Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-06-12
Eleanor
The Silent.
BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.


prise, but when the postman handed
a square white envelope to Eleanor
one Monday morning, the girl looked
anything but pleased.
Dear me-" she groaned. reading
the brief note. Il just felt in all
my bones that Frances Bennington
would ask me 10 her old converse
ton party. Here's an invitation for
you, too, Sallie. Just imagine me
at such a thing, Why, l never con-
versed in my life! l won't go, so
there!"
Il guess you'll have to-" said Mrs.
Dennison. It's too far for Sallie
TO go alone, and Frances won't like
It il you refuse"
YES" echoed Sallie, there's your
new dress. You'll have to go IL only
70 wear that adorable gown before
you outgrow it. Anyway, it'll be lots
pleasanter for me II you CO."
''You 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 Eleanor's
round, habitually cheerful counte-
nance wore an expression Of settled
gloom.
BY Wednesday noon the other men,
bers of the Dennison family declared
that "Old Judge Hamilton" 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 merrymak-
ing approached.
Eleanor was pitiably shy. With
her mother and sister she could chat
ter easily enough, so neither sociable
Mrs. Dennison nor confident Saline
realized how hard il was for the diff.
dent, shrinking younger girl to talk
to other persons. or even to recite
uer LESSONS III SCuOOl.
Indeed, school was a most terrify-
ing place. After hours of careful
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 c. pupils.
Miss Dennison," said Mr.. Noble.
one day, which am / 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.
"Just as like as not" asserted Sal.
lie, who had never attended a con-
versation 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 II to memory. They
won't catch me mapping. You'd better
do the same thing"
whats the use?" groaned Eleanor,
dropping despondently to lowly
seat or the XYZ volume. II shouldn';
be able to get out a single syllable
IL any one asked my name-let alone
a topic. But if every one else is
going to talk, some one will have t.
listen. I'll do the listening. But good
ness, l wish it were this time next
week and the horrid thing all over!
I'd rather have a tooth pulled than
go" At eight o'clock that evening
Frances, the merry little hostess. was
explaining 70 a group Of boys and
girls the rules OF the game.
) ;You're to choose these little bows
OF ribbon" she said, holding aloft a
bunch of gay colors. There are ten
boys and ten girls. and you're TO
match ribbons to find your first part
ners. The boys are to name the
topics, and each girl is to talk to the
best OF her ability for five minutes.
The girls are to do all the talking"
Il might have known it," groaned
Eleanor into Sallie's unsympathetic
ear. IF you miss me, I'll probably
be upstairs under one of the beds"
NO girl. continued Frances, wav-
ing her ribbons. lis to talk to any
boy more than once. When it is all
over. the boys are to vote. Each
10Y Is to write on a slip Of paper
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 to be a boy and
a girl at each of these little tables.
and a bell will ring at the end of
each five minutes, whsn the boys
must progress to the next table
Why, Where's Fred Price,"
'IIe has an liberated TOOTH" mum
bIed Fred's brother, standing bash
fully on one leg and looking as II
he, too, longed to be at home nurs-
ing 4 swollen cheek. "He'd-he'd
have sent word sooner, but-but he
didn't get it until supper-time."
Then we're one boy short." said
Frances, in dismay. What shall We
do?"
Tell her." whispered Eleanor,
nutging Sallie. "to let me drop out"
"Oh. couldn't think Of it," re-
,,Iiad Erances Dolitely IF grand