The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-01-21
The Price

only seen four summers, but she
turned from a beautiful new dolly,
that a doting aunt had thought to
present her with, to tattered fire
engine, the one horse of which had
lost his head and the other a leg.
Rather a strange preference, but it
was her natural one.
/ "She's not exactly tomboy,n a
friend of the family remarked when
the small girl had reached the age OF
10, but she's uncanny so unlike
other girls of her age"
"She will outgrow it, / am sure, -
| returned her mother, though she,
too, recognized the uncanniness of
her only child.
At Is she had been motherless for
| four wears Wee peculiarities grew
apace with her age, and she ha6 de
veloped an independent attitude to-
ward mankind that at times appalled,
those around her
At this period she was one day
asked by relative whom she was
| visiting to care for her baby while
/
"The baby!" she exclaimed Don't
you know hate babies? The horrid,
squalling little thing!v Then seeing
| the hurt look on her relatives face,
"Of course your baby isn't squalling
one, but never do know what to do
for them. They annoy me so when
they cry"
so, unnatural" the relative MUIR
INJURED, going in search of the maid,
who must be taken from her ironing
to stay with the baby.
At 81 we find our once small friend
q clever. brilliant woman. witty and
attractive. but dissatisfied. Always on
the verge of happiness, but never
quite there.
She will make a good marriage. !"
q woman acquaintance remarked;
but time went by and she did not
marry. Many men admired her en-
joyed her as a friend. this girl who
could swim and shoot, sail boat
golf or paddle canoe as well, if not
better. than any of them
There were men who thought. per
saps they loved her. but in some in
describable way they always changed
their minds It seemed to the onlook,
ers that they became disillusioned.
and for some reason after a time
grew to see her in another light
But why should not men love girl
of this type? Clever. witty. courage
Gus, good to lOoi. upon. almost purit-
anical in her ideals and her attitude
toward life
She passed one day through a city
park. By her side was man who
watched her swift little walk with
keen admiration. and who was feel
ing a strange rush of happiness com
ing to llm as he moved along
1t was one o. those gorgeous days
in early spring, when the sunlight
was helping to unfold in all directions
the little green buds upon the trees.
The park was filled with children
whose voices rang out clearly as they
played They were alive with that
wonderful exuberance that one finds
in children when spring in all its
glory bursts upon US.
The man and the girl passed
through this joyous group of young
Americans The mans eyes were
alight and eager, as if intoxicated
. with the vigor and life of all about
him Occasionally he patted gently
curly head which came his way, and
the face beneath the curls would
smile up into his as he passed along.
The girl, too. was alive to the
beauties Of the day; bursts of new
found glory were sending queer thrills
through her veins, The man at her
side satisfied her, but she saw not
the look in his eyes, she. needed not
the stroking of the curly head
A child rolling hoop came toward
them. her hair, tied with its blue
ribbon, flying in the breeze. The
hoop swerved to one side. the child
after it; then hoop and child collided
with the woman
The man sprang forward, eager and
solicitous both for child. girl and
hoop
She stamped her foot, annoyed and
LauSHAy, d5 sue uESW 70 one sue
a1'm sorry" the child battered,
piteous look IN her great blue eyes
~I~ but the girl passed on.
Stupid child :" she exclaimed. half
under her breath. Il hate children.
she added; they are a nuisance;
why are they allowed in the parks?''
The man and the girl passed on
The girl quickly forgot, but the man
saw only tie eyes Of the little child.
and the brightness OF the day grew
dim to him, as II he had seen the
death Of a new young friend, for a
budding love had been killed.
Years passed. Always she wander
ed, looking for something. No. not
something new. It was no longer the
Something" for her She knew well
Sor what she longed Did she not stop
at the sound Of baby cry and peer
into the window and watch some