The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-05-15
Eleanor
The Silent.
By CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.


To most persons an invitation to
party comes as pleasant sur
prise, but when the postman handed
( square white envelope to Eleanor
one Monday morning, the girl looked
anything but pleased.
Dear met" she groaned, reading
the brief note. Il just felt in all
my bones that Frances Bennington
would ask me to her old conversa-
.tion party. Here's an invitation for
you, too, Sallie Just imagine me
at such thing! Why, l never con-
versed in my life! won't go. so
there!"
Il guess you'll have to- said Mrs.
Dennison. Its too far for Sallie
ito 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 lets
pleasanter for me if you CO."
'sYou know very well that my
tongue freezes solid at an ordinary
party, and the mere thought of a
conversation party is enough to para
lyze it clear to the roots. 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 cleaners
round, habitually cheerful coun.e
nance wore an expression of settled
gloom.
By Wednesday noon the other mem.
bers of the Dsnnison family declared
that odd Judge Hamilton local
celebrity who had never been known
to smile. was positively hilarious
person compared with Eleanor whose
depressions and trepidation visibly in
\ creased as the hour for merrymak-
ing approached
D Eleanor was pitiably shy. With
her mother and sister she could chat
ter easily enough SO neither soclable
\ Mrs. Dennison nor confident Saline
4 realized how hard 1t was for the diff
dent, shrinking younger girl to talk
to other persons, or even to recite
her lessons in school.
Indeed, school was a most terrify-
ing place After hours OF careful
j, study Eleanor would invariably STAN
mer, II 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,
J one day, (which am l to believe?
Your eyes say that you know that
date, but tongue says that you don't"
Il 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.
J "Just as like as not" asserted Sal.
! lie, who had never attended con-
versation party, they'll give you some
Initial letter and let you choose some
topic beginning with it. I'm taking
4 one at random from each volume
and committing 1t to memory. They
won't catch me mapping. You'd better
4 do tho same thing"
whats the use?" groaned Eleanor,
i dropping despondently to lowly
seat on the XYZ volume. Il shouldn't
4 be able to get out single syllable
4 if any one asked my name-let alone,
\ a topic. But If every one else is
!, going to talk, some one will have to
Z, listen. I'll do the listening. But good
: ness! ! wish it were this time next
1 week and the horrid thing all over!
4 I'd rather have tooth pulled than
4 CO." At eight o'clock that evening
Y Frances, the merry little hostess, was
/, explaining TO group of boys and
girls the rules of the game.
) You're to choose these little bows
OF ribbon she said, holding aloft
bunch of gay colors. There are ten
4 boys and ten girls, and you're to
y match ribbons to find your first part
I ners. che boys are to name the
y topics, and each girl is to talk to the
best of her ability for five minutes.
4 The girls are to do all the talking"
Il might have known it," groanei
. Eleanor into Sallie's unsympathetic
| ear. IF you miss me, I'll probably
be upstairs under one of the beds"
NO girl, continued Frances, way
ing her ribbons. lis to talk to any
boy more than once. When it is all
q over, the boys are to vote. Each
! boy is to write on slip of paper
J the name of the girl whose converse
ton has pleased him most. OF course
the girl who gets most votes will get
the prize. There's 10 be boy and
girl at each of these little tables,
and bell will ring az the end of
each five minutes, when the boys
must progress to the next table
! Why. Where's Fred Price?'