South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-03
Kathleen and the Bicycle
By Hildred Schnel

: kind. and besides he doubted that
he really understood Kathleen him
self So he retired behind his news
paper.
IT'S too good TO last. 1 know
/ that Mrs Chase complained.
of course there Is bound 90 be
reaction her husband chuckle.
But don't borrow trouble Perhaps
she has indeed reformed"
1t seemed so. Morning found
Kathleen clean. dainty. and ready 10
yield 20 the slightest suggestion. She
received perfect marks in school,
and pract-ced her music lesson faith
fully. That night her mother ven
: tured 20 kiss her goodnight. a pro-
cess hitherto strongly objected 10 by
Kathleen-but tonight Kathleen
actually responded to the carress.
. Her mother went down stairs great
/ ly ag.tated
James" she walled. she's getting
/ too good 10 lve."
she viii get over it," consoled
/ her husband Don't worry" But
/ he was worried himself. He did not
altogether like this new Kathleen.
\ week passed by. To all out
ward appearances the metamorpho-
sis Of Kathleen had been complete
I She received the complete common
( dation of her teacher. and achieved
the highest mark of her grade in a
/ semester test She brought home
neatly written papers in lieu of the
customary scrubbed or blotted ones.
She dressed painstakingly always
( remembering hat gloves and hand
/ kcrchief. accessories which she had
! formerly considered quite super
/ fluOus. She always spoke sweetly
/ and spectfully-in short she was
I fast becoming the model child of the
( neighborhood. Her mother ceased
, 10 worry, and gloated over the
daughter who was a perfect little
/ lady.
One afternoon Kathleen came
home from school. and perched her
self upon the arm of her mothers
chair
"Mother-Tm not tOmboy any
more am u"
"Of course not, darling"
Mother, my birthday IS next
Tuesday"
Yes dear. Mother is going TO
/ get you something very nice-per-
/ haps those lovely little furs we were
looking at the other day"
Mother" wistfully.
Yes.
You said I wasn't a tomboy any
/ more-theE can't I have a bicycle,
! please rIeaSa u,otbpr2"
"Of course you can't, Kathleen.
/ That was settled weeks ago. Don't
! discuss it any more, please"
But mother"
Hush
You said 1 couldn't have one be-
cause I was a tomboy. and now I'm
not a tomboy, why
THAT is enough. Kathleen. Please
! do not be stubborn again"
no, mother" 1t was getting to
be a habit
Kathleen left the room, sought
her own and flung herself face
! downward on the bed. The Grand
Idea had failed, Her faith in hu-
manity was sadly shattered. Mother
had said that she couldn't have a
/ bicycle, because she was a tomboy-
! Now mother said she wasn't a tom
boy, but the bicycle was not forth
coming. 1t was a queer world-an
/ unjust world The week had been a
| worse strain on Kathleen than it
had been on the family, and it was
! all for nothing. Kathleen felt very
sorry for herself She began to
weep softly. then more violently. un-
til she fell asleep of pure eXhaUs-
ton. When she awolle il was nearly
dark-time for father TO be home,
she reflected. Rebelliously she
rumpled her hair slipped into a
dilapidated sweater. crawled out the
window. over the sloping porch roof
and slid down the porch pillar, just
( as daddy came UP the steps She
landed almost in his arms, and did
not see the shining object at his
side.
Thank Heavens. it's Kathleen. q"
he exclaimed I'd begun to beHebs
that YOU were a hopeless little prig
And then Kathleen spied It! =
beautiful. shining. red. wheel.
"Oh. daddy, Is it mine?"
Yes. Take IT, and be a tombOy.
( Try it now. Ride down and show
( Bud, while I go in and-break the
news 10 mother" he chuckled
Kathleen needed no second bid
ding His hand on the dOOrnOb. her
/ father stood watching her proudly
( lovely graceful figure, every muscle
/ under perfect control. her dark hair
/ flying in the wind He chuckled
+ softly.