The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-06-27
ELEANOR THE sILEN7
BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.

| BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.
To most persons an invitation to a
party comes as a pleasant surprise,
but when the postman handed square
white envelope to Eleanor one Mon
day morning, the girl looked any
thing but pleased.
"Dear me - she groaned, reading
the brief note. IT just felt in all my
bones that Frances Bennington would
ask me to her old conversation party.
Here's an invitation for you, too.
Sallie. Just imagine me at such a
thing Why, never conversed in
my life I won't go, so there r.
81 guess you'll have to-" said Mrs.
Dennison. 'Tt's too far for Sallie to
go alone, and Frances won't like it If
you refuse"
''Yes," echoed Sallie, there's your
new dress. You'll have to go if only
to wear that adorable gown before
you outgrow it. Anyway, it'll be
lots pleasanter for me if you go"
"You know very we'll that my
tongue freezes solid at an ordinary
party, and the mere thought of con-
versation party is enough TO paralyze
1t clear to the roots. I just know
that I'll be as dumb as any oyster all
the evening, but suppose I'll have
to go if you and mother insist"
The party was to be on Wednesday
evening. By Tuesday night Flea
nor's round, habitually cheerful coun-
tenance wore an expression of settled
gloom.
By Wednesday noon the other mem.
that "Old Judge Hamilton" a local
celebrity who had never been known
to smile, was a positively hilarious
person compared with Eleanor, whose
depression and trepidation visibly in
creased as the hour for merrymaking
approached.
Eleanor was pitiably shy. With
her mother and sister she could chat
ter easily enough, SO neither sociable
Mrs. Dennison nor confident Sallie
realized how hard it was for the diff
dent, shrinking younger girl to talk
to other persons, or even to recite her
lessons in school.
Indeed, school was most terrify-
ing place. After hours of careful
study Eleanor would invariably stam-
mer, 81 don't know" to Mr.. Mobiles
very simplest questions. Only her
success in the written examinations
at the end of each month saved the
standing of this shyest of pupils.
miss Dennison," said Mr.. Noble,
one day, (which am 1 to believe
Your eyes say that you know that
date, but tongue says that you don't. "
'I don't know" faltered Eleanor.
During the hours between Monday
morning and Wednesday evening even
self-possessed Sallie grew thoughtful.
She spent most of the time on the
library rug, with the Encyclopedia
Britannica surrounding her.
"Just as like as not" asserted Sal
lie, who had never attended conver-
satior party, they'll give you some
initial letter and let you choose some
topic beginning with it. I'm taking
one at random from each volume and
committing it to memory. They
won't catch me mapping. You'd bet
ter do the same thing"
"What' S the use?' ?'groaned Eleanor
dropping despondently to lowly sea
on the XYZ volume. II shouldn'
be able to get out a single syllable /
anyone asked my name-let alone :
topic. But if everyone else is goini
to talk, some one will have to listen
I'll do the listening. But goodness
I wish it were this time next weel
and the horrid thing all over /! II
rather have a tooth pulled than go.
At eight O'Clock that evening Fran
ces, the merry little hostess, was ex
planning to group of boys and girl
the rules of the game.
"You're to choose these little bow
of ribbon" she said, holding aloft
bunch of gay colors. "There are te
boys and ten girls, and you're t
match ribbons to find your first part
ners. The boys are to name tn
topics, and each girl is to talk to th
best of her ability for five minutes
The girls are to do all the talking"
. "I might have known it !" groane
Eleanor into Sallie's unsympathet
ear. eff you miss me, I'll probabl
be up stairs under one of the BEDS"
"No, GIRL" continued France
. waving her ribbons, is to talk to an
boy more than once. When it is a
over the boys are to vote. Each be
is to write on slip of paper the nan
of the girl whose conversation h'
pleased him most. Of course Il
= girl who gets most votes will get Il
prize. There's to be boy and
girl at each of these little tables, al
a bell will ring at the end of each fl
minutes, when the boys must progre
to the next table--Why Where
q Fred Price?"
" .sHe has an liberated tooth
mumbled Fred's brother, standii
Q bashfully on one leg and looking
If he, too, longed to be at home nul