FOR THE CHILDREN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1211, 21 February 1914, Page 4

FOR THE CHILDREN.

TONY OF TOMBOY TOWN

Her right name was Antonia, but because she was such a terrible tomboy the little girl was called Tony, and strangers always thought that the name relened to a boy until they were told. Her mother often sighed over the great holes in the knees of her stockings and the rents in her dresses, which were caused by tree climbing competitions. Woiss than that, she was rough and awkward in her manners, and hated nothing so much as being called into the drawing room to see her mother’s friends.

One day, her cousin Cecily came to stay with her, and when she saw what a vast amount of darning and sewing had to be done in her auntie’s house, she declined Tony’s invitation to go fishing, and said that she would rather stay indoors and darn some of her stockings instead. “Very well, stay indoors. You can’t be worth much to like darning and silly old sewing better than fishing,’’ and Tony laughed scornfully as she went off, with her rod over her shoulder. On the way she climbed two trees after birds’ nests, and succeeded in making another rent in her skirt.

When she got home, she took the mended stockings and other garments from her cousin with a sniff and marched off to bed. Whether she had eaten too much supp'.r or whether the wise weeiolks were at the bottom of it I cannot say, but no sooner had she laid her head upon the pillow than she found herself in a country where the trees grew three times higher ihan the highest she had ever seen.

“Oh, how splendid for climbing,’’ she cried, as she started to scale one of them.

She had only got a little way before her stocking tore, and the bark took a piece of skin off her knee, which began to bleed very much.

She came down more cautiously than she had ascended, but her elbows were out of her sleeves, and her frock bung in ribbons by the lime that she reached the ground. When she alighted a cold gust of wind swept through the trees, and blew the ribbons, which bad once been her dress, about.

Suddenly she saw crowds of other girls, like herself, all in rags, shivering and bemoaning their lot.

“I say, who are you, and what is this place called ?” said Tony. One of them looked at her sadly before she answered, and there was no brightness in her manner as she said “Don’t you know ? We’re the tomboys, and this is Tomboy Town.’’ “Don’t think much of it,” said Tony, shortly. Then she added, “Well, where’s my mother, anyway ? I want her to sew up these things,” and she touched her ragged dress as she spoke. “There are no mothers in Tomboy Town, Wa are sent here because we did not appreciate them when they did so much to make us comfortable. It was a glorious life for a time, but we are sad enough now,” was the sad reply.

“And have I got to slay here all my life ?” asked Tony. “Surely,” was the reply, “you are a tomboy, aren’t you T’ Then everything grew dark, but presently a soft, gentle voice pierced through it, and said, “rouv, dear, I’ve brought you a cup of tea and some biscuits. Will you have them ?” Tony sat up iu bed, and rubbed her eyes. The vision of Tomboy Town was still fresh upon her, and she felt ashamed of herself.

“Thanks, Cecily, you’re a brick,” she said.

After that Tony made an honest effort to save her mother from doing so much needlework, and never forgot to thank her for what she did.

Altogether, the visit to Tomboy Town did the little girl good, and she remembered it even when she grew to be a woman.