Arizona republican., 1920-03-21

following.
NY FIRST AMBITION
When I was about six years old, my
first ambition was to be a boy. AS
well as I can remember I had only
che reason for having that ambition
Father bought a large farm about
that time. and employed quite few
men to work for him. / was worried
the first few days as / watched the
men work for they had refused my
help. That was not the worst, though,
for as soon as father heard about it he
forbid me to bother the men. / did
rot bother them after that, but would
sit on the edge of an irrigation bank
CT on the fence and watch them work
1t was one morning, after 1 had
kissed Daddie goodbye. / was sitting
on the fency trying my best to think
why they did not want me to help
them. Perhaps if / could get pair of
overalls and a straw hat, they would
let me work. The hat was in view.
for one of them had taken his off
and laid it on bench near by. But
where could l get the overalls?
1t was after a long, hard search
through the attic that / came down
stairs with the overalls. My face and
hands were very dirty, but I looked at
myself in the mirror. The hat came
down over my eyes, the overalls were
badly worn, for there were large
patches in the knees and in the back.
I thrust my hands in my pockets and
alked briskIy out the back door for
fear some one would see me. When
the men saw me they stopped instantly
and stared at me. Yes, l felt not
half so we'll, but / was a boy. With
my hands still in my pockets, 1 stopped
and looked up at them from underneath
that large straw hat. / took my right
hand from the pocket and pulled the
hot of Sfnnd 1OhaSf L had
cut my curls as close to my head as
POSSIBLE. but | had no idea it was as
bad as that.
l was nervous 1 admit, for the men
uttered not a word and 1 was sure that
they would speak first. But they did
not I thrust my dirty hand in my
Pocket again after putting on the hat,
and said:
'Daddie has gone away today, and
want to work.
The men laughed but I still had the
eernest intention of being capable of
working. One of the men stopped
laughing and said:
''Why certainly you can work: here
take this
l was very glad indeed, but when
lifted my hoe my happiness changed IL
q frown. / remembered that the men
were watching me, so / quickly started
to smooth the furrow which was being
made.
worked very hard and long, for
the men did not talk to me. and
thought they were very impolite, but
/ did not tell them so.
When the IL o'clock whistle blew.
they threw their implements down
and rushed to the rouse to wash. L
had seen them do this so many times
did the same, but just simply could
not keep up with them. I fell down
several times trying to jump over the
furows. which it seemed to me there
were miles of them.
The men had washed and were eat
ing when 1 arrived. I suppose thew
had decided to call me Pete, for while
l was lingering outside, afraid to go
in. one of the men called to me and
SAID: You had better wash, Pete, and
come in and join U.s." / did not wan,
to, but l did.
When I went in they asked me to
sit down and have bit. There was a
great deal of murmuring, and then a
laugh every once in while. / could
not eat anything. Seeing that l was
Lot eating. the man who was SO kind
as to let me work, said: why, Pete,
you are not eating as much today as
you did yesterday.
NO. was my stern reply, as I
folded my arms and leaned Imply
back in my chair.
"Your face is bleeding, Pete"
Your hair is covered with mud
You did not wash clean, for your
onds are dirty"
Yes, knew very we'll that my face
was SCARED and my hair was muddy
and my hands were dirty, but I was
Sd sick I could hardly hear the many
which were made. I was
dizzy. then everything seemed dark.
When again gained consciousness