Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-30
CHAPTER I
A Girl Instead Of n Boy

TT WAS common knowledge in our
lfamily that when ] was born my
mother cried from sheer disappoint-
inent, and my father swore at nurse
and doctor alike, as il he held them
responsible for the fact that ] was "A
girl, when all along he had wanted
boy.
They had put UP with the first two,
comforting themselves with the old say
ing that the third time is never like
the rest, and that number three was
sure TO be a son and heir, so | sup
pose 1t must have been bit of a
shock when ] calmly disproved the
rule by being girl.
wasn't even pretty girl, like my
two elder sisters. / was the plain one
Of the family as we'll as the unwanted
one, and although I don't think my
father and mother were Intentionally
A unkind. they never lost sight of these
y two humiliating facts.
i am told that there was no fuss or
ceremony made Of my christening as
there had been with each of my sisters.
A parson was hurriedly fetched to the
house, as it seemed almost certain that
should not live, and l was unro-
n,antically christened Elizabeth Sarah,
after my fathers only unmarried and
poorest sister, who was pressed to stand
sponsor for me.
She died when I was ten years old,
leaving me all she had in the world
to leave--an old fashioned brooch with
entwined hair in it, and Georgian
silver milk jug; but I can remember
her quite distinctly still, as n thin
faced, shy old maid with a fiat chest
and kindly eyes.
u, "Sally will grow to be just like her
4 Aunt Elizabeth" so heard my mother
say one day, and l stole away into the
night nursery and climbed up on a
chair to look at myself in the dressing
table glass.
Il had loved Aunt Elizabeth. but
did not want to grow up to look like
her, and | studied my not very hopeful!
reflection with anxious eyes.
Small, pale and thin! AS unlike my
two pretty sisters as it was possible for
me to be, with thick, fair hair with
out suspicion Of curl in 1t, and serious
eyes, which kind people might have
called hazel, but which my mother said
were "nondescript.'
But l was not a serious person at all.
i was the bai girl of the family, as
\ iwell as the unwanted one, and as ny
father said when he was particularly
angry with me:
"She ought to have been boy, in
more senses than one"
I wished / had. l was sure that
boys had far better time of it than
girls, except girls like my sisters, that
is. who were graceful and pretty and
who paid for dressing.
My mother was very proud of them.
She took them about a great deal
and spent a lot of money on their
clothes.
''They do me credit" so she was al
ways saying to me. whereas you, Sally
.---' and she turned away in disgust
from my dirty pinafore and face. that
was stained with blackberry juice at
the time.
was always in disgrace. Somebody
was always finding fault with me. and, -,
as is often the case in such circum-
stances, | grew defiant.
81 don't care!' was my invariabe
D. Gnswer when | was punished.
n Are you sorry?' my mother would
ask me hOnelesSly. when ! had got into
fresh pickle. and / always said, "No.
not bit :"
AS a consequence | was never al
lowed down in the drawing room to tea,
] was never asked to parties or taken
about.
Once when new visitor included
me in an invitation my mother gave n
little shiver as she refused.
''Oh, no, thank you Not Sally You
would find her such handful" :"
| was the terror of the nursery Both
my sisters were afraid. of me. and tho
\ Nmax came when one day ran away
y Nplay with some gypsy children who
lnd Campcd in field near our house.
.nnd caught scarlet fever from one of
Ethem.
] had it mildly myself. and soon re-
covered. but Nell. thc prctticr of my
two sisters, had it terribly Sadly and
nearly died, and | was never forgiven.
1t meant boarding school for me.
I And if that doesn't improve her,
i nothing ever will :" my mother said,
hopelesslv.
So arrangements were made and !
was packed of.
81 hope you're sorry and will try to
he better girl,' ] was told "You
ore being sent to school as a punish
iuent, YOU know"
II don't CARE I said. and I didn't.
stayed two FERNS nj that school.
and then the head mistress wrote to
my mother and tactfully asked If
might be removed, as I was altogether
beyond hcr
My father and mother both came to
fetch mo home, and | was called down
into the drawing room to receive admo-
nition.
''Arcn't you sorry and aynamcd?"
ny mother asked.