Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-12-30

L
He stunned social affairs In a blaze
fashion unnatural for a yorngster
not yet twenty-five. Girls had some
how gotten ON his nerves, and he
skunk about with his dog ana his
pipe, taking what Joy he had in
abusing the Wood college baseball
team which he was disgustedly
coaching.
Lately, the team had been losing
games for some inexplicable reason.
At practise the boys filled his bosom
with Joy, but put them up against
neighboring college team. and they
invariably started out well-but I'm
ished badly.
He had finally got the trouble
traced to Myers and Townsend
They always did some fatally foolish
thing at the last minute. Then his
sister gave him key TO the trouble
"It's-girl." she announced. pure
girl! Myers always has Flossie
Evers waiting round with picnic
basket for the game to end. Towns
end fuses after Maude Forest. What
can you expect? It's the end of their
last year, and they're in honor bound
to go home engaged"
$50 that's it, is it," Steve looked
at her in open admiration as he stood
in the study door and filed his pipe.
He straightway resolved to give
Myers and Townsend a talk that
would make them mad enough to win
the next game! Girl. indeed.
Though his sister gloried In his
own attitude to the sex, she could
not help giving him also a fling.
Perhaps it's the coach, too" she
remarked slyly. You're pretty can
ny, Steve, but should think the way
the girls in this manless town pursue
you would begin to take effect pretty
soon! A man escapes ninety-nine
times and falls wounded the hun
dredth time. Milly was here today to
see if she couldn't take baby out for
a walk. She'll bring him back just
late enough SO I'll have to ask her to
dinner Then she'll stay SO long I'll
have to send you home with her."
Steve grunted in an ashamed sort
of fashion. He would have stopped
her If he could.
want you to come to their impromptu
dance tomorrow night. It's given by
the town girls. You can take any
town girl who will go with you.
That's just what Irene said"
At this the young fellow turned in
disgust into the study and threw him
self on the couch to read.
But he did not read; he thought 1t
carefully over. Being young. he loved
dancing; also he liked girls-of his
own sort-the sort that let a man do
his own pursuing, and made the chase
interesting - and often vain.
While he was still meditating dis
gustedly, sister again appeared with
her sweetest smile-and the darning
basket. She sat down and surveyed
him.
Its going to be a pretty dance"
she said casually. Whom are you
thinking of asking? You might put
the names in your hat and draw.
There's not much choice" She was
thinking of Helen Weaver. but knew
better than to mention her. She
would have been quite willing to have
Helen for a sister-in-law.
"Oh-what's the matter with Helen
If she would 60 with me?" Sud-
denly he sprang up and went to the
phone.
He called up Helen, and in his i'm
patient, yet somehow humble voice,
asked her. Yes; she would 60 with
him-gladly. After a moments talk
he hung up the receiver. Her cor
diality was undoubtedly genuine. 1t
was Enthusiastically friendly. But II
was nothing more. He felt that after
year of a more or less intimate ac-
quaintance he hardly knew her.
though she was perfectly frank and
had been about with him a good deal
in a casual way. Then he called up
Irene and told her he was coming to
the dance, of course. and it was love-
ly of her to ask him-and he would
bring Helen Weaver, whom he had
already asked. He felt the little chill
in Irene's voice and knew he should
have asked her instead.
| When he got back to the study he
was relieved that sister had been
called to the parlor by a visitor. The
door was open and he could hear
them chatter. It was Edythe Allen.
in her devil-may-carest mood. She
was enough older than Steve to Joke
about him and not be misunderstood
She had raved over the absent baby.
talked about the neighbcrs. the latest
college scandal and her own new con.
signment of hair from the city; then
she began on the dance-and then on
Steve. A sixth sense told her he was
listening and the madcap knew he
hated being adored-and discussed.
"How's Adonis-and his brigade of
female admirers?" she asked his sis
ter. Il saw him Looping by this morn