessing him with the
Well. that's not a bad name for some
people, but for this little old "SimD."
it was like pastinS a pie on a peanut
Entirely u~nconcerned about ANY
sIappcd n9 his a n on pa n 0 Side e"s Of '? ais
head. thrust his hands deep into his
pants pockets. and was Off to see
the same fair damsel. as his rival.
Billy Cameron. had gone to call upon
Arriving at the place Of his dss-
he ran up the piazza steps
and rang the doorbell. A second
later very stylish French maid
"Ah! it ess zee leetle Mary JAM,
you come to see! Steep into e
parior; she ess in zare!"
Nathanial. somewhat habberEaSted,
walked toward the parior entrance.
Hearing the voice OF Billy. he stepped
behind one OF the portieres that hung
either side OF the door and peeped
bunch OF golden curls. which OF
was Mary Jane.
"oh. Billy h exclaimed. you're
sna 1 Sesan for 10 w solor. T nii1y h S,uf heia
out the bunch OF withered flowers to
Mary Jane. who held out her hand
II to take them. but before she
~ the remark she made. "Biily.
she said. ARE those bea-u-ti-
full flowers Tor mo? You look zoe
cunning in that pretty new suit. I
his remark was too much for Billy,
and before She could suit action to
her words. he said he thought he had
disappeared from the room with the
he had worked so hard for.
still clutched tightly in his hand. AS
ran by, the spot where Nathanial
his face was all smiles. Billy thought
the happiest boy on earth!
Pulling himself together. Nathaniel
sat; She offered him her hand co!dly
and without n. word. She never asked
him 10 sit down. and so he stood up,
never looked at him and so he
never looked at her. She lever volun-
teered a remark, and so he remained
silent. The time passed.
At last. unable TO endure the silence
longer. Nathanial blurted out all in
one breath: "I know what's matter
with you. Mary Jane Carson! Yer
tuck or Bill Cameron. He's a good
looking BOBBY. and-and he's got a
Eood-lookin' suit. and-and--and ef
looks and clothes Is what you're after,
jes' let me slide! know I aln't no
mama's pretty boy 'cause-'cause I
reckon God jes' threw me down here
to show there wo' no hard feelings
bout it, ] spec he made me out of
some old leftover mud and things
he had IN there!
With these words, Nathaniel Josiah
McCabe fed from tho room, leaving
Mary Jane standing in tho center OF
tho room dumbfounded.
+. Nathanial never stopped running
until he reached his front lawn.
FltnGing himself down beside HIS lit
tle Il pup, he said, through a cloud
II reckon I'll give up making love.
make love to anybody I reckon itrl
Gee; but puppy lovo is q funny
Ti7oMAs aurHBRFooRp. III